PHOTO BY MEGHAN ERKKINEN

LYNDA LUCYK IS ONE OF SEVERAL VOLUNTEERS WHO STEPPED UP TO HELP THE FIFE SCHOOL DISTRICT RESOURCE CENTER, WHICH PROVIDES NEEDY FAMILIES WITH FOOD, CLOTHES AND HOUSEHOLD ITEMS. Lucyk will coordinate the operations of the center, located in Milton.

Resource Center secures coordinator, more volunteers

By Meghan Erkkinen

Two months ago, the Fife School District Family Resource Center could not find volunteers to keep its doors open to provide needy families with food and clothes.

Billie Leitner, who previously coordinated the Resource Center, had announced that after 11 years she had to step down. Because Leitner had almost single-handedly overseen the operation of the center, she had no clear replacement, and no one expressed an immediate willingness to step up and take over the time-consuming, difficult job.

But once word got out that the center needed help, the community stepped up. Lynda Lucyk worked with Leitner at Brightening 4 Children, the umbrella organization for the center. When Lucyk heard how dire the situation was, she stepped up.

“We never wanted it to close but it ended up falling on Billie’s shoulders,” Lucyk said. “I tell people I got demoted to the person in charge.”

But whereas before it was a struggle to find a single person who could keep the doors open each Tuesday afternoon for three hours, now the center has three or four people signed up for every shift. Beyond those who volunteered time, businesses and families stepped up, donating food, clothing and household items to the center.

“I think had this not gone out to the larger community the way that it did, we might have had to close the doors,” said Sean Whalen, director of special programs for the school district. “A huge number of other folks contacted the schools to volunteer in various ways at the center.”

Already the work is paying off. In April, volunteers put in about 75 hours of work and served at least 25 needy families in the Fife School District area. Although there have been some challenges – “we’re kind of on the learning curve again,” Lucyk admitted – she is happy the center is being able to remain open.

“It’s been nice to see the community more aware that it’s here,” Lucyk said. “The community has stepped up quite a bit.”

Now, the concern is maintaining the volunteer base and leadership of the center.

“My concern is not so much the community support for it but making sure the Resource Center has enough sustain so that we don’t have another crisis like this a year from now,” Whalen said. “The Resource Center has historically been dependent on the actions of one person…It’s a pretty big burden for any one person to carry. What I’m hoping is that burden is shared a little bit.”

For now, the Resource Center is working to keep its shelves stocked. Lucyk has enlisted the help of the school district to hold food drives to renew diminishing supplies, and the center is also low on boys’ clothing.

The Resource Center is open every Tuesday from 12:30-3:30 p.m. Donations of food and lightly used children’s clothing or household items may be delivered to the Resource Center portable between Endeavor Intermediate School and Discovery Primary School.

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