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Fasting for Northwest Harvest

2012-01-27T13:14:00.000-08:00

Today I want to share with you a really terrific event happening this evening that is hosted by the Muslim Students Association of the University of Washington. It's a Fast-a-Thon, and they host it not only to raise awareness of hunger and support Northwest Harvest but you'll be surprised at what else they do, too. I won't give it away, though -- you'll have to watch the video above and see for yourself!

Thanks, MSA, for your support of Northwest Harvest!

Volunteers from Around the World!

2012-01-24T08:00:00.000-08:00

The week before that big snow and ice storm hit we had a group of 12 high school students from Brazil volunteering at Cherry Street Food Bank for the afternoon. They are Youth Ambassadors from the World Affairs Council spending about three months in the United States volunteering and then taking their experiences back to their country.

They were incredibly bright, energetic and motivated and they helped repack oats and work the line handing out food to clients. We always feel lucky when groups like theirs stop by. We learn as much from them as they do from us!

Derek being interviewed by the film crew.

They had a Brazilian camera crew following them for a show that will detail their U.S. adventures once they return home. Our food bank manager, Derek, was interviewed and he described the work they did at the food bank that day as well as the overall impact our volunteers have. Did you know that last year we had 6,500 volunteers who contributed about 88,730 hours - the equivalent of 42 full-time employees?
January, February and March are typically slow times for us for volunteers -- in Kent, Yakima and Spokane. If you're interested in lending a hand you can learn more here!

"Our Christmas Meal"

2011-12-23T08:00:00.000-08:00

For Christmas this year, we'll be offering our network of food banks and meal programs whole chickens to distribute to their clients along with an assortment of other nutritious foods to round out their holiday meal. We polled food bank visitors last year to ask them what they'd most like to see this year and while they like turkey and gravy for Thanksgiving, there was a strong preference for whole chickens at Christmas. Below, I tell you a little more about that preference as well as what else we'll be offering this holiday season and how you can help.

Happy holidays, everyone!

"Hey Santa! Over Here!"

2011-12-22T11:56:00.000-08:00

It's one of our favorite days here at Cherry Street Food Bank, when Santa Claus himself (really it's one of our long-time volunteers, Bob) pays a visit and treats the kiddos to a free photo with him and lots of gifts and holiday cookies. Our staff and volunteers get really excited about this day as it's a time when we can kind of forget about how tough things can be for a little while and just enjoy watching the children have fun. Some LOVE Santa and can hardly wait to run up to him and sit on his lap, while others would clearly rather be elsewhere.

Each year, our partner programs manager Joyce Zeigen volunteers her time and talent as a photographer to take the pictures and for that we are most grateful. We do have to rent all the equipment, though, including a printer so we can give the families an instant photo to take home, and a backdrop. Anyone have any leads for someone who could donate this to us next year? It's expensive to rent but our families really love it. If you have any suggestions or can lend a hand, please give our food bank manager Derek a call at 206-923-7457.

In the meantime, check out a little video of the morning's chaos and you'll see why this is a day we all anticipate so much!

"Boeing is in the House!"

2011-12-16T07:00:00.000-08:00

I was in Kent recently to do some filming with KING 5 for Home Team Harvest. The film crew really wanted to get some shots of a group of volunteers processing food to illustrate how we can make a dollar stretch so far. How do we do it? We find some types of food for next to nothing in bulk and then use huge groups of volunteers to break it down and package it. Here, take a peek:

As you can see Boeing was in the house on this particular day. It's amazing how many different ways they help us, from volunteering to food drives to technical advice (LEAN Program) and even the donation of electronic scales to help us accurately weigh the food that volunteer groups process. They seem to love being with us and we are certainly very lucky to have them as one of many partners.

"Back At You!"

2011-12-15T11:18:00.000-08:00

Most of the time here at Northwest Harvest, we're the people who give out food to more than 325 food banks, meal programs and high need schools around the state. But every now and then some of those programs receive food donated directly to them that they can't distribute and instead of letting it go to waste they will often bring it to us because they know we can redistribute it to other programs that might really be in need. Here's a great example. Meet Emily!

One of the things that make this process really slick is when the food bank or feeding program just happens to be coming to our Kent warehouse to pick up food anyway. That was the case for Emily, who was coming by on a Thursday for Supermarket Sweep - a program we offer to meal programs where they can shop for bulk items they need for their commercial kitchens. She was able to just drop off the bread she couldn't use and pick up food she did need. It was a win-win for all and another example of the way we partner with programs across the state to get food out to those in need.

"Thanksgiving at the Food Bank"

2011-12-01T08:00:00.000-08:00

A lot of us are really fortunate in that we get to spend Thanksgiving with family and friends around a full table of food. Some of our neighbors in need are not so fortunate -- but they are incredibly grateful nevertheless, because they are the recipients of generosity from people like you! I was lucky enough to encounter two such men at Cherry Street Food Bank last week and I've been looking forward to sharing their gratitude with you.

"Voices from Across Washington"

2011-11-29T08:00:00.000-08:00

Today I've invited our programs manager, Elise DeGooyer, to guest blog for me.

"A couple months ago, Northwest Harvest held our annual focus groups in five communities around the state. This year we visited Hoquiam Food Bank, Okanogan Food Bank, Yakima Food Bank, Thurston County Food Bank in Olympia and Skagit Valley Neighbors in Need in Mt. Vernon.

We listened as food bank clients spoke about their experiences of hunger and securing enough food to feed themselves and their families. One of the most powerful things we came away with was seeing the increasing insecurity and worry among those whose depend upon public assistance to meet minimum basic needs.

We learned a great deal from these focus groups and will share the results with our coalitions, legislators and others who can help fight hunger. I wanted to share with you a few comments we heard from participants in every group. I’ll share a few today and then a few more later on. I hope you'll think about them this holiday season.

"The price in the stores goes up but the money doesn't. My husband worked for several years and then they cut his salary because it was hard times. But food prices keep going up and up. "
"There is a perception that you are deadbeats and stupid, but I have a college degree and my husband can’t find work. There is no work in this county— the unemployment is 14%. But just because you are on food stamps does not mean you are a deadbeat, does not mean you are stupid and does not mean you are scamming.”
"The money doesn't reach far enough. We are waiting for the day of the food bank so we can go and get food. We never suffered this much. I've always had food and a good job."

Previous focus group reports are available online if you'd like to take a look, and our latest one will be available in January. There's nothing more powerful than hearing from people who are really in need."

"No More Sandwiches For Me, Thanks!"

2011-11-22T16:16:00.000-08:00

Meet my friend Ju-Hui-Yang. For the past three years, she has been super faithful about coming in every Monday and Wednesday afternoon to hand out sandwiches to people visiting Cherry Street Food Bank. She's an example of one of our stellar volunteers. She is really funny, always has a smile on her face and many of our customers have become very fond of her over the years. As you can see from this video, today is her last day because she finally found a job and is really stoked about working full time again. Here, take a look:

In addition to handing out sandwiches, Ju has worked many events for us including last year's Fill the Bowl event in Tacoma, where we won a Guinness World Record. We are so lucky to have Ju and literally hundreds of other folks who want to come and help us in our mission to serve our brothers and and sisters in need. How about you? Can you somehow find the time to come down and help? Thank you, Ju, and good luck!

"Turkeys on the Table!"

2011-11-17T16:26:00.000-08:00

I wanted to share with you a little about what Northwest Harvest does for Thanksgiving -- which is coming up next week! We expect to see longer lines this year but we're really excited to be offering something special. My colleague Claire suggested maybe it was time for me to get in front of the camera rather than always hanging behind, so here you go!

"Help Us Tackle Hunger!"

2011-11-11T09:18:00.000-08:00

It's cold out...it's raining...it must be football season! The Seattle Seahawks are playing the Ravens (I'm not going to link you to them) this Sunday, November 13 -- are you coming to the game? If so, or even if you'll just be in the neighborhood, you've gotta watch this video of our special events manager, Matt, as he describes what WE are going to be doing at Sunday's game!

I can't believe we've been fortunate enough to partner with the Seahawks for so long! We'll be at CenturyLink Stadium Sunday collecting food and funds for the 16th Annual Tackle Hunger so come on out and lend your support!

"What's Our Greatest Challenge?"

2011-11-08T15:11:00.000-08:00

That's the question I posed to Shelley Rotondo, Northwest Harvest's executive director, this morning when I had a chance to catch up with her. Curious? She said the greatest challenge is probably the increasing number of people coming to us in need of food.

We know there are more than 160,000 hungry households in Washington state, up from 88,000 in 2008 (which in itself is a huge number). Where are they coming from? What's going on in people's lives these days to drive them to food banks across the state in record numbers? Take a listen:

But there's some good news, too, which I'll share with you next time. Here's a hint -- it involves YOU!

"Voices of Need"

2011-11-04T11:15:00.000-07:00

A couple months ago, Northwest Harvest held our annual focus groups in five communities around the state. This year we visited Hoquiam Food Bank, Okanogan Food Bank, Yakima Food Bank, Thurston County Food Bank in Olympia and Skagit Valley Neighbors in Need in Mt. Vernon.

We learned a great deal from these focus groups and will share the results with our coalitions, legislators and others who can help fight hunger.

I wanted to share with you a few comments we heard from participants in every group. I’ll share a few today and then a few more later on.

"The price in the stores goes up but the money doesn't. My husband worked for several years and then they cut his salary because it was hard times. But food prices keep going up and up. "

"There is a perception that you are deadbeats and stupid, but I have a college degree and my husband can’t find work. There is no work in this county— the unemployment is 14%. But just because you are on food stamps does not mean you are a deadbeat, does not mean you are stupid and does not mean you are scamming.”

"The money doesn't reach far enough. We are waiting for the day of the food bank so we can go and get food. We never suffered this much. I've always had food and a good job."

Our focus group reports are available online if you'd like to take a look. There's nothing more powerful than hearing from people who are really in need.

"Wow...30,000 Pounds of Ham!"

2011-10-27T08:54:00.000-07:00

Just in time for the holidays, we get a huge donation of ham from Smithfield Farms and the United Food & Commercial Workers Union, thanks to our friends at Safeway!

