Whatcom Watch Online - Food Banks Need Money and Food NOW

Posted on 10.09.202110.09.2021

NW Pilots are raising money for the Bellingham Food Bank. Donations will be made in the name of, and in gratitude to, Tom Wake. Bellingham Food Bank is seeking specific items to support drive-up food distribution efforts. The following items will be accepted at the. out to farmers to ask for donations Bellingham Food Bank's agricultural programs generally coordinate activities such as gleaning and.

Bellingham food bank donations -


STAGED SHELVES PHOTOGRAPH FOR DONATIONS - YOU WILL NEVER SEE THIS ASSORTMENT OR QUALITY. GO THERE UNANNOUNCED AND SEE FOR YOURSELF! P.S. WATCH OUT FOR MR. COHEN WALKING AROUND & "SECRETLY" FILMING PEOPLE IN LINE WITH HIS CELLPHONE. :/

The Bellingham Food Bank recently finished a new, multi-million-dollar 10,000 square feet addition (now totaling 20,000s.f.). Since that expansion, the quality and quantity of the food has become absolutely horrifying. They previously had their own ORGANIC GARDEN that provided high-quality fresh fruits and vegetables. The countless number of schools, churches, grocery stores, bakeries and other businesses in town donate their food and money to support the Food Bank. This always included plenty of organiccanned goods, bread, steaks, milk, eggs, etc. AFTER receiving MILLIONS in donations and doubling their storage capacity (mostly freezers?), the organic garden disappeared, the fruit & vegetable quality has become APPALLING (rotten & mold covered) and the other organic items have also nearly disappeared!!! Literally, you will have a tough time finding much food that isn't purchased in HUGE bulk and it's all generic, off-brand, low-quality GMO products. And... you get ONE can from each section (2-3 items) for the whole week. Also, ONE frozen meat item per week.

QUESTION: WHERE HAVE ALL OF THE STEAKS, FREE RANGE EGGS, ORGANIC GOATS MILK & OTHER QUALITY ITEMS GONE??? THESE STILL GET DONATED WEEKLY!!!

UPDATE AUGUST 2017 - RECENTLY SPOKE TO A FORMER VOLUNTEER WHO SAID THE QUALITY FOOD IS "GOING OUT THE BACK DOOR." DRAW YOUR OWN CONCLUSIONS. I'M TALKING TO OTHERS AS WELL AS STORES, CHURCHES, ETC THAT DONATE REGULARLY.

One staff member & one Board of Director's member told me that it's now cheaper for them to buy in bulk. The guy who runs the place (Cohen) lied to me and contradicted the others by telling me ALL the bulk items came from store donations.

As a homeless person, I have no access to a kitchen or refrigeration, so I can't take many perishable items unless I eat them within 24 hours. Below is a picture of what I was able to get for my fullweeks supply of food from the Bellingham Food Bank per week. It usually gives me ONE to TWO full meals per week. The rest is bread, some fruits & veggies (after digging through the rotten piles).

REALITY CHECK #1 - BRAND 'X' GMO & SYRUP

You get ONE item from each full height section for each week.

FROZEN BANANAS DON'T LAST LONG

Those bananas actually look good compared to most days.

The pears & other fruit are often pure rotten mush, but unlimited to take. :-/

GENERIC "MAC 'N' CHEESE" - FULL SECTION

(One per person per week - sorry for the blurry pic)

I've been going to the Bellingham Food Bank (Rotary/Freemasons) off and on for the last four years since I began refusing to associate myself with any of the so-called homeless support organizations (run by Opportunity Council = Nazi-like profiteers who stalk & harass the homeless) & homeless "shelters" like the Lighthouse Mission. The "food" they served at the Mission (prepared by a 'chef' plus homeless kitchen servers, cleaners, etc.) was appalling, usually consisting of "mystery meat" (rubbery sausage) mixed in with whatever scraps the kitchen had left over from the previous day(s). The Mission is often the end-of the-line for any old food that gets donated to other places first. After spending a couple of months at the miserably depressing, over-crowded, violent and oppressive "Lighthouse Mission" (think Prison/Jail/Nuthouse), I was assaulted by a known pimp, forced to defend myself & then cruelly kicked out at night during sub-freezing temperatures (with NO SLEEPING BAG, BLANKET, ETC.) by one of their "Christian" pastors.

