Upper Valley Mend Reflects on the Busiest and Most Inspiring Time of Year

Upper Valley Mend, particularly the Community Cupboard, is busy this time of year due to providing holiday meals as well as Christmas presents. In the winter time, needs from community members spike for the food bank.

"There's less work in the winter time months and the holiday months especially, people come in to get holiday food," said Bob Mark, Community Cupboard manager. "We have a special holiday distribution we do every year."

In November, the Community Cupboard served 402 families.

As 2019 comes to a close, the Upper Valley Mend reflects on the amount of produce provided via the produce-gleaning program. In 2019, the program provided about $65,000, which in turn goes to toward food banks in Wenatchee and East Wenatchee region.

"That kind of produce is kind of expensive a lot of the time. People that are in that situation in their life, need that produce and that healthy food a lot because they may be facing health concerns," said Kaylin Bettinger, executive director. "Being able to offer that to people is a really powerful way to help them get control of their health."

This program doesn't have an ongoing source of funding however and so any community members compelled to support can visit the Upper Valley Mend website and donate.