Bigsby takes Community Action helm

BONNERS FERRY — Community Action Partnership’s Community Engagement Liaison Liz Bigsby is discovering her new job is both challenging and fulfilling.

“It’s about people coming together to offer a helping hand,” said Bigsby. Her job is to organize food and assistance programs for the less fortunate of Boundary County.

“Without the support of the community, we would never be able to offer these services,” she said.

Bigsby takes over for community liaison Christine Villanueva, who retired earlier this year after 16 years in the position.

“I have some big shoes to fill,” Bigsby said, “Christine did a wonderful job. There are a lot of programs that wouldn’t have started or been available without her.”

Bigsby grew up in Sandpoint but has spent 17 years as a Bonners Ferry resident. It was Bonners Ferry’s charm that made her want to live here, she said.

“I came up here in 1997, very pregnant,” she said. “The snow was really deep. School was out and the community was pulling together to help each other shovel off roofs. Everyone was pitching in.”

With a background in marketing and management, Bigsby spent two years volunteering at CAP before ending a nine-year-stint as a stay-at-home mom to take over the position.

Bigsby was chosen for the job over a number of other candidates. She said her time as a volunteer gave her an appreciation of what could be done, and what should continue.

Bigsby is pleased to announce that the community donations for summer have been very generous.

Local community members have donated 1,048 pounds of food, she says. 2,517 pounds of food have been donated by Second Harvest, which sends a mobile food bank to the area and donates everything it doesn’t give away to CAP. Once a month, John and Linda Alt of Bonners Ferry also pick up a pallet of Second Harvest donations from Spokane.

Bigsby is especially excited about the fresh produce donations the organization has received from the local community garden, a total of 282 pounds so far with a lot of the harvest left to gather.

Other local families have committed to bringing their harvest surplus, and Bigsby encourages anyone with a surplus of fresh garden produce to contact CAP instead of throwing it out. She can even arrange volunteers to come harvest the produce for those unable to do so themselves.

Very generous monetary donations have also been received by CAP, Bigsby says, which allows the organization to make purchases to fill necessities for their clients.

“People need diapers, dish soap, toothpaste and other personal care items,” she said.

Bigsby is committed to helping change the mind set of her clients. Poverty can create tunnel vision of despair, she said. She would like to change that mind set to a victorious way of living.

“It’s a rough road,” she says. “We’re here to help fill in the potholes.”

Bigsby says the vast majority of her clients are more appreciative than entitled. Families in need leave very thankful. There is an overwhelming sense of gratitude, she said.

“I’m very privileged to be in this position,” she said. “There is a tremendous opportunity to make a difference. A jar of peanut butter and some fresh carrots, they can make that difference to someone.”

As school approaches, Bigsby is able to offer some backpacks donated by the Salvation Army to needy school children. CAP will host a school supply day on Aug. 21, and is asking donors to bring in school supplies to help out.

Beginning in October, CAP will be offering it’s energy assistance program to help needy families with heating and electricity costs. As she begins processing applications and holding interviews, she will need more volunteers to help with the food pantry, Bigsby said.

CAP is open for summer hours Mondays through Thursdays from 9 a.m. to noon, and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Info: 267-3663.