All of these organizations and there affiliates are havens for low-level criminal/drug networks, pimps/prostitutes, mentally ill psychos "off-their-meds", people regularly in-and-out of jail, street hustlers and other lazy, fat bums on welfare, SSI, food stamps, housing, etc. I've met very few homeless who were actually in serious need or want of "assistance". Work to them is a bad four-letter word. Most I've met seem almost content to live this "lifestyle" of free everything from Mommy Government. The ones who get housing are forever hooked on the "system" to take care of them "cradle to grave". The cycle often continues for multiple generations, destroying families by creating Wards Of The State.

I refuse ALL gov't "benefits, refuse to panhandle or beg and offer to work for any food or money I receive. For months, back in 2015, I practically begged the Community Food Co-op to let me sweep their parking lot & outdoor dining area, pick up trash, clean the bathrooms, do handyman work or anything else for food and coffee. They said they couldn't because of "insurance" liability concerns. I have been able to "volunteer" several times and received a CFC food gift card (usually $15-$20 worth for 4-6 hours of work). A couple of deli employees befriended me over time & even gave me odd handyman jobs as well as plenty of quality food (expired deli items that supposedly would go to the Food Bank, but you will never find this food there.


My food for this week (one meal + snacks)

Last weeks food supply - same

Hey look, I found a stale roll from the Co-op at the Food Bank (that's all).

Update: May 17, 2017:

Got to the Food Bank early today because I was very hungry, in need and had extra time. Actually got several days of quality, healthy food this time before all of the obese people on welfare took it all for their desperate needs. Gosh, I sound so jaded. :-/

______________________________________________________________

Disclaimer:

All information not belonging to this blog's author are from the public domain and are used under a "fair use" policy as well as for evidentiary reasons in an ongoing investigation. Links are provided if available.

This blog, and all relative personal information of the author are not for sale, reuse or redistribution without the written consent of the author:

Kevin Patrick Wright (TM) © Copyright April 28, 1964-present

Источник: http://bellingham-wa-corruption.blogspot.com/2017/04/bellingham-food-bank-something-fishy-is.html

Your stuff did this! August spotlight

Oh the wonderful things your things can do! Ridwell’s featured category helps you clear out the stuff you’re done with and get it in the hands of someone eager to put it to good use.

Our members consistently blow our minds with their generosity, and we try to return the favor by ensuring every last bit of their stuff goes to mind-blowingly awesome partners. Here’s just a sampling of the incredible things Ridwell members’ stuff made possible last month:

Coltura

SEATTLE

Last year, Ridwell members in Seattle gave their leftover tiles, broken pottery, plates, mirrors, glass, and more to Coltura, a local organization dedicated to finding ways to speed the green revolution and get off gasoline more quickly. In August, at the Puget Sound Solar Building, Coltura unveiled a completed mosaic that their team created using thousands of pieces from Ridwell members' donations! The mosaic features the main character of their new children’s book about the harms of gasoline, Sparky's Electrifying Tale.

The artist, Majken Ryherd, shared her thoughts on the beauty of the donations behind the installation: “Sometimes it’s just ‘Hey, it was my bathroom remodel, my kitchen remodel…I don’t know what to do, I don’t want to throw it away. But a lot of times, it was things [sic] that meant things to people.” One volunteer on the project, for example, donated a vase that once belonged to her late sister and a planter from her mother who had passed away, as a way to let their legacy live on in community art. The Ridwell community’s contributions to this work are honored on a plaque at the site of the mosaic.

Free Geek

PORTLAND

Twelve pallets (nearly 8500 pounds) of cords, chargers, and printer cartridges went to help Portland families struggling with digital access through our partner, Free Geek. This organization works to diverts electronics from the landfill and refurbish them wherever possible, getting them back into the hands of the Portland community at low or no cost. Your old iPhone charger just might be a game-changer for your neighbors in need of technology to access the education, opportunities, and information that will help them succeed.

