AUBURN, Wash. — The population in the city of Auburn has grown by more than 30,000 people since the millennium, and with it, increasing demand on nonprofit services like the Auburn Food Bank.
"It has really skyrocketed," said Debbie Christian, executive director of the Auburn Food Bank.
But this Thanksgiving, a longtime prayer of food bank leaders was finally answered: an anonymous benefactor donated the full $800,000 they needed to move out of a facility they've long outgrown.
Now, they are able to move into a new facility under renovation nearby.
"We got our Christmas miracle at Thanksgiving," said Christian.
It started with a phone call from a young woman on Monday.
"She had a bunch of questions to ask about what we were doing, and where we were going, and why did I need $800,000," explained Christian.
As it turned out, she was calling on behalf of a generous businessman.
"She said, well, he's gonna do it all ... and it's just like, you run out of words right there," said Christian.
That businessman, however, preferred to stay anonymous.
"Very private company, really don't want attention," said Christian. "It's a goodhearted person that just wants to see the work here continue, wants to see it expand."
This Thanksgiving, Christian believes the Auburn community has a lot to be thankful for.
"I've been doing this 17 years. I had six years on the board before that, and that whole time, plus, there's been this dream of moving," said Christian. "I can really see the end of the tunnel. It’s not just the light that's sitting there. I see the end.”
The act of charity comes at a time of strain for many in Auburn and across Puget Sound, due to higher food costs and high inflation.
But the bank's customers are not the only ones dealing with inflation.
In early 2020, before the pandemic, Christian and her team poured more than a $1.5 million into the new space in a city-owned complex nearby, at 2802 Auburn Way North. But, she said, they ran out of money and couldn't continue building and couldn't yet move in.
"A large debt in our lap, it was $800,000," she said. "Labor went up, you know, lumber goes up, cement problems happen, we had to put in an extra fire hydrant outside."
The Auburn Food Bank's current facility has been far too small for far too long; as Christian explained, there’s not even enough room for the food boxes. She said demand on services has also increased this year.
In January, they were seeing 80 families a day. Now, they see about 170 families in one day.
The Auburn Food Bank will reopen in their new space in January 2024.