Following the Bainbridge Island City Council’s recent approval of $30,000 in emergency funding from the governing body’s contingency fund to Helpline House, the food bank plans to use it to bolster the nonprofit’s efforts in keeping shelves stocked during the holiday season.
Helpline House executive director Maria Metzler said she is hopeful to be able to place an order for proteins and other staples with products being delivered and put on the shelves in the coming weeks. She said the emergency influx of money will allow the nonprofit to be able to purchase products that are typically harder to get from donation streams.
“The ability to be able to bulk purchase proteins is a gift, and this money from the BI City Council allows us to do that,” she said.
However, despite the federal government reopening Nov. 12, and SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits flowing statewide, Metzler said the shutdown has had longer-term implications.
In 2025, Helpline House has served roughly 960 households and has had 18,500 visits so far this year. For comparison, last year, Helpline House had 18,50o visits for the entirety of 2024. Due to high demand in April, Metzler said the nonprofit had to implement reduced shopping times to once per week.
“You used to be able to shop any day of the week that we were open, meaning you could come multiple times a week if you needed a little extra,” she said. The emergency funding will allow Helpline House to bolster its inventory, but doesn’t allow expanding shopping hours for islanders, she said.
Despite high demand, Metzler said Helpline House doesn’t turn people away. However, longer wait times may make it harder for those with limited time to access resources. Metzler described the changes as deeply painful, as she is aware of the impact limited hours and shopping times can have on households.
“There are things that help that work better when the government is open and functioning…the length of the closure did lasting damage that simply reopening doesn’t erase,” she said. “Some of the cuts happened, which we are feeling the effects of, and that had nothing to do with the government shutdown. It’s just the policy and the vision of this administration that made particular cuts prior to the shutdown. The shutdown exacerbated people’s anxieties…it eroded even further trust in the benefit systems that are supposed to support people.”
DSHS (State Department of Social and Health Services), which distributes SNAP benefits statewide, estimates 25,000 people receive SNAP benefits in Kitsap County as of September of this year. “Everyone who was eligible for Basic Food benefits in Kitsap County in November 2025 should have received those benefits by Nov. 26, as benefits are issued the first through the 20th of the month,” DSHS spokesperson Norah West wrote in an email.
Meltzer also provided an update on Helpline House’s planned construction on the permanent location at 282 Knechtel Way NE to be completed in May 2026, and opening to the public in June. Metzler said several benefits of the new space include: a larger footprint of the food bank, space for social service organizations to meet with clients and improved workspace for volunteers.
Metzler said she wants households to know everyone is welcome to use services at Helpline House regardless of geographical location or income. “It’s important to know that we don’t turn people away, and that is something that we want people to know. There’s no income threshold, there’s no geographical threshold; anyone can come to any food bank in the state of Washington and that’s contractual. So if you feel like you could use the help, then we want you to come. Then it’s our problem to solve in terms of logistics, of how to serve as many people with the resources we have,” she said.
Helpline House also held its annual Turkey Trot Nov. 27, which aims to raise funds for local food, counseling, and social services year-round. Metzler said the event had a strong turnout and community support.