Bellingham Food Bank

BELLINGHAM

Ridwell members have sent two heaping portions of non-perishable food donations to the Bellingham Food Bank this summer, weighing in at 1835 pounds in total! And more is always needed: nearly 20% of Bellingham families regularly visit the Bellingham Food Bank. By getting these cans, bottles, and boxes out of hiding in their own cupboards, Ridwell members helped to restock pantries at Bellingham Food Bank, making their fight to end hunger in Whatcom County a bit more winnable for the team at BFB. “We’re delighted to welcome Ridwell to Bellingham! They make it easy for members to send generosity our way to then pass along to our neighbors in the greatest need. Thanks for being partners in waste reduction and community care!”

WeeCycle

DENVER

Thanks to you, babies and moms in need received a major boost with 16+ boxes of diapers and wipes! Meeting families’ sanitary needs is a critical gap to fill: A baby goes through 3,000 diapers in the first year of life, which can cost between $80 and $100 per month! Though many homeless families have working parents, they are often forced to make hard financial tradeoffs to get by, such as choosing between purchasing diapers and being able to pay for transportation to their jobs. WeeCycle provides a lifeline to many Colorado families by recycling essential baby gear and matching it to the families who need it most.

Want to start putting your old things to great use in your community? Join Ridwell today — or, if you’re already a member, spread the word about the magic of Ridwell’s featured category to make our community an even bigger force for good. Let your friends know how you gave back to people near you by sharing this blog on social using the buttons below!

Источник: https://blog.ridwell.com/blog/your-stuff-did-this-august-spotlight

The Bellingham Bells, is doing its part to keep the public safe, and to assist those in need during the Covid-19 pandemic. Along with local transportation provider Lily Coaches and Bellingham Whatcom County Tourism, the Bells are excited to announce they will co-sponsor a "Fill the Bus" food drive benefitting the Bellingham Food Bank.

The Food Drive will take place in Bellingham on Saturday, Aug. 15 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Civic Field Parking Lot (Southwest corner near Joe Martin Field entrance). The Bellingham Bells bus will be on-site to collect donations, and all donors will receive (2) general admission ticket vouchers for the 2021 Bellingham Bells season.

The Bellingham Food Bank has requested donations of the following items:

Canned beans
Canned tuna/chicken/other meat
Canned soups & stews
Dry pasta (under 2 lb containers)
Dry rice (under 2 lb containers)
Peanut butter/nut butters (not in glass)
Baby diapers, in any size package and in any size diaper

In lieu of food donations, cash donations for the Bellingham Food Bank will also be accepted.

“These are trying times for our community,” Bells general manager Stephanie Morrell said. “Food insecurity is a critical issue we’re facing in Whatcom County and it is important we do our part to help our neighbors.”

About the Bellingham Bells: The Bellingham Bells are a summer, wood bat, collegiate baseball team that plays in the West Coast League www.westcoastleague.com. The Bells play their home games at Joe Martin Field
in Bellingham and their field staff includes Adam Geaslen (Head Coach), Jim Clem (Assistant Coach/Pitching), Jake Whisler (Assistant Coach) and Boog Leach (Assistant Coach).

Источник: https://www.bellingham.org/bellingham-bells-to-host-august-15-%E2%80%9Cfill-the-bus%E2%80%9D-food-drive

PSE supports local nonprofits during Hunger Action Month

BELLEVUE, Wash. (9/25/2019) Puget Sound Energy has donated more than $75,000 to nonprofits to help them fight hunger this year.

September is Hunger Action Month, and PSE is joining the fight to make sure no one goes hungry by donating funds to 73 organizations throughout our service area. The nonprofits span across 15 counties within our state from large distribution centers to hyper-local neighborhood food pantries.

The donations can efficiently provide an equivalent of 10 meals for every dollar received.

"Knowing that our support alone will serve approximately 750,000 meals to the hungry within our local communities lets me know we’re living out our company’s value to do what’s right," said PSE Vice President of Customer Operations and Communications, Andy Wappler. "It’s all part of PSE and the PSE Foundation’s combined efforts to "provide & prepare" for our communities."

