Creativity and commitment, especially through this pandemic, can help us continue our compassion, as our students are learning through their service to Helpline House, Bainbridge Island’s food bank and social services provider. The history of Hyla and Helpline goes back more than 20 years, woven into our school culture and traditions. Former math teacher Chris Johnson helped students serve at the food bank in the beginning, and after she retired, former science teacher Cami Holtmeier took over the tradition from 2013-2019. According to Cami: “Most years eight Hyla kids worked about an hour each school week throughout the year at Helpline. That’s a lot of hours!” Recently Cami became the Food Bank Manager at Helpline House, and this year, along with our teachers, she has creatively helped Hyla students continue our relationship, our tradition of service, and our care for our community. 

Earlier this month, each Hyla cohort spent one electives period working on a Helpline House pilot program. Clients usually shop for themselves at the food bank, but since March, due to the pandemic, bags of donated food are pre-packaged and distributed curbside. Cami explains, “The kit idea is just a way we thought we’d try to package and distribute similar foods so people will leave with foods to help make their holidays festive.” Instead of students going to Helpline to serve, this year, boxes of donated food came to Hyla. On the porches, middle schoolers packaged these fun kits — baking ingredients, appetizers, holiday foods — placing items into plastic bags tied with colorful ribbons. With enthusiasm and spirit, students also wrote notes of holiday greetings and care. These kits will be available to anyone who comes to Helpline from November 9 – 20. Thanks to Cami, and to our Hyla teachers, for keeping this tradition of service to our community going in 2020, a year of greater need.

How can you support Helpline House?  

• Purchase grocery gift cards from T&C or Safeway that can be given to food bank clients.
• Buy extras of favorite holiday foods to donate to families in need.
• Look for canned food with easy-pull tab tops (such as soup) for their porch pantry, where food is accessible even when Helpline is closed.
• Bring donations to a grocery store (look for donation bin) or to Helpline House from 9 am to 12 pm on weekdays except Wednesdays.
• Follow Helpline House on social media (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter) and check out their website for more ideas. 

Cami adds, “Thanks for supporting and working creatively to help Helpline!”