Fraternal organizations collaborate to aid community

Back row (L – R): John McSweeney, US Army (Ret), Elks #1800 Veterans Committee Chair; Richard Garrison, US Navy, Elks 1800 and American Legion Post #227 Member; Richard Christianson, US Navy, Elks #1800 & American Legion #227 Member; Bruce Sagor, Elks #1800 Chaplain; 

Front Row: Sherri Pelletier, Elks #1800 Exalted Ruler; Debbie Martinson, American Legion Auxiliary #227 President; Sarah Andrews, US Navy, American Legion #227 Member.

Shoreline Elks Lodge #1800 recently donated $5,500 to the Shoreline American Legion Post #227 with the intent of providing additional, collaborative support to assist the Shoreline community-at-large, and displaced veterans in particular, to fight hunger, homelessness and COVID-19.

During the past two years, members of the Shoreline Elks and American Legion combined part of their volunteer efforts to purchase perishable food, transport it to prep kitchens and, ultimately, prepare and deliver hot meals to needy veterans and other members of the community. 

This cooperative venture was developed, in part, because of the greater difficulty each organization faced in the execution of their respective in-house large projects because of the pandemic. 

Because of various waves of the virus, there has been a significant increase in the number of people needing these services. 

When Elks volunteers heard of their partner organization’s need to replace their dying refrigeration system, the Lodge made the financial donation to purchase a new refrigerator and restore the American Legion Post’s ability to continue helping their Shoreline community.

This year alone, the Legion Post’s delivery of perishable food to Compass House's Shoreline Veterans Center amounted to150 pounds per week. Meals were served for up to four dozen individuals biweekly. 

This amounted to an increase of over 50% in the number of people served last year. The monthly home delivery of food and meals to the families of disabled and disadvantaged veterans also increased proportionally during the same period of time.

With or without the impact of COVID, the Shoreline community will continue to face the need of food assistance for the needy. 

If you would like to donate food, money or your time to help out with this program, please contact:

• Shoreline Compass Veterans Center, (206) 474-1880, info@compasshousingalliance.org 
• Shoreline American Legion Post 227, (206) 503-8740, starrsutherlandjrpost227@gmail.com
• Shoreline Elks Lodge #1800, (206) 364-1800, elks1800@hotmail.com