LONG BEACH – FISH Peninsula Emergency Service has been helping those in need in Pacific County for over 36 years according to director Martha Murfin, and now the benevolent organization is in need of a new storage facility for the food and items they hand out. Murfin discovered a way to raise money for the storage facility through a grant from the makers of Hamburger Helper, a product of General Mills.

“I found the grant by accident one day while I was using the computer. What you have to do is e-mail a statement on the Hamburger Helper Web site and the more people who do that; the better our chances will be of receiving the grant,” the soon to be 90 years young Murfin said. Jerald Furgurson, a retired Lutheran pastor, came up with a materials list for the storage building. The 10 by 25 foot building has already received approval to be placed at the Peninsula Church Center in Long Beach. It will be similar to one already in use by FISH (Friends in Service to Him) at Ocean Park Lutheran Church.

The building will be constructed entirely by volunteer labor, according to Furgurson. In order to voice support of the project, go to www.hamburgerhelper.com Web site. Click on the menu tab at the top of the home page “Find a Project” and then select Washington and type in Long Beach and click the “Search” tab.

The “Food Bank storage building project” will pop up and be underlined. Click on those underlined words, read the project proposal and then make your comments of support and send them to Hamburger Helper by clicking on “Send your Comment.” By taking a few minutes to help the building project, FISH will be better able to continue to help those in need on the Peninsula.

Over the years, Murfin has proven to be a Peninsula matron by helping organize many responsible and caring citizens who have kept the donations to FISH coming in. Annually about $31,000 is donated. In 2006 FISH served 1,100 people with four-day supplies of food, which is 13,200 meals, and FISH helped another 267 families by providing other needs and services.

All donations go to those in need, except for their monthly telephone bill and for FISH’s $10 yearly fee to the State for non-profit corporation status. For questions about FISH, call 642-4987 and for questions on how to send your supportive statements to Hamburger Helper, call Jerald Furgurson at 665-3461.