Over the past five years, the PSE Foundation committed $1 million dollars and installed 18 high-capacity generators to various nonprofit organizations, including emergency shelters and food distribution centers. Now these critical first responders can continue to provide care for those in need in the event of a disaster.

Watch a video about how PSE is dedicated to supporting communities and families in need.

Here is a list of the nonprofits who received donations to fight hunger this month:

Organization name	City	County
Wenatchee Food Bank	Wenatchee	Chelan
Dayton Food Bank	Dayton	Columbia
Rock Island Food Bank	Rock Island	Douglas
Garfield County Food Bank	Pomeroy	Garfield
Good Cheer Food Bank	Langley	Island
North Whidbey Help House	Oak Harbor	Island
Gifts from the Heart	Coupeville	Island
Whidbey Island Nourishes	Langley	Island
North Whidbey Community Harvest	Oak Harbor	Island
Multi-Service Center	Federal Way & South King	King
Covington Storehouse	Covington	King
Maple Valley Food Bank & Emergency Services	Maple Valley	King
Highline Area Food Bank	Burien	King
Kent Food Bank & Emergency Services	Kent	King
Des Moines Area Food Bank	Des Moines	King
Enumclaw Kiwanis Food Bank	Enumclaw	King
Vashon-Maury Island Food Bank	Vashon Island	King
Salvation Army Renton Rotary	Renton	King
Auburn Foodbank	Auburn	King
Hopelink	Eastside (Redmond, Kirkland, Bellevue, Shoreline)	King
Byrd Barr Place (aka Centerstone)	Seattle only	King
Food Lifeline	King County	King
NW Harvest	King County	King
Northshore Senior Center Food Bank	Kenmore	King
Issaquah Food Bank	Issaquah	King
St. Vincent De Paul Food Bank	Bremerton	Kitsap
South Kitsap Help Line	Port Orchard	Kitsap
ShareNet Food Bank	Kingston	Kitsap
Helpline House/Bainbridge	Bainbridge Island	Kitsap
Bremerton Food Line	Bremerton	Kitsap
North Kitsap Fishline	Poulsbo	Kitsap
Salvation Army Food Bank- Kitsap, Bremerton Corp Community Center	Bremerton	Kitsap
Central Kitsap Food Bank	Silverdale	Kitsap
Hopesource	Cle Elum	Kittitas
FISH Foodbank	Ellensburg	Kittitas
Washington Gorge Action Programs	Bingen	Klickitat
Lewis County Food Bank Coalition	Chehalis	Lewis
Sumner Community Food Bank	Sumner	Pierce
Puyallup Food Bank	Puyallup	Pierce
Fife Milton Edgewood Food Bank	Fife	Pierce
Buckley Kiwanis Food Bank	Buckley	Pierce
Bonney Lake Food Bank	Bonney Lake	Pierce
Orting Food Bank	Orting	Pierce
Nourish Pierce County	Tacoma	Pierce
Emergency Food Network	Lakewood	Pierce
Tillicum/Woodbrook Community Center Food Bank	Lakewood	Pierce
Families Unlimited Network - University Place	University Place	Pierce
Tacoma Rescue Mission	Tacoma	Pierce
Zion Lutheran Feed a Military Family	Tacoma	Pierce
Bread of Life Food Bank Serving JBLM & Lakewood	Lakewood	Pierce
Community Action of Skagit County	Burlington	Skagit
Skagit Valley Neighbors in Need	Mount Vernon	Skagit
Helping Hand Food Bank	Sedro-Wooley	Skagit
Mukilteo Food Bank	Mukilteo	Snohomish
Edmonds Food Bank	Edmonds	Snohomish
Volunteers of America Food Bank	Multiple	Snohomish
Hopecreek Food Bank	Mill Creek	Snohomish
Snohomish Food Bank	Snohomish	Snohomish
Thurston County Food Bank	Olympia	Thurston
ROOF Community Services	Rochester	Thurston
Heritage House Food Bank	Tenino	Thurston
Yelm Community Services	Yelm	Thurston
Rainier Emergency Food Center	Rainier	Thurston
TSCS/Tenino Food Bank Plus	Tenino, Bucoda	Thurston
Bellingham Food Bank	Bellingham	Whatcom
Ferndale Food Bank	Ferndale	Whatcom
Lummi Food Bank	Bellingham	Whatcom
Nooksack Tribal	Deming	Whatcom
Nooksack Valley Food Bank	Nooksack	Whatcom
Birch Bay Food Bank	Birch Bay	Whatcom
Foothills Food Bank	Deming	Whatcom
Point Roberts Food Bank	Point Roberts	Whatcom