It all went down today at Safeway's Rainier Avenue store in Seattle, where a huge semi-truck full of ham and other protein-laden products pulled up for a special press conference. I'm emphasizing protein because it's such an important part of a nutritionally balanced meal and it's something that is so expensive for us to purchase. This donation frees up some of our funds to buy more food for our 325+ statewide programs. Maybe you saw my recent post about what we can buy for a $10 donation? Well, thanks to this donation we'll be able to buy even more.

This is a great example of companies and organizations working together to make a powerful contribution. I tip my hat to you!

"Cutting the State Budget...by $2 Billion!"

2011-10-25T13:45:00.000-07:00

I sat down today to talk with our new public policy manager, Christina Wong. She's a busy woman these days, preparing for some challenges right around the corner. Governor Gregoire is calling a special session of the Legislature beginning November 28 to cut state expenses by $2 billion, and guess where some of that is going to come from? If you guessed human services, you're right. Here's Christina to explain why:

According to a press release issued by her office, Gregoire says that “[c]ongressional gridlock, the European debt crisis and high unemployment continue to take their toll on consumer confidence and our state’s economy. Once again, we are facing a budget shortfall and once again I’m calling the Legislature back into special session to address the state’s budget. My only option is across-the-board cuts, and that option is unacceptable. Solving this budget crisis will require the Legislature to act.”

What is Northwest Harvest's legislative agenda? Stay tuned. Christina will be back to share that with us next time. In the meantime, please consider ways you might be able to help us continue to meet the need for food in Washington. We've got a Hunger Challenge going on that could use your help!

"Three Squares for Kids!"

2011-10-20T11:16:00.000-07:00

As the school year gets underway, I thought I'd take a moment to mention how Northwest Harvest supports kids outside of school. Did you know that there are places in our state where up to 98% of elementary students qualify for free or reduced meal plans at their schools? What happens to those kids over weekends and holidays when they can't access those meals?

That's where Three Squares comes in. We partner with schools in high-need communities to provide backpacks full of nutrious, kid-friendly food to those children to take home for themselves and even their siblings.

The typical offerings inside a Three Squares backpack.

Last school year, Three Squares provided backpacks, weekend bags and boxes of food to kids at high risk of hunger at 40 schools in seven school districts in Washington. As the new school year begins, we are continuing to build capacity at 40 schools in the Seattle, Highline, Kent, Clover Park, Yakima,Toppenish and Spokane school districts. We're now serving schools in Hoquiam as well. Interested in learning more? Visit our Three Squares page -- we could use your help!

"What Can You Buy for $10?"

2011-10-18T15:30:00.000-07:00

A lot of times, I get asked, "What do you guys buy with my donation? How far can it go? I know you can feed a family of three a nutritious meal for 67 cents but what's in that meal?"

You'd be amazed at how far we can stretch a dollar. How do we do it? We have great relationships within the agricultural industry but we also count on support from the community to help build our menus. Check out this video below and see if you can guess what we spent on the food on this table:

If you're impressed and want to consider making a donation, we certainly do appreciate it this time of year!

"Hey, Everybody - It's a Recall!"

2011-10-13T08:00:00.000-07:00

If you read my Tuesday blog post about food recalls, the big question on your mind this week should be, "Hey, Mike, how do you let Northwest Harvest's partner food programs know about a food recall?"

Staying ahead of the game can be challenging but it's one of the many services we try to offer to our partner network. Interested in learning more about this network and how we distribute food statewide? It's a pretty cool story. Visit our web site to learn more!

Turkey Recall Can Hurt Food Banks!

2011-10-11T15:03:00.000-07:00

In the past several months, we've experienced a host of food recalls across the country. I get asked this question a lot: "Mike, how does something like that affect Northwest Harvest? And what do you do about it?"

Good question! Let me share a behind-the-scenes look at the food procurement business with you!

We are always trying to come up with alternatives whenever a recall happens. You may have seen the recent news about the rising cost of peanut butter, one of the staple items our statewide network of food banks depends on. You can help us keep this product on the shelves by buying an extra jar now to donate during one of our many upcoming holiday events.

Stay tuned -- on Thursday, I'll share a little more on this topic of food recalls and how it affects food banks across Washington.

Hunger Stops Here!

2011-10-05T14:03:00.000-07:00

We have something pretty great going on at Northwest Harvest right now -- it's called the Hunger Stops Here Challenge, and it's really easy to participate in. You make a gift to Northwest Harvest and an anonymous donor will match it! Let me let my colleague Todd describe it to you. He's our donor relations manager.

What are you waiting for? Help us raise more than 2 million meals for those in need in Washington state this fall. Donate today! Any amount counts!

" One Person Making A Difference!"

2011-10-04T09:24:00.000-07:00

Meet Mr. William Kline, an amazing individual who has been helping Northwest Harvest for over ten years. He'll do virtually anything for us, from working in the warehouse to being a presence at many of our numerous events throughout the year. This year he even tailored his vacation trip to Brazil and Malta around our big KING 5 Home Team Harvest event on December 3. He plans to fly out as soon as the event is over. Here, take a look:

So as if helping Northwest Harvest wasn't enough William also volunteers at the blood bank and Children's Hospital. He has also participated in the 3-day Susan G. Komen walk for breast cancer for the past seven years, where his personal goal was $2,300. To quote William, "I have done and still do all these things. Each program is only a "small thing," in what could result in a large impact for someone in your life or maybe even a perfect stranger. The 3-day for me is even more than just a "small thing," it is a true commitment, testament, and promise to take time and go forth to let people know about the program." Dude is actually "walking the walk." William, you inspire me.....thank you.

By the way - if you're interested in volunteering for KING 5's Home Team Harvest or any of our other events this holiday season, get going! We need your help but volunteer slots fill up quickly.

"There's A New Kid In Town!"

2011-09-29T10:48:00.000-07:00

Every now and then I like to do a profile of one the many passionate and committed individuals who make up the Northwest Harvest family. Last time it was Irving, who works in our Kent warehouse but was helping out at Cherry Street Food Bank the day I spoke to him. This time around, let me introduce you to Deborah Squires, our new Community Engagement Director.

As you can tell, Deb's excitement and energy is infectious! She brings a wealth of talent and experience to this position and her passion for our mission and her commitment to her team comes through loud and clear.

Irving and Deb are just two of the many fine people working at Northwest Harvest who embody what we’re all about. One of our values is that we are passionate about our work. That’s necessary because it’s tough sometimes – and even tougher for our neighbors in need. Let me share a few recent statistics with you:

· The number of Washington state families experiencing hunger nearly doubled from 2008 through 2010.

· There are now more than 160,000 hungry households in our state (up from 88,000 in 2008).

· Washington state ranks 11^th in the nation for hunger.

The need for food is pretty high right now. Can you help us out by volunteering your time or making a donation? Believe it or not, we really can feed a family of three a nutritious meal for 67 cents, but we need your help to keep doing it. Have a great day!

"We Went to Wenatchee For the WFC!"

2011-09-27T14:14:00.000-07:00

Every year, Washington Food Coalition puts on a three-day conference where many of Washington's food banks, meal programs, distribution centers, growers and other experts in the field come together. They share ideas, report on what's going on around the state in the hunger response arena and hold a series of classes on a variety of topics that are useful to the programs in attendance. This year it was held at the Wenatchee Convention Center and Northwest Harvest was one of the main sponsors. Here's our executive director, Shelley Rotondo, to give you a short overview and recap:

At this year's conference, more than 190 representatives from emergency food providers, human and community service organizations, government agencies and the companies and organizations that serve them participated in 41 workshops, tours, panels and presentations. Topics ranged from a discussion of packing houses and organic farms to food safety and community gardens.

As you can see we take the event seriously, sending a huge contingent from Seattle along with staff in both Yakima and Spokane. I've been several times and it's a great chance to meet new people and make connections that may reap many benefits going forward. It's another way that Northwest Harvest stays involved and connected with those we serve.

"Let's Keep It LEAN!"

2011-09-20T15:19:00.000-07:00

When you’re trying to move 25 million pounds of food around the state and across the country, a huge consideration is the high cost of fuel and transportation. At Northwest Harvest, one of the services we offer our 325+ partner network of food banks, meal programs and high-risk elementary schools is delivery of their food at no cost to them. The way we see it, the food was donated to us so we turn around and donate it right back to the community. We absorb the delivery costs because most of our network programs cannot afford to do so.

As you might imagine, delivering on this promise requires a lot of precious resources. Recently we had the good fortune of having an excellent team of Boeing staff come to our Kent warehouse on a series of Saturdays and instruct a number of our key staff in their Lean process. What is Lean? Simply put, the Lean manufacturing process is a comprehensive way to reduce waste of all types.

As our sessions progressed I was amazed at the ways we found to eliminate waste and create opportunities for savings. That’s critical for a non-profit like Northwest Harvest. Check out some pictures of what our conference room wall looked like after a typical session!

It has truly been a gift Boeing has bestowed upon us by educating us to look at our processes with new eyes. As a result, we’ll be able to realize substantial savings which can then be put to purchasing more food for our friends in need. Hey, Boeing! Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Teens Helping Northwest Harvest

2011-09-13T16:57:00.000-07:00

I have another great story to share with you about a young person reaching out to help Northwest Harvest.

Kyla Anderson, a senior ar Sumner High School, has created greeting cards and notepads containing her original artwork and is selling them, with proceeds to benefit us. She has raised $155 so far selling the cards at $2.00 for 2 cards/envelopes and the response continues to grow. What a great idea!

That's Kyla in the photo at left with two of her pictures.

My colleague Todd interviewed Kyla when she stopped by Cherry Street Food Bank to find out more about her project and what motivates her to help others. Here's what she had to say:

Do you know any teens doing special things to help Northwest Harvest? We'd love to hear about them!

Generosity Comes in All Sizes

2011-09-06T11:31:00.000-07:00

We really love it when kids get involved at Northwest Harvest. You wouldn't believe how many young people help out at events, volunteer at the food bank or raise money. Meet my new friend, Tyler, who with his aunt's help set up a lemonade stand that brought in a surprising amount of money! The money he raised was matched by donations from his aunt and various other family members for a total of $200, which is enough for us to provide 909 nutritious meals to our friends in need. Yes, we really can feed a family of three for 67 cents at Northwest Harvest!

