MARYSVILLE — More than 900 families will be able to enjoy Thanksgiving due to the generosity of the businesses and people of Marysville, and the hard work and dedication of a group of very caring volunteers.

The Marysville Community Food Bank will be handing out Thanksgiving food baskets this week to help families in need in the community. Joyce Zeigen, director of the food bank, estimates that the food bank will be helping nearly 200 more families this year than last year. “Even without the holidays we’ve had a 20 percent increase in clientele. When you have things like Meridian Yachts going out of business and Milgard Manufacturing going out of business, it affects everyone,” she said.

Former food bank director JoAnn Mulligan, who was on hand Nov. 20 to help out, agreed that the demand in the community has increased. “We are here to help those in need and we have a sea of great need this year. Our numbers have gone up a great deal. We appreciate any or all help you can give us.”

Fortunately for the food bank, and the families it serves, the generosity of the businesses, churches, community members and service organizations in Marysville has kept pace with the increased demand.

“I appreciate that even in these hard times people are reaching deep into their pockets and continuing to help,” said Zeigen. “Everybody in Marysville should be very proud of their community for everything they do. The City Council is involved, all the city workers, the Parks and Rec department, churches, organizations like Rotary, Soroptimists, Kiwanis, Lions, and the Boys Scouts and Girl Scouts — they are all amazing and they should be really proud of what they do in the community.”

Marysville’s generosity comes in many sizes, like the $10,000 donation from the Tulalip Tribes to the small bags of food dropped in the red donation barrels located in churches and businesses around town. “If people are able to give it is definitely being put to good use,” said Zeigen. “All those pennies, nickels and dimes add up and it makes a big difference.”

Thanks to that generosity, the food bank was able to prepare food baskets which will enable families to enjoy a complete holiday meal. “The baskets contain everything they would need for a complete holiday meal, including leftovers,” Zeigen said. “We’re talking bread, pies, stuffing and side dishes, turkey and potatoes, and apples and oranges — everything you could imagine.”

In addition to the community’s generosity, Zeigen pointed out there is another ingredient responsible for the success of the food bank’s program — volunteers. “The volunteers, some of them have just been here a few months, some of them have been here for years and years and they are so dedicated and they just continue to give and give and give without anything in return,” she said. “Without them, this wouldn’t be possible.”

Even with the passing of Thanksgiving, the need is still there. The food bank, along with Operation Merrysville Community Christmas, will be providing holiday food baskets for Christmas as well as preparing the toy store which will provide holiday gifts for more than 1,500 local children. If you’d like to donate to help with the holiday food baskets, you can drop off donations of money or nonperishable food items at the Marysville Community Food Bank at 6518 60th Drive NE in Marysville. You can also drop off donations in any of the red OMCC donation barrels in stores, businesses and churches around town or you can go to the food bank’s Web site at www.marysvillecommunityfb.com.