SOME OF OUR FAVORITE LOCAL STORIES.
Feeding Hope: Dave’s Story
Just a month ago, Dave had never been to Mead Food Bank before. Now, he looks forward to interacting with the volunteers helping at its weekly emergency food distributions, which the food bank began in response to the COVID-19 crisis.
“We feel more isolated,” Dave said of the past few months in quarantine. “You realize we are all needy and have a certain social interconnection. This has been helpful. It’s been a nice way to get out. We’re all in this together.”
But Dave doesn’t come to the distributions just for the social interaction. His hours were cut back at one of his jobs, making money tighter than normal. The distributions help him fill new gaps in his budget and allow him to continue to pay for his car and medical bills, despite the loss in income. They also help ensure that his daughter, who can’t work or drive after a major car accident, and her children have the food they need.
“It’s a godsend—an absolute godsend.”
Dave has been very impressed by both the quality of the food he receives and the friendliness of the volunteers. “They were super pleasant and helpful. They didn’t make you feel like you’re odd or begging for food. They asked you for your preferences. They couldn’t have been nicer,” he said. “It’s not an easy task for them to do what they’re doing. They’re more appreciated than they might think.”
As he entered the parking lot of the food bank, Dave reiterated his gratitude. “This has been so helpful,” he said.
“It’s a godsend—an absolute godsend.”
Feed365: Fighting Hunger Year-Round – April 26
What do three warehouses, 250 food banks, and 50,000 square miles have in common? The short answer: A LOT of moving parts! The slightly longer answer? They all have or need cold storage, fuel for vehicles, and a dedicated army of volunteers. Oh, and they’re all part of the daily operations here at Second Harvest that members of Feed365 support year-round!
Feed365, Second Harvest’s recurring giving program, is an opportunity to not just sustain, but consistently grow many of the key programs here at Second Harvest.
Food Safety First: – April 19
In January and March, AIB International conducted audits of our facilities – the Pasco Distribution Center, the Spokane Distribution Center and the Wolff Family Child Hunger Solution Center. As has been the case for more than a decade, we received scores of 930 or higher, out of a possible 1000. Anything above 900 is considered exemplary.
While receiving high scores from AIB is important, we are equally proud of the fact that any day of the year, our team is always working to keep our buildings clean and our food supply safe. This speaks to the strong food safety culture we have here at Second Harvest.
A celebration of our volunteers – April 12
Volunteering doesn’t have to be a one-time thing and the individuals who volunteer at Second Harvest in Spokane and Pasco have proven that in many ways. Even though April is nationally recognized as Volunteer Month, our gratitude for your service is year-round. In the last couple of years, the Volunteer Center in Spokane has gone through various changes and adjustments to keep up with the increase in food demand, prompted first by COVID in 2020 and then by inflation. Even with the changes, our volunteer support has stayed and become even stronger. Our community is filled with mission-driven individuals to help us feed, nourish and build the community around us.
Feeding Eastern Washington and North Idaho
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