Helping kids see the value of helping others is something we adults can really support. If you know of any kids interested in helping Northwest Harvest, I hope you'll encourage them to hold a food drive or come up with a creative way to raise money. There are a lot of great lessons to be learned!

P.S. Special thanks to my colleague Todd who shot this video for me.

"Blueberries in Yakima!"

2011-09-01T08:00:00.000-07:00

There are a lot of really great things happening for Northwest Harvest in Spokane, Yakima and with the other 325 programs we partner with across the state. Here's a terrific little video about a gleaning project that took place recently in Yakima where our resident AmeriCorps VISTA staffer, Jami, took volunteers out into the fields to harvest over 900 pounds of fresh blueberries for our food bank partners in the region.

Here, take a look:

This excellent program is called "Harvest Against Hunger." One of our hunger relief partners, Rotary First Harvest, has placed VISTA volunteers all over the state for the sole purpose of gleaning fresh produce that might otherwise go to waste. Their lofty goal is to secure over 1,000,000 pounds of good nutritious food for the food bank system. Interested in learning more? Check out the Rotary First Harvest page to find out how you can get involved.

Volunteers from All Over the World!

2011-08-30T08:00:00.000-07:00

It amazes me where some of our volunteers come from! Fourteen youth leaders visiting from across Iraq – Kurdistan to Baghdad—together with a few American students from Milwaukee, WI volunteered at our Kent warehouse on August 11 as part of a cultural exchange tour with the World Affairs Council in Seattle. They seemed to be having a really good time while they packaged over 5,700 pounds of oats for families in need across the state!

This was their final stop on a three city tour of the U.S. which included Washington D.C., Vermont, and Seattle.

These young volunteers are high school students who've been recognized for their community leadership skills and outstanding academic achievement. In addition to volunteering, the group spent time examining issues of civic engagement and volunteerism through workshops and meetings with community members.

Lauren Opstead, Program Officer (far left); Ava Arroyo and Julia Rothaker,
participant students from Milwaukee, WI (far right); and Griffin Russell from
Richmond, VT (second from left).

"I've Got Good News and Bad News!"

2011-08-25T09:53:00.000-07:00

I stopped by the food bank the other day to say hi to Grant, one of our faithful weekly volunteers. When I asked him, "What's up?" he gave me the tag line I used for my blog headline today: "Good news and bad news." The good news is that he finally got a job this week after six long months of hitting the pavement! The bad news: he can no longer make his weekly sojourn to come and help us. Here, take a listen:

It's always a bittersweet moment when we get news like this. My heart soars and we celebrate when one of our many frends who are out of work finally gets gainful employment. But at the same time, we also have to say goodbye to people who have made a difference in the lives of those we serve just by being part of the effort. I wish I could do a lot more stories like this of small victories as so many of the folks who come to help are either unemployed or underemployed.

How about you? Are you out of work and going crazy just hanging around? Why not come down and lend a helping hand to fill in some of that time?

Thanks for all you did Grant. We'll miss you.

"The Battle Heats Up!"

2011-08-18T12:23:00.000-07:00

I never thought a "battle of the brands" could become such a big deal! A couple weeks ago, we discovered that Northwest Harvest has won the majority of the votes in a Puget Sound Business Journal readers' poll in their "most respected non-profit brand in Washington" category. Needless to say, we were pretty stoked.

But then, the votes kept coming in and we beat out two very worthy competitors -- Habitat for Humanity and REI! As of today, though, we're getting smoked by a winery. But our partners on the other side of the bracket are only about 100 votes behind...and if they win, they've promised to conduct a huge food drive for us!

If you can place a vote for Windermere Real Estate their food drive will bring in more donations and really help raise awareness!

Thanks -- and please spread the word!

"The Best Job in the World!"

2011-08-11T09:50:00.000-07:00

Every now and then, I'd like to be able to introduce you some of the great people I have the pleasure and good fortune to work with. These staff members help keep Northwest Harvest running and allow us to do what we do best -- which last year translated into distributing nearly 26 million pounds of food to our network of over 325 food banks, meal programs and high-risk elementary schools across Washington.

The other day we needed some of our staff to go work at Seafair, where we were collecting donations and meeting potential new volunteers and supporters. That put us a little short staffed at our Cherry Street Food Bank and as you'll see in this video, one of the guys who works at our Kent warehouse jumped at the opportunity for a change of scenery.

As you can see, Irving is a spark plug. Everybody loves him, as he always has a big smile, a positive attitude and he loves to help people.

It's amazing to be a part of an organization that has so many people who are passionate about what they do. Many, many staff insist on coming down and working the food line (sometimes during their lunch hour!) just to remind themselves about the real reason they work so hard. Shelley, our executive director, has an office that overlooks the food bank and you know what she likes to say? "I have an office with a view!" That's really important, she says, because it helps her stay connected to the people we are serving.

Some days, it's hard to believe I get to call this my job. If you're ever here volunteering, I'd love to meet you and learn your story so please seek me out and say hello.

"My Kids LOVE The Fruit!"

2011-08-09T11:48:00.000-07:00

This past weekend was Seafair time in our fair city and on Friday afternoon as I was walking out of the food bank there was a family of two dads and a handful of kids who were heading down to the waterfront to enjoy the festivities. I stopped to shoot the breeze with them. They are both families in need and had decided to come by the food bank and get some fruit so all the kids could have a "treat." They were pretty grateful for it.

Maybe you read the recent Seattle Times article about how a healthful diet may be too costly for many Washington families? If not, check it out and let me know what you think. At Northwest Harvest we try very hard to make up for that shortfall by offering as much fresh produce as possible -- it's really important to help fight hunger effectively and ward off a host of diseases like hypertension, diabetes and obesity in our kids.

It really makes me happy on a day like this when we could give fresh oranges, apples, plums, onions and mushrooms along with the usual line-up of other staples and one very special item we give only on Fridays: Smucker's peanut butter and jam sandwiches. If you and your kids could use a helping hand and love the fruit, come on down and get some! We'll be trying to keep it in our food pipeline all summer long.

And speaking of Seafair, we were out there last weekend and were able to engage lots of supporters who donated over $1,400 to Northwest Harvest! We're grateful to Seafair for giving us such a great location every year with high visibility -- it really helps us out. And thanks to all our new donors!
　

"What a Week! 4-Star Rating for Northwest Harvest!"

2011-08-04T14:28:00.000-07:00

This has been a really great week for Northwest Harvest! First we got the news that Puget Sound Business Journal readers nominated us as one of their most respected brands in Washington, putting us in the running for the numero uno spot!

And now this! We just learned we received oursecond 4-star rating for sound fiscal management from Charity Navigator and the Accredited Charity Seal from the Better Business Bureau. This is good news for our donors, who expect transparency and sound business practices from the charities they support, but it's also really good news for anyone suffering from hunger across the state -- it means we are nationally recognized for doing a great job, and that recognition results in more donations. In a time when the need is so incredibly high, this is just the thing that will help us keep delivering on our mission to help others!

Here are a few words from our executive director, Shelley, describing what the recognition means to our agency:

"We're Famous!"

2011-08-02T16:21:00.000-07:00

On Friday, our executive director Shelley Rotondo was pretty excited -- at our staff barbeque she showed everyone the recent issue of the Puget Sound Business Journal in which we were rated one of the most respected brands in Washington!

We are really honored and grateful for this special recognition because it will heighten awareness of the great need in our community for food. That will serve to help foster more support and a greater positive impact for our neighbors in need.

Do me a favor? Would you help us make it to the next round and vote for Northwest Harvest? Your vote will help us spread the word about our important hunger relief work.

Voting for this week closes this Thursday, August 4 at noon, so please vote soon. The “Battle of the Brands” runs until Friday, August 26. I'll keep you posted as to results.

Here's Shelley to tell you more about why this means so much to her and to all the staff at Northwest Harvest:

"Scrap for Food!"

2011-07-21T08:00:00.000-07:00

Every now and then I meet a donor who has just started a new, innovative business and who wants to share some of the proceeds with Northwest Harvest. Today, my colleague Claire interviewed Josh from Scrap for Food -- he picks up scrap metal for free and then donates 10% of his proceeds to food banks and distributors like us. He likes us because we are so efficient with our resources and because we can feed a family of three for 67 cents.

If you want to "clean your garage and feed people in need at the same time" (as Josh puts it) give him a call at 206-707-1474.

There are some limits to what he can take -- no refrigerators, freezers, gas containers, computers or TVs -- but there's a lot he CAN take including lawnmowers, pots and pans, and even wood stoves and car parts.

What is so great about this is that he's helping the environment as well as feeding people in need through his business. We're thankful he chose Northwest Harvest as a beneficiary -- here's our very own Matt Campbell (below right) accepting a donation for $2,500 Josh gave us last month!

Seahawks Leadership Challenge Students Land at Cherry Street

2011-07-19T10:44:00.000-07:00

We had a fantastic group of young volunteers in the food bank Friday -- high school students participating in the Seahawks Leadership Challenge presented by Century Link. Derek, our food bank manager, told me they set a group record by breaking down over 7,500 lbs. of product in only 4 hours. They also helped serve food bank customers.

"Reeling In The Years"

2011-07-12T13:00:00.000-07:00

Recently we've had the good fortune to have a Duke University student named Kinnari Bhojani land here as an intern for a program called Duke Engage, where talented young people go to various non-profits to help with special projects they might need to have done. For quite some time we have been looking for somone to sift through 43 years of mementos, artifacts and records and put together a timeline of our history. Kinnari has taken on this project:

With proclamations from four governors, letters and awards from various groups and statesmen to orignal pieces of art from two-time Pulitzer Prize winner David Horsey, the agency has certainly been recognized over the years for our commitment and service to the people in need around the state of Washington. I can't wait to see what Kinnari comes up with.

