AGENCY SPOTLIGHT: NORTH COUNTY FOOD PANTRY – SEPTEMBER 10
Author: Ben Prez
The North County Food Pantry has always been more than just an opportunity for free groceries. Located in Elk, WA about 30 miles north of downtown Spokane, the North County Food Pantry opens its doors every Monday from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. and Wednesday from 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Individuals who utilize the pantry can shop in a way reminiscent to a grocery store experience, selecting what items they know they will use in what is commonly called a “client choice” distribution style. Sandy Harvey, director of the pantry, refers to her clients as shoppers or guests and while she is happy to share the many positives involved in running this pantry model, she is quick to share the other reasons that make North County Food Pantry special.
“It’s all about the people who come here. We get to interact with them and hear feedback on how this food is helping,” Harvey says.
Through a weekly delivery of fresh produce, dairy, meat, canned goods and bread from Second Harvest, The North County Food Pantry is able to stock their shelves with enough variety to make a balanced selection possible for every shopper.
“Second Harvest has always been there to keep our inventory up and we know the support is there.” Harvey says.
Sandy (far right) and her husband Joe (center back) became volunteers in 2004 after Sandy retired from a career with the postal service. They stuck around through the years, eventually becoming co-directors in 2016.
Sandy and her group of about 20 dedicated
volunteers worked hard to cultivate a pantry environment that offered dignity, plenty of healthy food, and a sense of community. They provide resources, connect clients to services, and even started a community garden behind the pantry. The 1-acre plot supplies between 3,000 – 5,000 pounds of fruits and vegetables each year for pantry clients.
The opportunity for choice gives shoppers a chance to pick items suited for their dietary needs, family preferences, and a sense of general dignity along with a significant decrease in wasted food.
Despite that varied client experience, Sandy always circles back to the warm, personable interaction between pantry guest and volunteers.
“We’re called the ‘gathering place’ because the community knows us and trusts us,” Sandy says. “When our numbers dipped, I started calling people and a lot of them said they weren’t coming back until they could shop again. I started the shopping style pantry a few years back and we believe in it and the people love it.”
The COVID-19 pandemic forced the pantry to move to a drive-up distribution style, but Sandy noticed a precipitous drop in households (as low as 10 on a Monday) paying them a visit. In June of 2021 they went back to the grocery store, “client choice”, style and Sandy says that immediately the numbers started to climb again. She believes this is partially due to swapping out the pre-built boxes in exchange for open pantry shopping again but also the warm and inviting environment provided.
“I’ve never seen a group of people as compassionate as this group of volunteers,” Harvey says. “Joe and I have been very fortunate over the years and now we get to give back.”
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.
Gonzaga’s Dusty Stromer and Zilch: Teaming up to end hunger – March 29
Dusty Stromer understood from a young age that while his family had enough to eat, others in his circle were not so fortunate. Dusty had a courtside seat to food insecurity — he says that by age 10, he knew some of his friends came from households where food was not reliably available.
A freshman shooting guard on the men’s basketball team at Gonzaga University, Dusty recently got a close look at the fight against hunger by touring Second Harvest’s warehouse and helping to distribute free food through its Zilch program.
Grocery Rescue: Changing lives daily – March 22
Your visit to a local grocery store may seem like a routine, unimportant chore. That perfect strawberry, tomato or apple you select is made possible because different departments of your neighborhood store carefully maintain a standard for each product. But what happens when the banana is too green, or the strawberries are too ripe? That product is stranded and without rescue would find its way to the landfill. Thanks to stores partnering with Second Harvest’s Grocery Rescue program, that nutritious food is shared with partner agencies throughout the 26 counties in Eastern Washington and North Idaho served by Second Harvest.
Feeding Eastern Washington and North Idaho
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