Port Orchard Eagles donate Christmas gifts, food and money to Helpline in December

PORT ORCHARD — South Kitsap Helpline received a donation of $3,500 in December for its food bank’s 2016 Christmas meal and new toy program from the Port Orchard Eagles.

With the Eagles’ help, as well as from others in the South Kitsap community, Jennifer Hardison, Helpline’s executive director, said her organization provided Christmas meals to 1,170 households during the holiday season. Out of that total, 1,049 were handed out to families through Helpline at the Port Orchard Armory. The remaining 121 households were sponsored by local individuals, churches, businesses and service clubs that adopted them from Helpline and provided their meals.

The food bank’s Giving Tree program gave out new toys and gifts for Christmas to 1,290 children — 960 at the Armory and 330 by the collection of Helpline partners.