We're really pleased to be hosting two students from Duke this summer. Kevin Hogan is helping us out as a special events and corporate relations intern. Kevin told me, “One of the highlights of my time so far has been working at the Cherry Street Food Bank. While it is great to take part in the work that is helping to raise the money and the food necessary to feed the hungry, it is a unique experience to interact with the food bank clients themselves. I was amazed at the number of people who relied upon the food bank and the diversity of the clientele that it served. It was tough work unpacking and organizing the huge quantities of food that are needed there on a daily basis, but it was great to see the smile on a client’s face and to have them thank you for being there and helping them out.”

For Duke Engage, says Kevin, the university sends several hundred students to various locations both domestically and internationally to spend eight weeks working with a non-profit organization. There are fifteen students working here in Seattle and other students in the group are working with a variety of organizations throughout the city that address issues such as the environment, political engagement, and youth fitness.

"Hannah's Leaving For Grad School"

2011-06-30T15:32:00.000-07:00

After eight months of volunteering this year, one of our volunteers is leaving her post as "Sandwich Giver Outer" to move back to Chicage to go to grad school. As I watched her, I noticed she is on a first name basis with many of the people in line for sandwiches at the Cherry Street Food Bank, knowing in advance who might need pet food or what a certain client's lunch preference is (PB and J or turkey). She's the kind of volunteer we love -- engaged and interested in the lives of our clients, and treating them with respect and dignity. Can you believe she's leaving? I did everything in my power to try and talk her into quitting school and handing out sandwiches forever but she wouldn't have any part of it. Aw...just kidding. Here, take a peek:

Behind Hannah is Jonathan, her replacement for when she goes away in August. He wanted some on-the-job training so he's ready to take over when the time is right. It's a fun and amazing group of people who come here to be part of our outreach. I think you, too, would look pretty good handing out those turkey, tuna and PBJ sandwiches. How about it?

"I'm A Survivor!"

2011-06-24T09:34:00.000-07:00

Hey, you ever have one of those days when you're just making the usual rounds like you and I do on a regular basis and you happen to have a little visit that winds up inspiring you? That happened to me recently when I stopped to say hello and thank Diane, one of our weekly volunteers at the food bank. Her story is pretty amazing and beautiful. Here, take a look:

I'm so grateful that Diane took the time to tell me her story and then allowed me to record it so I could share it with you. It offers hope for others and lets them know they can make a difference in other peoples' lives if they want to get involved. I have several people I intend to share this with. It never ceases to amaze me the quality, gracious and kindhearted volunteers I run into on a daily basis. Diane just became a hero of mine and to you my friend, I tip my glass. Happy Friday, everyone!

"Google It!"

2011-06-22T12:24:00.000-07:00

We recently had a brand new group of volunteers who had never partnered with us before, the good folks at Google. I wasn't aware that they have offices in both Fremont (in Seattle) and Kirkland and that they are big on giving back to the community. On this day, we had 35 people from the Kirkland office who were bagging up tons of peas. Here take a look:

The spokes person for the group was a woman named Dawn, who has been coming with her husband and two daughters to volunteer as a family at the Kent facility for some time. Since they enjoy the experience she thought it would be great to offer the opportunity to her fellow workers when it was time for their "day of giving back," or as they call it, Google Serve. It may be one of the last times we see Dawn, as Google is sending her to India in the near future. I wish her well and look forward to seeing this group again many more times year after year. Is your office or organization interested in helping us out?

"An Ear To the Ground?"

2011-06-16T11:21:00.000-07:00

Do you ever get so caught up in the hustle and bustle of your daily life and work you sometimes lose focus of some of the things that really matter? About a month ago we had a volunteer on site named Haley McLain who wanted to do a special project for a class at Seattle Central Community College. The subject was to be the Cherry Street Food Bank. When she asked me if she could interview me and ask a few questions I said sure and didn't give it another thought. So imagine my surprise when I checked out this terrific video she composed from the feedback she got from three of us staffers along with some great pictures:

So this has turned out to be a great gift Haley has given to our agency and me personally. When we go at the task at hand in a hard, sometimes furious, manner I sometimes forget the big picture. She has given a beautiful reminder about who and what "really matters" in this work and team effort. Haley, to you I tip my hat and offer my heartfelt thanks.

"I Feel Pretty!"

2011-06-14T09:45:00.000-07:00

Last Friday, KING5 partnered with us to do a big food drive called the Summer Hunger Challenge, with the hopeful goal of putting more kid-friendly food into the food banks for the summer. This is a time of year of pretty high need -- when kids are out of school, the ones who need food don't have access to free- or reduced-cost school lunches. Yesterday, Claire Acey (our communications manager) and I were invited to the studio downtown to shoot a segment on "New Day Northwest," a daily talk show, to discuss the current need and demonstrate the sheer buying power Northwest Harvest has by giving a visual of how much food we can secure for $10. It's a pretty impresive visual:

Check out this funny picture of me getting make-up put on before I went out to do my bit. As you can imagine it took quite a lot to get me presentable for the camera, hence my title "I Feel Pretty!" It was a blast to do the segment, plus the staff at KING 5 were so kind and gracious letting both Claire and me know how much they love Northwest Harvest and the work we do.

"REI In Kent"

2011-06-08T09:43:00.000-07:00

I was at our warehouse in Kent recently checking on a food shipment and stopped in to our volunteer packing room to see who was lending a helping hand. It was some staff from REI who has a facility just three blocks down the street from our warehouse, so most of them were able to walk to come volunteer. On this day they were sorting what we call "wild variety" -- the kind of food that typically gets donated during a food drive.

Kevin is with REI's creative and production team. The company comes down at least four times a year to help and always has a good time. How about you? Do you and/or your company want to volunteer to come down and make a morning or afternoon of packaging food for others?

And speaking of food drives...we've got a great one coming up on Friday, June 10 -- the KING 5 Home Team Summer Hunger Challenge! We're collecting donations from 6:00 am - 6:00 pm at four area malls: Everett Mall, Northgate Mall , Redmond Town Center and Tacoma Mall. If you can stop by and make a donation and say hello, it would be great to see you.

"18 Eight Graders From Corvalis"

2011-06-02T08:00:00.000-07:00

It seems like this year we've seen an influx of many different groups from across the United States (and for that matter from around the world) who come to Seattle to check out the city and then somehow wind up giving some time to volunteering. In the past month, I've visited with people from Cape Cod, Montana, Florida and this group, a bunch of eighth graders from Corvalis who, in addition to seeing the sights around town, determined that a little public service might help them meet their requirement of 15 hours of community service in order to graduate. Here, take a look:

How about you? Do you know of any groups coming to town for a visit or better yet a local student group who might be looking for an avenue to complete their public service requirements? We can offer all kinds of fun opportunities to get that done, so send them our way.

"Vietnam Vets Volunteering at the Food Bank"

2011-05-30T22:18:00.000-07:00

Today is Memorial Day, the day we honor the men and women of our Armed Forces, many of whom have given their lives in battle. It's also a serving day at the food bank as this is the next to the last day of May and many people have a hard time at the end of the month and are in need of food. There is no place I'd rather be and feel we are honoring our fallen brethren by serving others just as they served us with the ultimate sacrifice.

I was surprised to learn that several of our regular volunteers who help out every Monday just happen to be veterans, and on this day this is where they chose to honor and celebrate the day. Here...meet one of them, Doug:

"Today On Produce Row!"

2011-05-26T14:52:00.000-07:00

For those who have never been to our Cherry Street Food Bank, I thought it might be cool to show what it's like on a good day at the food bank where we lay out all the fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables along with coffee, water and bread. Since it wasn't raining on this day and we had an incredible selection of fresh stuff, it truly was a great day to come by for groceries. Look: there's Jonathan handling out watermelons and celery, Mary's serving portabello mushrooms and salad mix, Jim's got the frozen veggies covered and others are distributing the golden apples and oranges. Here, take a look:

Luckily when I was shooting this video, one of our trucks was pulling in to drop off more food so we had to stop the client line for a few minutes. Otherwise, there was no way I could even get close enough to take video as the people go bonkers for the fresh stuff and I make it a habit never to take pictures of anyone coming to the food bank for food.

You now know how popular fresh fruit and veggies are, so how about keeping us in mind when you have too much bounty from your local gardens this year?

"A Life-Transforming Idea"

2011-05-24T16:37:00.000-07:00

In the past week, I've met and visited with people from Nigeria, Mali, South Africa, Zimbabwe, India and many other places. Some are here with the World Affairs Council and are coming to look at our "model" of helping others that they might take back to their home countries. I met this very special woman named Toyosi Akerele, an attorney from Lagos, Nigeria, who is here as part of the U.S. State Department's International Visitor Leadership Program. As you see in the video, she is deeply moved, almost in tears, as she watches people line up to get free food while others (volunteers) gave it out with smiles and kindness. She told me she had never seen anything like it in her entire life. Here, take a look:

As you can see Toyosi works with youth and intends to go back to Nigeria and start a food bank. I intend to help her in any way I can -- and who knows, maybe I'll shoot you a vid from Nigeria! Yesterday, I talked to a couple from India who said, "We have many, many beggars but have no food banks, it's so sad." It really gives me pause to wonder what our community would look like if the thousands of people who come for food on a daily basis had nowhere to turn. To paraphrase my friend from India, "it would be so, so sad."

"Maxed Out in Moses Lake"

2011-05-12T08:00:00.000-07:00

Recently at our Annual Meeting for our partner programs statewide, I had the opportunity to sit down with Peny Archer to hear about how things are going in Moses Lake and Grant County in the Eastern part of the state. Peny's exact words were: "We're getting hammered over here with record numbers of people in need, high unemployment, cut hours and just plain difficulty in trying to keep up." Here take a look:

When I asked Peny if she was getting enough food the response was, "Yes but we're being pushed to the max....we're just about maxed out. We get a lot of support from a caring community and we have an army of volunteers who without their help we couldn't do it." Her last line was telling: "We need help all over the country." She seems to know she is speaking for more than just the folks in Moses Lake or Washington state. How are things going in YOUR community?

"The Cape Cod Crew Is In The House!"

2011-05-10T08:00:00.000-07:00

We get all kinds of friends who want to come to one of our sites to volunteer for a day but rarely do we get a group from all the way across the country. Meet this church youth group from Brewster, MA on Cape Cod. They brought 16 kids out to the west coast to give them various opportunities for service. Today it's Northwest Harvest, last night it was at the mission serving hot meals, and tomorrow onto another service project.