PSE supports local nonprofits during Hunger Action Month

Media Contact:

Andrew Padula, 1-888-831-7250, [email protected]

Puget Sound Energy is proud to serve our neighbors and communities in 10 Washington counties.
We're the state’s largest utility, supporting more than 1.1 million electric customers and nearly 900,000 natural gas customers.
For more about us and what we do, visit pse.com. Also follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

Источник: https://www.pse.com/en/press-release/details/pse-supports-local-nonprofits-during-hunger-action-month

Community service

Washington Food Banks

Asotin County Food Bank
1546 Maple St
Clarkston, WA 99403
https://www.facebook.com/AsotinCountyFoodBank/app/250457581338/

The Auburn Food Bank
930 18^th Pl NE
Auburn, WA 98002
https://www.networkforgood.org

Backpack Brigade
831 Seattle Blvd S, Seattle, WA 98134
https://www.backpackbrigade.org/donate

Ballard Food Bank
5130 Leary Ave NW
Seattle, WA 98107
https://www.ballardfoodbank.org/donate-1

Bellingham Food Bank
1824 Ellis St.
Bellingham, WA 98225
https://www.bellinghamfoodbank.org/getting-you-involved/donate-now/

Blaine Food Bank Association
500 C St
PO Box 472
Blaine, WA 98231
https://www.blainefoodbank.org/

Blue Mountain Action Council
921 W. Cherry St.
Walla Walla WA 99362
https://www.bmacww.org/campaigns/general-fund

Bremerton Foodline h
1600 12^th ST. Bremerton, WA 98337
https://www.bremertonfoodline.org

Central Kitsap Food Bank
3537 NW Anderson Hill Rd
Silverdale, Wa 98383
https://ckfoodbank.org/donate/

Clark County Food Bank
6502 NE 47th Ave
Vancouver, WA 98661
https://www.clarkcountyfoodbank.org/covid19fund

Covington Store House
26201 180th Ave SE
Covington, WA 98042
http://covingtonstorehouse.org/donate

Des Moines Area Food Bank
22225 9th Ave S
Des Moines, WA 98198
http://www.myfoodbank.org/letter-carriers--food-drive.html

Eloise’s cooking pot food bank
3543 McKinley ave e
Tacoma, wa 98404
https://themadf.org/nalc/

Emergency Food Network (EFN)
3318 92nd ST S.
Lakewood, WA 98499
https://efoodnet.org/

Ferndale Food Bank

1671 Main Street
Ferndale, WA 98248
http://ferndalefoodbank.org/home/donate/

The Food Bank @ St. Mary’s
611 20^th Ave S, Seattle , WA 98144
https://co.clickandpledge.com/sp/d1/default.aspx?wid=34318

Food Lifeline
815 S. 96th ST
Seattle, WA 98108
https://foodlifeline.org/stamp-out-hunger/

Helping hands food bank
9386 fruitdale rd sedro-woolley wa 98284
https://helpinghandsfoodbank.org/donate/

Helpline House
282 Knechtel Way NE, Bainbridge Island, WA 98110
https://www.helplinehouse.org/donation-types

The Highline Area Food Bank
18300 4th Ave. So Burien Wa. 98148
Tax # 1665389
https://highlineareafoodbank.org

