WINNEMUCCA — Humboldt County residents are invited to enjoy a delicious dinner this month while raising money to combat food insecurities in the community.
The Winnemucca Ministerial Association will host a Spaghetti Fundraiser from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 27, at the West Hall, Winnemucca Convention Center.
Tickets are now on sale from any Winnemucca Ministerial Association member; from 10 a.m. to noon Tuesdays and Thursdays at the Winnemucca United Methodist Church, 138 W. Winnemucca Boulevard; or from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday at the Winnemucca Food Bank, 150 S. Bridge Street.
Cost is $10 for adults and $5 for kids ages 4-12; children ages 0-3 eat for free with a paid ticket. Guests are welcome to pay at the door; guests can also take their meals “to go.”
The dinner will include spaghetti with choice of sauce, salad, bread and dessert. The evening will also include a silent auction with a variety of gifts donated by local businesses. Winners will be announced at 7 p.m. and do not need to be present to win.
All proceeds from the fundraiser will benefit the Winnemucca Food Bank, the Winnemucca Soup Kitchen and the Christmas Food Box programs — all of which fall under the umbrella of the Winnemucca Ministerial Association.
Winnemucca Food Bank Director Barbara Sealy said hunger does not begin with the holidays, nor does it end with the close of the year.
“Our needs have continued to mount over the years—especially with the addition of COVID and its devastating consequences — and we need funding to continue to operate in the black.”
Each year, the Winnemucca Food Bank distributes approximately 200,000 pounds of food to community residents, while the Winnemucca Soup Kitchen shares more than 3,000 meals. More than 100 families receive a food box at Christmas, and low-income seniors benefit each month from food box distributions.
Sealy said the community has been amazing in sharing donated food both individually and through collection drives.
However, keeping the food bank and soup kitchen open also requires money.
“Even with such an abundance of food, we still need to pay our rent, our utilities, our gas, our insurance,” said Sealy. “We have financial obligations that we must meet to keep our doors open, so this fundraiser will be a great blessing.”
The Winnemucca Ministerial Association is a 501(c)3 tax-exempt, non-profit organization and all contributions are tax deductible.
Sealy hopes community members will take advantage of the delicious meal in exchange for their “donated” ticket price.
For those who cannot attend, donations can be mailed to: Winnemucca Ministerial Association, P.O. Box 93, Winnemucca, Nevada 89446. Volunteers may call 775-625-2223.
“We pray local residents will continue to act in support of our community’s families,” said Sealy. “Every year, we have no idea how we are going to do it, but we have learned again and again that together, we can keep going.”