I took the time to visit and thank each one of the young people and asked for their impressions of the northwest. None had ever been here before and they were thrilled to be away from home on a "mission." In talking with one of the adults I learned that they had seriously considered going out of the country to do their service work, someplace like South America or Costa Rica. However, in looking at the turmoil currently around the world and the fact that some of the students are as young as 13 years old they determined for this year that perhaps they should stay in the U.S., which turned out to be a big win for us.

I'm curious -- have you ever volunteered for Northwest Harvest as part of a church or other religious group? How did it go for you, and what group are you with? I would love to interview you.

"Victor's First Time at the Food Bank"

2011-05-05T16:04:00.000-07:00

At the food bank today I was visiting with Suzanne, the volunteer who was manning the front desk where people start their way through the food line. As has been the case lately, it was pouring down rain. A young guy named Victor came in who looked pretty soaked. I saw he was using a monocle so I asked him what was up. He replied that he had lost his eyesight in both eyes, was unable to work and in need of some assistance. He seemed really upbeat and looking forward to the future. Here, give a listen to his story:

Another cool thing that happened with Victor was this: since it was his first visit, he reached for his wallet to show some ID. When Suzanne told him that wasn't necessary he got a smile on his face and said "I like you guys!" As he made his way down the line each volunteer saw him using the monocle and assisted him by telling him exactly what was in the bin in front of him. I think he had a great first experience at the food bank and I encouraged him to come back if he needed anything.

From the beginning – way back to 1967 – Northwest Harvest has never asked for proof of identity or need. We figure if you’re in line for food, you must need food and because we consider food a basic need, we’re going to offer it to you. I’m curious what you think of our philosophy?

"The Big Rig Just Pulled into the Yard!"

2011-05-03T08:00:00.000-07:00

For the past year or so, we've been needing another semi truck in order to be able to pick up food donations and deliver even more food to food banks across the state. We decided to enlist the help of one of our great volunteers, Ted Hall, who researched and looked all over the country to find us a used vehicle we could afford that would last us for years. Ted found a real beaut; here, take a look:

In addition to helping us secure much needed transportation Ted and his wife have volunteered for the past 11 years at our KING 5 Home Team Harvest event which is always the second Saturday in December. Ted dons a Santa Claus suit and is so warm, funny and outgoing that people passing by find it hard to resist his good cheer. As you can see from the video he's as big a fan of ours as we are of him. Thanks for being there for us, Ted!

"Erin's Here On Spring Break!"

2011-04-29T08:00:00.000-07:00

I was hanging out with our Sandwich Brigade volunteers this morning watching them make 1,350 sandwiches for our Cherry Street Food Bank. It's getting towards the end of the month and we have huge lines around the block. I saw a face I didn't recognize and she turned out to be Erin, the niece of our Brigade leader Terrie. She told me she'd been hearing about the sandwich making party for awhile and wanted to come and try it while she was on Spring Break. Here take a look:

Each day this week that I've walked around the food bank I've bumped into young people who have chosen to spend their Spring Break time volunteering and helping to serve others less fortunate in their communities. I am inspired by their examples and proud to be working side by side with them.

Pictures That Tell 1000 Stories, PART 2

2011-04-28T10:59:00.000-07:00

This is the second half of a post written by Seattle news broadcaster Brian Calvert. He recently produced a video for Northwest Harvest, and he took the time to take us behind the scenes. If you haven't read part 1, check it out.

"We all tell stories.

Many of us remember growing up listening to stories as children. And remember how exciting it was to re-tell that story to someone else? Sometimes a detail or two would get changed in midst of all the excitement, but we're all storytellers beginning at an early age. I've told a lot of stories in the news business, but none have meant as much to me as the video project I worked on for Northwest Harvest.

In my mind, it's the faces of Northwest Harvest that will move you. In the video, you meet the people who run the organization. It's easy to see the commitment on their faces, and the passion they have to feed hungry people. You meet the volunteers, some of whom have been with Northwest Harvest for several years. They come back day after day, because they can and because they care. As we filmed the employees and volunteers, rarely did it take more than a couple "takes." I credit the exquisite camera work of Mike Boydstun for part of that. But the real credit goes to the people themselves. They didn't have to "act," they just had to "be." These people not only understood the vision of the project, they understood what they are doing for the community. They very naturally, almost without thought, go through the process of helping others. If there's anything I want you to remember from this behind the scene look…it's that. The people who serve at Northwest Harvest are so focussed on their mission, that care comes effortlessly, and compassion flows like a river.

In telling the story of Northwest Harvest, there are other people you must meet. You already know the people who serve the organization, but what about those who are served? These people visit over 325 sites throughout Washington several times a week because they are hungry. They put aside personal pride and make the trek to the food bank not because they want to, but because they must.

You will meet these people in the video, and I'm warning you, it will be an emotional meeting. We never set out to make you cry. The mission was to reintroduce you to people you already know. These are the people who live on your street. You've seen them in the grocery store when life blessed them with more means. Your kids have likely attended school with their kids. Some of these people work in offices and stores your frequent. And yet, that job isn't enough. They still can't afford to feed themselves three nutritious meals a day. To me, THAT's the power and emotion that comes from meeting the clients of Northwest Harvest. In this video, you come face to face with the possibility that someday, somehow, this could be someone you know. Even more emotion is possible the moment you take a deep breath, and have the clarity to realize that someday, this might be you.

I invite you now to watch the Northwest Harvest video on our web site…even if you've already seen it. It is a pleasure to share what was behind this project, and it would be an honor to know you better understand the invaluable work of Northwest Harvest.

Thank you, Northwest Harvest, for allowing me to tell your story. I am getting emotional now as I write. You need to understand that by allowing me to do this for you, you've helped me. I've written hundreds, perhaps thousands of stories in my career. And yet, I'm more proud of this project than anything else I've ever done in the newsroom."

Starbucks Rocks the Oats!

2011-04-27T10:46:00.000-07:00

Check out this awesome video Starbucks made showing their day of volunteering at our Kent warehouse! They packed over 6,000 pounds of oats for our food bank partners across the state.

Interested in doing some volunteering of your own? We can really use some help from big groups at our Kent warehouse, particularly in the summertime. Check out our volunteer application on our web site.

Pictures That Tell 1000 Stories, PART 1

2011-04-26T14:19:00.000-07:00

Here's a few words from our friend Brian who created a fantastic video for Northwest Harvest a few weeks ago:

"In my industry, the perfect picture, or the exclusive soundbite or quote, is gold. There's always lots of bronze, and even a little bit of silver, but that piece of broadcast gold carries a lot of weight. It can move people, it can change their minds. It has the power to change lives.

My name is Brian Calvert, and I'm a news broadcaster based in Seattle. I was asked recently to work with Northwest Harvest to tell their story…a job I was more than happy to take. I have a long history with Northwest Harvest that began several years ago when I was a reporter. I was often called to do stories about their work and their efforts. Their mission moved me, so much so, I began volunteering. Years later, I joined their Board of Directors. I know this organization, and I was confident that my relationship with their good work would yield something very special.

The project was to create an agency video. That can mean a lot of different things to a lot of different organizations. To Northwest Harvest, the ultimate agency video would tell their story in about 5 minutes. Who are they? What do they do? Where are they? And most importantly, who do they serve?

Sometimes, a good story comes from how the author uses words to paint pictures, explain emotions, and develop characters. Other times, the author inserts an illustration at the perfect moment to bring the reader further into the story. I really enjoy writing, so it would have been much more natural for me to write a narration for this video. Instead, I went a different direction.

The concept was simple on the surface, but as we learned during filming, much more difficult to capture the message of the agency. I chose to create a short film without narration. There is no dialogue (except for one moment when the regular author of this blog "Mike, The Food Guy" has to make sure his lines are heard). Instead, the video focused on the faces that make Northwest Harvest the wonderful organization it is. A series of white cards, distributed throughout the video, keep the viewer on track with 5-6 word cues along the way. I bought the rights to some really nice music, and the soundtrack provides a really good momentum.
It's really a "different" project for Northwest Harvest, and I'm so happy they trusted me enough to get outside the box a little. There's much more to tell, but I need to save that for another day. Come back and read part two of this story, which will be published later this week. I'm eager to share the power of a face, and how small expressions and slight gestures really end up telling a magnificent story.

"It's Planting Season at the Food Bank!"

2011-04-21T08:52:00.000-07:00

Here's a really interesting interview about a new trend we're seeing more and more of the past few years: food banks who have taken to developing their own farms to grow fresh fruits and vegetables. Yvonne Pitrof is the director of the Vashon Island Food Bank and as you can see from the clip she's pretty stoked about the onset of the planting season. Last year they brought in over 6,000 pounds of fresh produce with the help of an army of volunteers.

Here at Northwest Harvest, fruits and vegetables consistently make up two-thirds of the food we distribute. We think they're an important part of every diet and sometimes our friends in need simply can't afford to purchase fresh produce because it's expensive. So if this trend catches on (and we certainly hope it will) many more people will be able to access better, more nutritious food that wasn't in the food stream in the past.

"Breakfast At Sally's"

2011-04-19T12:01:00.000-07:00

Last Friday at Northwest Harvest's Annual Meeting of statewide partner programs, I had the distinct pleasure of meeting a guy named Richard LeMieux who wrote a book called "Breakfast at Sally's." It's about his personal journey from a highly successful life in business with all the luxury that entails to a terrible downfall that pretty much cost him everything. One day he was flying high, the next day he was homeless. The book's tag line is "One Homeless Man's Inspirational Journey." I started it over the weekend and so far it's terrific. He was the guest speaker at one of the workshops we hosted that day.

During the course of our several hours together, I fell under Richard's spell. He was really funny, kind-hearted and an amazing storyteller. We swapped stories back and forth of the things we've both seen and experienced in working with the homeless and other folks in need. He's big on the dignity and respect every person deserves, just as we are here at Northwest Harvest. When he gave his presentation there was hardly a dry eye in the house and as you'll see in this short video one of the things he hoped to accomplish during his visit was to inspire at least one person. From where I was sitting he was successful. Here's a taste and flavor of this unique individual's personality.

