Worst day becomes best day for Marysville food bank thanks to community support



MARYSVILLE, Wash. -- A Marysville food bank says someone cut their delivery truck’s gas line in the middle of the night, nearly stranding their delivery drivers, but luckily the community helped them get back on the road.

While picking up donations Saturday morning drivers for the Marysville Food Bank realized someone vandalized their delivery truck.

“It’s not the first time it happens to us,” said Amy Howell.

Howell is the assistant director of the Marysville Food Bank. She’s worked there for about 10 years and says they deal with theft and vandalism often.

“Unfortunately, we’re not immune,” she said.

The truck is used to pick up food from local grocery stores. Those food items are then distributed to about 300 members of the Marysville community every week, Howell says.

In total, the Food Bank distributes tens of thousands of dollars’ worth of food.

“Without being able to get the food from the grocery store, that would impact what our clients get,” said Howell.

Luckily, those people will still get their food this week.

“The outreach that this community has shown to help donate to the cost is great,” said Howell.

Howell says more than enough money was donated in one day to fix the truck.

What started off as a bad day, ended on a high note, said Howell. Not only did she feel the communities support through donations, but she could see that support in front of her in the form of a new piece of art at the food bank.

“I just like giving back to the community that raised me,” said RJ Ustaris.

Ustaris is working to become an Eagle Scout. He has done several projects with the food bank, including helping to add security cameras.

Saturday, he spent about 8 hours of his day, with the help of his friends, painting a new mural for the food bank.

Howell says despite the start of the day, seeing Ustaris work makes her realize there is always a silver lining.

“It’s {the mural} turning out amazing, that brightens anything that could have happened today,” she said.

Howell says she contacted the police in regard to the incident.