Hopelink

8990 154th Avenue

Northeast Redmond, WA 98052

https://www.hopelink.org/donate

HopeSource
110 N Pennsylvania Ave., Cle Elum, WA 98922
https://hopesource.us/

Inter-Faith Treasure House

91 C Street - Washougal, WA 98671
http://www.ifth-cw.org/donatemoney.html

Kent Food Bank
515 W. Harrison ST. #107
Kent, WA 98032
http://www.kentfoodbank.org/online.php

Multi-Service Center
1200 South 336^th Street
Federal Way, WA 98003
https://mschelps.org/getinvolved/donations/

North County Community Food Bank
17 NE 3^rd Avenue
PO Box 2106 (mailing address)
Battle Ground, WA 98604
https://www.nccfoodbankevents.org/

North Helpline
12736 33rd Ave NE, Seattle, WA 98125
https://donatenow.networkforgood.org/

North Kitsap Fishline
19705 Viking Way NW
Poulsbo WA 98370
https://northkitsapfishline.givingfuel.com/stamp-out-hunger-donor-drive

Nourish Pierce County
1702 South 72nd St, Suite E
Tacoma, WA 98408
https://nourishpc.org/campaigns/stamp-out-hunger/

Plateau Outreach Ministries
1806 Cloe Street, Enumclaw WA 98022
https://www.plateauoutreach.org/

Rainier Valley Food Bank
4205 Rainier Ave S, Seattle WA 98118
Here's a link to secure donor page:
https://connect.clickandpledge.com/w/Form/c031d069-7abf-4f83-a0d8-6eda8b511083?prv=19827

ROOF Community Services
PO Box 312
Rochester, WA 98579
https://commerce.ayt360.org/

Second Harvest of Pasco
P.O. Box 3068
Pasco, WA 99302
http://2-harvest.org/donations/stampouthunger

Second Harvest of Spokane
1234 E. Front Ave.
Spokane, WA 99202
http://2-harvest.org/donations/stampouthunger

Serve Wenatchee Valley
12 Orondo Ave.
Wenatchee, WA 98801
https://www.servewenatchee.org/give-now-landing-page

ShareNet Food Bank
26061 United Rd. NE, Kingston, WA 98346
https://www.sharenetfoodbank.org/donate/

Snohomish County Food Bank Coalition
1330 Ferguson Park Rd
Snohomish, WA 98290
http://www.snohomishcountyfoodbankcoalition.org

Snoqualmie Valley Food Bank
122 East 3rd Street
North Bend, WA 98045
https://secure.acceptiva.com/?cst=dc67d9

South Kitsap Helpline
1012 Mitchell Avenue
Port Orchard, WA 98366
https://skhelpline.org/give/

Thurston County Food Bank
220 Thurston Ave NE
Olympia, WA 98501
https://thurstoncountyfoodbank.org/donating-money/

University District Service League dba University District Food Bank
5017 Roosevelt Way NE, Seattle WA 98105
https://udistrictfoodbank.ejoinme.org/MyPages/NALCStampOutHungerDonorDrive/

Volunteers of America Western Washington
P.O. Box 839
Everett, WA 98206
https://secure3.convio.net/

West Seattle Food Bank
3419 SW Morgan St.
Seattle WA 98126
https://westseattlefoodbank.networkforgood.com/

White Center Food Bank
10829 8^th Ave SW, Seattle, WA 98146
https://whitecenterfoodbank.networkforgood.com/projects/103509-stamp-out-hunger-donor-drive

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Источник: https://www.nalc.org/community-service/food-drive/2021-donor-drive/washington-food-banks

Ferndale Food Bank

360-384-1506

[email protected]

1671 Main St. Ferndale, WA 98248 (Mailing address: PO Box 1593, Ferndale, WA 98248)

Welcome to the Ferndale Food Bank!

Food distributed to those in need with dignity and respect

The Ferndale Food Bank serves our low income seniors, neighbors, and those in crisis living in the Ferndale/Custer, WA area. Single individuals and families can visit once a week for as long as assistance is needed. Folks typically leave with up to 60 pounds of nutritious food. Please bring a piece of identification (simply your photo with your name) and a Ferndale or Custer area utility bill containing your address with a zip code 98248, 98226, 98230, 98231, or 98240.