"Flour to the People!"

2011-04-14T11:11:00.000-07:00

I gave a tour earlier this week to Josh Dorf, CEO of Stone Buhr Flour. They've got a program called All Purpose with a Purpose where they plan to give away thousands of pounds of flour in 2011 to Northwest Harvest and three other food banks. Their Northwest Harvest donation came in recently and I quickly invited Josh to come in for a visit. He was cool, down to earth, very funny and totally “got” who and what we are about. It’s really clear that he cares deeply about his community and wants to give back. People like him inspire me and we’re lucky to have Stone Buhr as a partner. Here take a look:

"Until We Meet Again!"

2011-04-12T14:11:00.000-07:00

We had to say goodbye to one of our own recently, Josh Fogt, our Public Policy Manager. He had a great run as the first person to fill this role for our agency. He was wildly successful in building momentum and helping the agency evolve and adopt a whole new role in advocacy at the state and federal levels. To quote Josh, "I believe that building a statewide network of people willing to speak out against hunger in their communities is a unique role that Northwest Harvest can play in the years ahead, and that will make the greatest strides in our fight to eliminate hunger." Here, take a look at our bon voyage party:

In closing, I think I'll let Josh speak for himself. "It starts small, maybe a dozen or so folks this year, a hundred the next, and so on. But we are the only organization in Washington that can take a statewide, holistic approach to fighting hunger through our advocacy work and I feel this organization has a responsibility to do so, or at least try. And I think that if we're going to be successful in this, it will take contributions from each of you." Thanks, dear friend. We will miss you.

"I'm One Rent Check Away From Being Homeless!"

2011-04-06T13:49:00.000-07:00

The other day I bumped into a very articulate, nice man who I shot the breeze with by asking the question: "You keeping dry, man?" He laughed and said, "Just barely...how about you?" We've been getting buckets of rain recently and I worry about the people standing in line to get food at food banks all over who are getting drenched. You can bet most of them don't have any health insurance and once they get soaked and then get a cold or flu it's doubtful they'll go to the doctor because they can't afford to pay.

My new friend John told me his story as to why he was using the food bank that day and how he happened to come to the point of near-homelessness. Here, let John tell you in his own words:

I'm always amazed at the different types of people I meet from all walks of life who experience some calamity in a single instant -- like John's car accident, the loss of a spouse, a medical event or a million other circumstances -- that can turn their lives upside down. Do you know anyone like that -- maybe even yourself?

I really like this guy and I hope I see him again.

"Thanks a lot, Pardner!"

2011-03-31T13:48:00.000-07:00

The last couple of years, I've worked our KING5 Home Team Harvest event in early December where we set-up in one of the local shopping mall parking lots and have people come by to drop off food and meet some of the on-air talent. Every year we get started at 5:30 in the morning and this year it was freezing! But right along with us were a terrific group of volunteers from U.S. Bank who had their logo sweatshirts on with big smiles, wanting to work with us all day to collect food. They help us out every year, both by collecting food in their branches and volunteering at the event.

Ever since that day I've been looking for an opportunity to thank them, so when I heard they were volunteering down at the Kent warehouse I hightailed it down there so I could individually thank each and every one who took time out of their busy schedule to come and help us. Here, take a peek:

We're so lucky to have companies like U.S. Bank and others who want to partner with us in so many ways, from special events to conducting their own in-house food drives to coming down on a rainy, drizzly afternoon to package pasta that will go out to the food banks. We're all in this thing together and we couldn't do it without partners like these. It is my pleasure to sing your praises!

"Helping Out Some Families on Baby Day"

2011-03-30T10:28:00.000-07:00

Thursdays are Baby Day at the Cherry Street Food Bank and thanks to our friends at KIRO we've had a pretty nice offering this month. Their KIRO Family Connection program attracts donations of food, formula and diapers that we hand out to our clients.

Your donations are really important for helping us keep this program going. Along with the baby food we try to have a wide array of other nutritious food available for those babies' sisters, brothers, mommies and daddies -- things like rice, beans, pasta, canned fruit and vegetables and cereal.

Childhood nutrition is an important part of our mission and goals. Here's our executive director Shelley to share a little more about the importance of nutrition:

"Baby Day......So How'd It Start?"

2011-03-25T08:57:00.000-07:00

Many of you know we have a Baby Day program at our Cherry Street Food Bank and we also distribute diapers and baby food to many of our partner programs across Washington. I bumped into Shelley Rotondo, our executive director, today and I thought it would be a great opportunity to ask her how the program got started. You might be surprised by her response. Here, take a look:

It's amazing to me that a single woman sobbing uncontrollably in the food line would be the catalyst for the beginning of a brand new program catering to this special, delicate population. This program has been ongoing for over 20 years. We're so very lucky to have the support of a community who also thinks kids are pretty special and who want to be part of the response to this particular hunger issue.

KIRO is one of those supporters, along with Brotherton Cadillac and Olympic Physical Therapy. This month is KIRO's Family Connection Baby Day event and today KIRO's Jenni Hogan and Michael Fox hosted a really cool mobile tweet up on our behalf. It's amazing what we have collected so far in baby diapers, food and formula as well as cash donations. I hear we've received over 23,000 items for babies! Check out some photos on our Facebook fan page.

Stellar Plans for our Annual Meeting

2011-03-24T08:00:00.000-07:00

I've invited our partner programs manager, Joyce Zeigen, to share a little about a major upcoming event at Northwest Harvest -- our Annual Meeting:

"What is our favorite way to connect with Northwest Harvest's 300+ partner programs across the state? Face-to-face, of course!

Every year we host a free conference for our partner programs to attend. This Annual Meeting is an incredible time of sharing new ideas, learning from peers and experts, gathering information, networking, and inspiring one another in our continued effort to eliminate hunger.

Last year over 100 programs and 300 food bank directors, board members, coordinators, and volunteers attended the Annual Meeting. This year we anticipate even more! We have workshops on leadership, grant writing, volunteer management, succession planning, cross-cultural communication, feeding children year-round, helping the homeless, and facing emergencies in meal programs.

Keynote speaker Rick Lynch will hold a special session at our Kent warehouse on April 14, followed by a networking social for attendees. On April 15, Rick will lead two sessions in addition to the keynote address. Throughout the Annual Meeting, special emcee Brian Calvert will share his story and provide tips on how programs can tell their story as part of their advocacy efforts.

Our partner programs really appreciate our Annual Meeting and come for all corners of the state for this event. We love hearing their stories and connecting with them at the Annual Meeting and at our regional meetings throughout the year. These partners are amazing as they help Northwest Harvest provide over 24 million pounds of food to Washingtonians in need!"

"Sniff...So Long Luis...."

2011-03-22T16:10:00.000-07:00

Recently, we had to say farewell to one of our rare gems of a volunteer, Luis Rivera. For the past eight years Luis has been the person who hands out sandwiches every Monday and Wednesday mornings to our friends in need of something to eat. Luis has a way about him that is truly gentle, welcoming and kind to people. A couple of weeks ago while I was visiting with him he said, "Stay here and watch the line for a minute, I'll be right back." When he returned he waited for a guy in line to get up to him and said, "Here, I brought you a handful of razors from home. Last week you told me you didn't have any dough to buy some so here you go." He's good people. Here, take a look:

That's the way he is, he loves to help others, and in fact part of the reason he needs to leave for a while is to take care of his sweetie, Cindy, who needs him at home. Last year he was nominated for Rotary First Harvest's Michael Shanahan Volunteer of the Year award which he won. We bid him a fond farewell and thank him for his years of service and kindness toward others.

"It's March....So Let's Talk About Christmas!"

2011-03-18T08:00:00.000-07:00

If you've been to the gas station lately or your local grocery store, you probably don't need me to tell you things are starting to look a little scary. Imagine if you're the Procurement Dude (me!) for Northwest Harvest and you're trying to target 25 million pounds of purchased and donated food this year for the over-300 food programs and at-risk elementary schools we serve. Right now, it's not a pretty sight.

If you come to one of our partner food banks for services or to volunteer you know we do something special for the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. Last year it was sliced turkey and gravy for Thanksgiving and whole chickens for Christmas. Today I had a meeting with my poultry vendor and the news wasn't so positive. Here, take a look:

I'm not sure what the future holds and I start to fret when food and fuel begin to skyrocket at the same time like they did in 2008. We're seeing record numbers of people in need and more expensive food. Once again, I've got my fingers and toes crossed that the people who care about us and their brothers and sisters in need will partner with us to weather the storm.

"Clients Have Been on Edge Lately..."

2011-03-15T15:20:00.000-07:00

So, most of the time I use this space to tell you about what's going on at the Cherry Street Food Bank. However as some of you may know, we actually distribute food to over 300 food banks, meal programs and at-risk elementary schools around the state.

Each month around the 10th we receive feedback from many of the programs describing what's going on at the front lines. These days, with those programs offering over 700,000 services a month statewide, things are feeling grim in certain quarters. Here, let me have one of our programs tell it in their own words:

"Clients have been so on edge lately. I think they’ve had it with the situation. So the combo (finding enough food and client frustration) makes things pretty stressful sometimes. I occasionally wonder why the volunteers that hang in there continue to come back."

This same program continues with another heartbreaking story:

"A man and his son came in last week and said it would probably be the last time for him and his family of four. He had lost his job 2 years ago and hadn’t been able to find anything; but they started coming to the food bank and were hanging on. Recently his wife also lost her job so they are going to stay in their car and don’t know where they will wind up because you can’t just park anywhere and stay. He came for something for lunch because he doesn’t have cooking facilities. He just wanted to feed his kids lunch right now and then figure out what comes next. I suggested a few resources and he had already checked most of them out, i.e. housing, job search, etc. That’s why he didn’t know where they would go next. It just made me feel sick to not be able to help him. This isn’t the long term unemployed (or what that used to mean) this is a man and his wife who are unable to find work and housing to take care of their children. This sucks."

At Cherry Street we, too, have seen an increase in the number of our customers who are frustrated and angry. It's really difficult but I'm glad we're here to ease some of the worries.

