The Lopez Island Family Resource Center (LIFRC), which provides support services for students and their families in the islands, has seen a recent influx of requests for food, help with heating bills, and more.

“We have more needs than I’ve seen before. Because of the economic situation, it’s starting to hit families now,” said executive director Celia Marquis.

LIFRC offers several programs to help families and individuals in need. The state-funded Basic Food service provides food stamps to applicants. Marquis says they’ve been doing outreach on Orcas and San Juan, hanging up posters and helping people sign up. “We go over on Monday afternoons to Orcas to help people fill out forms.”

The Energy Assistance program, which is administered through the Opportunity Council and helps people pay their utility bills, just began. It serves both families and individuals, including senior citizens. Of the 45 slots, 30 are filled.

The resource center collaborates with Grace Church to operate the food bank and Lopez Fresh, located below the LIFRC office. Marquis says she’s seen a considerable increase in locals using this service, for both non-perishables from the food bank and items like milk, cheese, butter, yogurt, eggs, and vegetables from Lopez Fresh. Those interested in helping to fill up the food bank can either donate canned food to Grace Church, buy food for the Lopez Fresh fridge, or donate money to the LIFRC.

The resource center also makes the holiday season a little more festive for struggling families. Last week they distributed 30 Thanksgiving baskets to Lopez families, a number higher than last year. Lopez Village Market donated the turkeys, Holly B’s Bakery gave bread, Nick and Sarah Jones donated smoked salmon, members of the Grange made pies, and Grace Church provided the space – and the volunteer hours – to assemble the baskets.

The Spirit of Giving program provides gift certificates to local families to help ease the burden of buying gifts on a tight budget. It is going on now through Dec. 17. Those interested in participating can sponsor a family, purchase gift certificates found on Giving Trees at the Bay Cafe, the Galley, Gallery 10, Islanders Bank, and Sunset Builders, or make a donation to the resource center.

The LIFRC is funded by Washington state, with a significant amount of money coming from the Readiness to Learn (RTL) program, administered by the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction as part of the Education Reform Act enacted by the 1993 Legislature. Its primary purpose is to “reduce barriers to learning and link education with human service providers in an effort to assist in the removal of non-academic barriers and ensure that all children are able to attend school prepared to learn.”

Orcas and San Juan receive money from RTL as well, and Marquis noted that it’s a difficult time for local non-profits right now because of budget cuts.

“We are being threatened to lose that money because it’s not in the governor’s current budget,” said Marquis. “We have a potential loss of state as well as county funding.” Marquis hopes the LIFRC won’t have to cut any programs or downsize its staff.

“It’s a really interesting time for non-profits. People aren’t able to give a lot right now. The local non-profits need to be collaborating during this time of tightening up.”

To contribute money to the Lopez Family Resource Center or to sign up for any of its programs, call 468-4117. More information is also available at www.lifrc.org.