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.”
Why I support Second Harvest: A donor’s story – February 23
Nothing is more important than having food on the table. To state the obvious, food—like shelter—is something without which we cannot survive. Second Harvest thus quite literally provides a lifeline for those whom my wife and I cannot feed directly. And it has done so for the nearly 40 years that we have supported Second Harvest. During this period we have seen not even a hint that their mission is diminishing in importance. On the contrary, the organization seems to be throwing out more and more lifelines to those in our midst who are in danger of sinking.
Your guide to making tasty vegetable broth – February 16
Despite our best efforts to reduce food waste, it can sometimes be impossible to make it through a recipe without throwing away a carrot top or two. While it doesn’t feel like much at the time, you’d be surprised by how quickly the waste piles up. But fear not! You can easily transform those leftover vegetable scraps into delicious, homemade vegetable broth in just over an hour.
Kids Cooking Camps – February 9
Three times a year, we offer kids cooking camps that help support our programming year-round. These camps meet for two-hour sessions, Monday through Thursday, and are designed for kids ages 8-12. We pick a different theme for each camp so it’s always a new experience for our return campers. The kids get to eat what they make and take home cookbooks to recreate the recipes in their own kitchens.
Spending time in the kitchen is such a valuable tool for children as they develop their motor skills, social skills, confidence, and learn to problem solve. They practice basic skills like math and reading, too. We also focus on sharing nutrition knowledge through activities, discussions, and best of all, tasting how good nutritious foods like whole grains and vegetables can taste.
Feeding Eastern Washington and North Idaho
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