Port Angeles - Hunger Hurts Here

2011-03-10T08:00:00.000-08:00

Here's another update on our Focus group report from program manager Elise deGooyer:

"Last week I had a harrowing drive through Port Angeles, where 8 inches of snow was to fall that day. We witnessed spinouts, saw the truck next to us hit a power pole, and later learned we had passed a fatality accident. On my mind as we drove through town were the people from Port Angeles who participated in our Northwest Harvest focus group last August. How were they faring through this extreme winter, while Clallam County’s unemployment rate exceeded 10% in December? Did they have enough food on their tables to weather the storm?

I think especially of a man who attended our focus group wearing a shirt that read “Do Good.” He spoke in direct terms about his current situation: “I enjoy the [Basic Food or food stamp] program because it allows me a chance to eat when I wouldn’t be able to otherwise. That is brass tacks. I pay my taxes when I am working but now that I am not, I utilize the service. It was hard to go on when I started, but it helps me eat.”

Most Port Angeles focus group participants told us about loss of jobs in their area, especially in the logging industry, which was the reason they needed to come to food banks: “We used to work 9-10 months a year, now we work 3-4 months and that’s it. They’re starving us out.”

I also think about a mom who came to our focus group, who didn’t say much in the large group but told me afterward that she had a combined household of seven children to feed. As Port Angeles schools let out early for last week’s snowstorm, I wondered if there was food at home to replace those free or reduced-price school meals that are so critical to student well-being and success.

Right now, the State Legislature is considering cuts to nutrition programs including school meals. Northwest Harvest is working to help preserve essential safety net programs for low-income people. We encourage you to call or email your legislators—you can find their contact information here, or call the State Legislative Hotline at 1-800-562-6000 and your message will be sent to your representatives, senator and Governor Gregoire."

In the midst of these challenges, the Port Angeles Food Bank continues to be there to help people feed themselves and their families, and our participants were grateful. You can read more about the Port Angeles focus group in our report Focus on Food Security 2011: How Can Our Communities Survive More Cuts?

"Hey....Let's Play Supermarket Sweep!"

2011-03-08T09:43:00.000-08:00

So, you ever wonder what we do with all the stuff that's too big for a family or individual coming to the food bank? Things like a 20 pound roast, or a 5 gallon box of mayonaise, or a ten pound box of pepper?

We get all kinds of things from some of our donors who supply prisons, schools and other large-scale users. So we came up with the program we nicknamed "Supermarket Sweep," wherein we collect all these items and put them off to the side. Then each day, early in the morning, we take them out of the coolers and freezers and off the warehouse racks and collect them in an area specifically designed for this program.

At 10:00, we allow our various partners who run sit-down hot meal programs to come through and "shop" for whatever they need. The idea is to encourage our partner hot meal programs to come to Northwest Harvest first to try and design a menu with what we have to offer, and then go to the store if they need to purchase items we can't provide. It's an excellent way for us to move short-dated or fresh product that needs to get onto a dinner plate tonight.

So meet Bennie. He's part of a program that serves 45,000 meals a month. He comes to us twice a week and relies on us for a great deal of his food.

Our partner programs really appreciate being able to participate in this program and we can really put these oversize or perishable items to good use.

Hunger Action Day 2011 Recap

2011-03-02T09:00:00.000-08:00

Our executive director, Shelley Rotondo, wanted to share her thoughts on last Friday's Hunger Action Day in Olympia:

"Last Friday, I and 17 staff from Northwest Harvest braved the elements and made our way down to Olympia for the Anti-Hunger & Nutrition Coalition’s annual Hunger Action Day. Just as it sounds, this was a day committed to taking our fight against hunger to the state capitol in Olympia, and I was proud our staff represented us so well in this vital piece of our mission. All told, we were part of a group of nearly 140 passionate local advocates in Olympia to share the stories of folks struggling to put enough food on the table and to encourage our lawmakers to protect vital services that help make up the public-private safety net.

Among other scheduled visits, I met with my State Senator Steve Litzow (41st legislative district), pictured here below, along with Pete O’Brien (St. Vincent De Paul’s Food & Clothing Bank, right) and Donna Oberg (Nutrition First, left). We spoke to Senator Litzow about the need to preserve funding for Maternity Support Services for our most vulnerable mothers and kids as well as restoring funds to School Nutrition Services that provide higher quality, more nutritious meals for our kids. In our thank you note to the Senator, we also urged support for the State Food Assistance program, the importance of which I wrote about in op-eds in The Olympian and the Everett Herald. You can view the full Anti-Hunger & Nutrition Coalition agenda here.

If you were not able to make it to Hunger Action Day, we still encourage you to speak out and let your state legislators know about hunger in your community and what they can do about it. Look up your legislator or just call the toll-free legislative hotline: 1-800-562-6000.

"Pack That Plane........Please!"

2011-02-24T08:00:00.000-08:00

Here's a short video of our friends at Alaska Airlines who made the trip over to our Kent warehouse to package rice for a day.

This company has for years gone out their way to be supportive of us in so many ways. From their president and entire management team coming to volunteer on a regular basis, to holding food drives for us every holiday season, to donating prizes for our annual meeting, to the rest of the company who want to be active partners with us -- they are truly awesome!

Last year, they came up with a novel food drive called "Pack the Plane," where they collected enough food to fill 3 airplanes with much-needed non-perishable canned and dry goods. Alaska Airlines is a company that cares about the community and we feel lucky to be able to collaborate with them.

Cartwheel for a Cause

2011-02-23T08:00:00.000-08:00

Mark your calendars…and cast your vote for Northwest Harvest starting today! One of our youngest supporters, 9 year old Gabrielle Trimbell, stars in this video for a contest by VerityMom with a prize of $6,000 going to a non-profit. Here’s her video.

And here’s the back story from her mom:

“A few years ago my husband was between jobs and decided to volunteer at Northwest Harvest with some of his free time. I went with him to pick up some donations from a food drive at a restaurant and as we walked through the dining room, two different patrons stopped us and gave us $10 bills for the cause. The reputation of your organization is key to your success and I hope that we can add to that with this project.

This was a family affair: it stars my 9 year old daughter; my 7 year old son Mason did all the camera work; I created the initial storyboard; my husband Jim did much of the editing. Our family has always been grateful for what we have and aware of the fact that lots of times we get good things because we have good things. When I first read about the contest I was actually at Cascade Elite Gymnastics watching my daughter train. She’s there for 13 hours a week, and, as you can imagine, she burns a lot of energy and eats a lot of food. As I watched her working out, I imagined what life would be like for a 9 year old girl who hadn’t had breakfast. And for her mom who couldn’t afford to give it to her. That’s what I was attempting to get across in the video.”

Thanks to the Trimbell family for their support of Northwest Harvest. Be sure to get your vote in by March 2, when the contest closes!

"I Wanted To Put Actions Behind My Words!"

2011-02-22T08:00:00.000-08:00

Let me introduce Brandy, who was here at Cherry Street Food Bank volunteering because of an assignment she has for her college sociology class. She said she's been in many classes where the students and teachers discuss issues of poverty and world hunger, but she had never personally gone out to look at the issue in her own community.

When the class assignment turned out to be that she must do 10 hours of community service she asked herself, "What better place could there be to see people in need than Northwest Harvest?" When I talked with her she was just completing her hours and was proud to say that she can now say that she "puts action behind her words" about trying to do something and respond to hunger.

Interested in volunteering? Take it from Brandy -- it's easy and fun.

"Crazy & Funny Ways to Help!"

2011-02-18T12:53:00.000-08:00

Throughout the year, we get some wild and crazy requests to partner with people to help raise awareness for hunger relief. They can really be a lot of fun. Last month it was our friends Creme Tangerine playing a Beatles tribute at the Hard Rock Cafe in Seattle. This month we have two very different innovative efforts to support us. In one instance, a company wants to encourgage wellness in the workplace. In the second, an individual wants to throw an 80's dance party in the hopes of attracting the attention of a very special rock star. Here's the details:

For the months of February and March, Bob's Heating and Air Conditioning is getting into a fitness mojo by sponsoring a "Biggest Loser Contest" where employees in their office group are encouraged to lose weight. The person with the highest percentage of weight loss will win a grand prize of a head-to-toe makeover and a $500 gift card to Bellevue Square. Second place gets an I-Pod. Now get this: in addition to these cool prizes, Bob's is going to donate $10 to Northwest Harvest for every pound lost in the contest. So get to work, you guys! No pain, no gain! Make those pounds melt off! What a win-win for all concerned and a great illustration of concern for the fitness of the workplace and supporting the well-being of the community.

On to the second event. A guy named Michael Henrichsen from Bothell is a huge Billy Idol fan and I do mean HUGE! He has a web site devoted to convincing the pop star to come to Seattle and play a concert on his birthday, October 22, 2011. Michael is hosting "Billy Idol Aid" on February 24 at the Nectar Lounge in Fremont. It will be an 80's themed dance party with costumes and all proceeds ($5 or four cans of food) are going to Northwest Harvest. Mr. Henrichsen hopes maybe, just maybe, Billy Idol "will find out about it and that he'd be cool enough to consider coming here."

Michael Henrichsen (with Hulk Hogan, right) has launched a campaign to get Billy Idol to play
his birthday party in Seattle. (Photo courtesy http://playmybirthdaybillyidol.com/)

Good luck to Michael and the team at Bob's, and thanks for including us in the party!

"67 Cents Feeds A Family? Prove It!"

2011-02-17T10:00:00.000-08:00

As many of you know, one of our well known tag lines is "67 cents feeds a family." I often get comments and looks of disbelief from folks who don't think it's possible. However if you look at the way I go after food all over the country, with a mix of 80% donated and 20% purchased and our incredible connections in the agriculture industry, it is indeed possible.

A $10 donation to Northwest Harvest buys all this!