Use the “Donate” button below to make a donation with PayPal, or with your debit or credit card!

Or, click here for more info on how to make a donation of cash, check, or food. All donations are tax-deductible.

Источник: http://ferndalefoodbank.org/

FOOD FOR THOUGHT


	Vera, Helga & Margaret

By the time you read this, National Volunteer Week and Month will have come and gone, but they were very top of mind when I sat down to write this note.

Volunteers are the heart of our food bank. We are immeasurably better because of our volunteers. That's a simple way to put it, but I cannot begin to describe all the ways they collectively improve our food bank. Their whole is certainly greater than the sum of their parts.

I've been lucky enough to work at our food bank for almost 15 years. In that time, I bet I have met more than 6,000 volunteers. However, four volunteers will always hold a special place in my memory: Margaret, Vera, Helga, and Tutu. They have all passed away, but are forever a part of me. Margaret, Vera, and Helga were at the food bank every day we were open. Each had a different background and personality. They were not always easy for me to work with, but they were remarkably dedicated to our work and I learned tons from them.


Tutu

Tutu was her own piece of work. She ripped around town in her bio-diesel Volkswagen, helping dozens of people and organizations on her own schedule and by her own rules. She even convinced me to give her a set of keys to our food bank so she could volunteer during our off hours...

As we have gotten larger and my job has changed, I interact far less than I used to with our current cohort of volunteers. I miss the conversations, stories, inspiration, and stories of why each decided to donate their time and energy to our mission. However, I still get to see their passion and commitment to our mission each day. I witness how much they care about each other and the people who come to the food bank each day for food. We do a lot to try to say thank you, but our volunteers want to be of service more than they want any pats on their backs.

If you know anyone who volunteers for any group, tell them thanks. If you volunteer, I hope you feel appreciated wherever you donate your time. We are a better community because of our volunteers.

-Mike Cohen,
Executive Director

UPCOMING EVENT

Food For Thought: Hunger Interventions for Students

Thursday, May 23

Источник: https://myemail.constantcontact.com/BFB-Newsletter---Spring-2019.html?soid=1114176719570&aid=8y7JC_zFngE

Coronavirus crisis leaves food banks strapped for volunteers and donations, facing increased demand

When news broke last month that the novel coronavirus caused its first death in the Puget Sound region, Rainier Valley Food Bank installed a hand-washing station outside its building.

Then, after Washington Gov. Jay Inslee restricted gatherings of 50 people or more, the food bank stopped allowing clients inside. Instead, it handed out bags of food at the front entrance and limited the number of people it served at one time.

But even those precautionary measures are already feeling out of date, Kara Hunter, development associate at Rainier Valley Food Bank, said last week.

“We’re trying to keep this balance between keeping people safe and keeping people fed,” Hunter said.

In an effort to meet hygiene and social-distancing measures during the outbreak, food banks throughout the Puget Sound region have been forced to make significant changes to their operations, some even shutting down.

Many have beefed up cleaning protocols and closed down their grocery-store models to limit people’s contact with food. They’ve resorted to an older model, packing food into bags and boxes, which has created more work and increased costs. Some providers in King County, like Hopelink, first tennessee bank nashville routing number stopped accepting personal food donations for fear of contamination.

The Seattle Times’ Project Homeless is funded by BECU, The Bernier McCaw Foundation, Campion Foundation, the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation, Raikes Foundation, Seattle Foundation, Starbucks and the University of Washington. The Seattle Times maintains editorial control over Project Homeless content.

The outbreak has put a tremendous strain on a model that relies heavily on volunteers and donations to stay in operation. At least 10 food-assistance programs surveyed by The Seattle Times in the Puget Sound region reported that they’ve seen a decrease in volunteers and/or food donations.

“Nonprofits in general are seeing a decrease in volunteers,” said Shawna McMahon, executive director of Immanuel Community Services, which operates a food bank and community meal program in South Lake Union. “In the midst of this crisis there are still people home remedy for sunburn around eyes are hungry and need food.”

As the economic impacts of the pandemic begin to unfold, local food-assistance leaders question whether their already-taxed systems will be able to support the influx of need they’re expecting to see.

