SOME OF OUR FAVORITE LOCAL STORIES.
FEEDING HOPE: THERESA’S STORY
Like many in our community, Theresa has been hit hard by the COVID-19 crisis. Her hours working in the housekeeping industry have been cut drastically. Now, she is lucky if she works even six hours a week. Going from a full-time job to her current schedule has significantly decreased Theresa’s income, making it hard to afford basic groceries, let alone a full Thanksgiving meal.
The food from Tom’s Turkey Drive will allow her to create a hearty and delicious Thanksgiving dinner with her teenage son and fiancé. She was especially grateful for the option to pick up a meal at Second Harvest for people taking public transportation, as she doesn’t drive.
“Full bellies always make everything better.”
In challenging times like these, having a full Thanksgiving meal means a lot. “Anything helps, especially in this time,” said Theresa. “Full bellies always make everything better.”
Theresa said her Thanksgiving would have looked scarce without Tom’s Turkey Drive. She still would have found a way to celebrate with her family, “but it wouldn’t be as happy… It’d be hard,” she said. Thanks to Tom’s Turkey Drive and the generous volunteers, donors and sponsors who make it possible, she was able to gather around a full table with her family this year.
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.
In The Kitchen: Food Waste Prevention Week – April 5
Earth Month is the perfect opportunity to reflect on our habits and how they impact the planet. We might think about how often we drive and take advantage of the nicer weather to bike to work, or maybe even grab some friends and family and find a river cleanup event for Earth Day. But did you know that you can make an impact without even leaving your house? In fact, reflecting on our cooking and grocery shopping habits has the potential to have a greater and long-lasting impact on our environment.
Feeding Eastern Washington and North Idaho
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