“We think we’re going to see a big impact for people who are living paycheck to paycheck, who now don’t have those paychecks. … We’re likely going to see that first in food,” said Meghan Altimore, vice president of community services at Hopelink, a service provider in North and East King County.

Last week, 133,464 unemployment insurance claims were filed in Washington state, more than five times higher than in any week during the Great Recession, according to reporting by The Seattle Times.

More than 400,000 workers in the Puget Sound region are in industries facing immediate risk, and an additional 500,000 are in industries facing near-term risk due to the coronavirus pandemic, according to a white paper commissioned by the Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce.

“We don’t comprehend the scale of the wave that is about to hit our community,” said Rabbi Will Berkovitz, the executive director of Jewish Family Services, a service provider in Seattle, which had to temporarily close its food assistance program until April. “This will be much larger than 2008. This is something we are utterly not prepared for.”

When it comes to supporting Seattle’s most vulnerable, food banks are on the front lines. Several food banks in Seattle said the majority of their clients are elderly, living on fixed incomes, immigrants, refugees or parents working multiple jobs.

Food assistance is often the first place people turn to for help, said Christina Wong, public policy and advocacy director for Northwest Harvest, a statewide food-bank distributor in Washington.

“They are directing their limited incomes across those less flexible costs: housing, health care,” she said. “And they’re skipping meals.”

The Washington State Department of Agriculture is preparing for an increased need in food assistance in the weeks and months to come, said Kim Eads, WSDA’s food assistance program manager. WSDA has applied for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Disaster Family Feeding program, which is designed to increase food supply after a disaster. It’s more commonly used after a hurricane or earthquake, Eads said.

“They’re not used to adjusting to a pandemic,” Eads said of the program.

Before the virus, the USDA’s Emergency Food Assistance Program helped feed 150,000 families in Washington each month, Eads said.

“The request that I put forward to USDA [for the Disaster Family Feeding Program], I multiplied that by four,” Eads said. “And I think that’s just the tip of the iceberg.”

As food banks waited for specific guidance from Public Health – Seattle & King County, many developed their own safety measures by following the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s hygiene guidelines and following Inslee’s social-distancing orders.

At the Food Bank at St. Mary’s, they used a surveyor’s tool to spray paint lines on the sidewalk, so that clients waited 6 feet apart. At Chicken Soup Brigade, which distributes premade meals to seniors with compromised health systems, delivery drivers are sanitizing their hands and wearing new rubber gloves for every home delivery. The majority of food banks in the greater Seattle region have continued accepting donations since the COVID-19 outbreak. But others, out of fear of contamination, are turning food donations away. And it’s having costly effects.

Since it stopped accepting food donations March 6, Hopelink is expecting to spend $125,000 in March alone to replace product that would have been donated, which normally makes up 80% of its inventory. Hopelink will spend more than 40% of its annual food budget bellingham food bank donations March alone. And it expects that to continue.

“As long as we’re being careful with our procedures, then we feel confident that what we are giving out is not a risk to someone,” Altimore said.

Since the outbreak, 61 Washington food banks have either closed, at least temporarily, shifted hours or changed distribution models, according to the Washington State Department of Agriculture.

Bellingham Food Bank is among those that have closed: On its website, the food bank said that despite precautions, it felt that it couldn’t operate safely because “volunteers and those who need food are still having to congregate while at the food bank.”

Rainier Valley Food Bank is trying to remain open, while protecting the health of its clients. It’s currently looking at what it would take to switch its operation, which normally serves 16,000 families a year, to a home-delivery model.

“Sometimes it feels like there’s no right answers right now,” Hunter said.

Of Rainier Valley’s seven-person staff, half are home self-isolating because they’re showing flu-like symptoms, including Hunter, she said. And so far, no one has been able to get tested for COVID-19.

“We’re trying to decide what is the point that we can’t do this any more,” Hunter said.

For now, Hunter said, she’s going to do what she can from home.

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Источник: https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/homeless/coronavirus-crisis-leaves-food-banks-strapped-for-volunteers-and-donations-facing-increased-demand/