Here, I'll give you a couple of examples to prove it:

Menu

2 lbs salmon patties (donated)

2 lbs. potatoes (8 cents)

1 lb. onions (8 cents)

2 lbs. apples (4 cents)

1 can mixed fruit (17 cents)

1 lb. cucumbers (5 cents)

1 can tomatoes (25 cents)
3 grapefruit (donated)
2 loaves bread (donated)

_________________________

Total 67 cents

Meatless Menu

1 lb. potatoes (3 cents)

2 lbs. onions (5 cents)

8 oz. canned fruit (16 cents)
1 lb. beans (25 cents)
2 lb. frozen carrots (donated)
2 loaves bread (donated)
1 lb. broccoli (10 cents)
3 grapefruit (donated)
2 loaves bread (donated)
_________________________
Total 67 cents

So it's nothing fancy, perhaps, but it would feed some folks with nutritious, wholesome food which is what we are trying and hoping to do. And check out how much the canned food costs! This is how food drives really help us -- we don't have to buy that. And your cash donation can really go a long way towards buying non-perishable produce.

Voices from Spokane

2011-02-16T15:03:00.000-08:00

I chatted some more with program manager Elise DeGooyer, who along with her team conducted a series of focus groups across the state last summer. Here's what she wanted to share with you:

"We’re moving on down the road in our focus group journey to downtown Spokane, where we held a lively conversation with a group of people who had well-seasoned knowledge of urban life on the streets. They had just enjoyed breakfast at Shalom Ministries, where volunteer chefs serve up meals four days a week and "Dining with Dignity" is their motto.

Our focus group participants saw themselves as part of a community trying to make services better for low-income people in Spokane. They had suggestions about what works best when you’re homeless and trying to get adequate nutrition: “I use food stamps and food banks, and use the bus and have to carry the food with me, using suitcases and whatnot. When I use feeding programs, I take containers to take some home with me.” But without refrigeration, it’s impossible to keep fresh or prepared foods on hand. One man used the river as his refrigerator when he lived under the bridge. He is happy to have a home now, with a full kitchen.

Health problems mounted when participants were homeless, didn’t have proper nutrition, and/or slept outside. About half of the group did not have access to healthcare but said: “I can go to an emergency room, but I can’t go to a checkup. Maybe those emergency visits could be prevented if I could see a doctor.”

Some of the participants were well-versed in what needs to happen as members of the group VOICES Spokane. They were clear advocates for others in their shoes. “Food stamps don’t stretch. Right now I am running out because it’s the end of the month. I want to take our politicians here and have them live on food stamps for a month. I encourage everybody to be a registered voter and write their representatives.”

You can read the rest of their stories in our report Focus on Food Security 2011: How Can Our Communities Survive More Cuts?

And maybe you’d like to join advocates like the members of VOICES Spokane in speaking to elected officials at Hunger Action Day in Olympia on Friday, February 25?"

Lights, Camera, Action!

2011-02-10T12:12:00.000-08:00

Today was not only Baby Day at Cherry Street Food Bank, but it was also the day that a team from KIRO came by to shoot a commercial for their big event in March that collects food, formula and baby diapers for Northwest Harvest. I really like it when the media visits the food bank -- they get stories and images to share with everyone in Washington and thanks to their support, a lot more people are aware of hunger and Northwest Harvest.

Two of our KIRO favorites, Julie Francavilla and Jenni Hogan (with her baby daughter), were here today to film. Both women are so supportive of Northwest Harvest off-camera as well as on. I grabbed some behind-the-scene video of the commercial shoot -- hope you enjoy it. And stay tuned for more details about KIRO's drive next month. Can you help us spread the word about this drive?

Client Focus Groups - Let's Go to Newport, WA

2011-02-08T13:00:00.000-08:00

I've asked our programs manager, Elise DeGooyer, to blog a bit about her experience talking with clients across the state as part of her work in developing the Focus on Food Security report. Today she takes us to eastern Washington:

"Our journey to Newport, WA, last summer for our first focus group was a different trip than it would be during these winter months. Located an hour northeast of Spokane, rising over 2,000 feet in the mountains near the Idaho border, one could easily be snowed in during this season. But on a sunny July day, driving past mountain lakes and fir trees, it seemed like a pretty idyllic place to live.

The food bank participants in our focus group talked about loving their beautiful region, but also said during the winter the roads could be impassable. That caused problems for them in accessing affordable, nutritious food. They are bound to the prices and supplies provided by the one grocery store in town. “It’s easier and cheaper for us to buy prepackaged foods, but that stuff is terrible for us. It’s healthier to get fruits and vegetables, but it’s way more expensive,” said one participant.

They are 10 minutes from the Idaho border, but those tourist towns did not provide reasonable grocery shopping either. Even if covered by snow at this time of the year, Newport would be classified as more of a food desert. “I get angry when you can’t go to the store and afford bread,” another participant said.

Besides food, one of the participants had to travel to Spokane because of her insurance coverage. Living with a chronic condition, she worried that would be impossible once winter set in.

You can read more about Newport residents’ unique challenges and their resourcefulness in our new Focus on Food Security 2011: How Can Our Communities Survive More Cuts?

Since winter roads might make it difficult for Newport residents to travel to Olympia for Hunger Action Day, maybe you’d like to come and speak on their behalf? Think about it. And join me next time as we hear from focus group participants in downtown Spokane."

"Whoa, I Got Manwich Today...Yes!"

2011-02-08T08:00:00.000-08:00

Meet my new friend, Mike. He was walking on his way up the hill while I was on my way to the food bank to visit with the volunteers. He was beaming, and when he saw my employee ID tag and picture he just had to stop me.

"Guess what? I got Manwich today and I love Manwich. I'm going to the store to get some hambuger and then I'll combine it with the green beans, squash, tuna, potatoes and onions I got with the Manwich and I'll be eating good this weekend."

I love meeting people like Mike. He seemd so joyous and grateful for the food he received that he just had to stop and say something. I bumped into another dude a few minutes ago who was taking the food he got and dividing it into thirds outside on the pavement. When I asked him what was up, he said, "I watch out for some people who can't make it here so I share my bag with them each time I get food from you guys. It was a good day today." We introduced ourselves and he said to me, "Thanks for being here for us, Mike, and for the work you guys do!"

Can you believe I get to do this every week of the year? But I'll let you in on a little secret -- you can, too. Just sign up to volunteer with us.

"There's a New Sheriff in Town!"

2011-02-07T08:00:00.001-08:00

I'd like to introduce you to our brand new Cherry Street Food Bank manager. His name is Derek Wertz and I, for one, am really excited to have him become the leader of what is already a hardworking and effective team with Anthony, Raymond and Michael. Derek was already a part of the team working in our Advocacy and Agency Relations department as the Partner Programs Coordinator. He has terrific people skills and is a great listerner, talents that he will greatly need to rely on in this new position.

Before coming to Northwest Harvest, Derek served as the manager of the Jewish Family Services Food Bank for 10 years so he brings a wealth of experience in virtually every facet of food banking. When he heard there was an opening in our food bank, he jumped on it. It's a great fit for both parties -- he'll make a great leader. If you get the chance when you're here for food or volunteering, stop by and say hello.

Early Action in Olympia!

2011-02-04T14:09:00.000-08:00

Because of the importance of the upcoming Hunger Action Day, I wanted to devote more time to the topic and allow our public policy manager, Josh Fogt, to educate us a bit more on why advocacy work is so critical at this time:

"Just four weeks into the 2011 legislative session, we are hard at work advocating for access to nutritious food for everyone in Washington.

Right now, the need for services the state provides are going up while revenues gained from sales taxes are going down. Food banks and meal programs know this recessionary challenge of increasing need and decreasing donations well.

To address the state budget crisis, both the State House and State Senate are working on “early action” or “supplemental” budget bills to help get the state through the remaining fiscal year (through June 20, 2011). Many services critical to our fight against hunger are at risk in these budgets, and your advocacy is needed to protect them.

We are tracking four key early action budget items and encourage our supporters to contact their state representatives and senators to advocate for these services in the final budget.

Contacting your legislators is easy: call the toll-free legislative hotline at 1-800-562-6000 or look up your legislators online and email your House Representatives, Senators and the Governor.

We encourage you to take these four action steps:

1. Thank legislators for preserving the State Food Assistance Program. While the House and Senate budgets reduce benefit levels of this food stamp program by half, they rejected eliminating SFA as was being proposed.

2. Remind legislators of the importance of our WSDA Food Programs that help put food on the shelves of food banks around the state and thank legislators for preserving pass-through grants to local hunger programs.

3. Encourage legislators to restore funding for Maternity Support Services that in many parts of the state are critical to providing WIC vouchers for nutritional foods to our most vulnerable mothers, infants and children.

4. Finally, encourage legislators to reinstate full funding for our school food & nutrition services. Both House and Senate budgets propose cutting $3 million from the reimbursement rates to school districts, compromising the nutritional quality of the meals and the health of our children.

Thanks for your support and advocacy, and don’t forget to register for Hunger Action Day on February 25 in Olympia!"

Join us for Hunger Action Day, February 25 in Olympia!

2011-01-27T12:45:00.000-08:00

Here's a bit more about Hunger Action Day from public policy manager Josh Fogt:

During each legislative session, the Anti-Hunger & Nutrition Coalition hosts Hunger Action Day in Olympia to advocate for hungry families in Washington. Northwest Harvest is represented on the steering committee of the Coalition and helps coordinate Hunger Action Day, so we are encouraging our supporters to join us in Olympia on February 25 to engage our legislators in Northwest Harvest’s fight to end hunger in Washington.

This year’s Hunger Action Day is especially important as the state’s budget crisis will result in the elimination or significant reductions of critical services that help struggling families meet their basic needs, like keeping food on the table. One in seven households in Washington struggled to provide enough food for their family in 2010. Washington now ranks as the thirteenth hungriest state in the nation, and the problem of hunger in our communities will continue to grow unless we speak out.

We are asking you to help us by telling your friends, family and co-workers. Blog about it, tweet it, share it on Facebook.

Register today and join us be in Olympia February 25^th—the success of our efforts in Olympia rely on your voices and the voices of those we serve being heard!

For more information on HAD2011 click here for the event info packet.

See you in Olympia!

Focus on Food Security

2011-01-25T14:21:00.000-08:00

We just rolled out a pretty important report on food security in Washington and I wanted our programs manager Elise DeGooyer to share with you what's been going on:

"At Northwest Harvest, it's always been important to us to understand what people are experiencing that brings them to food banks. That's why we run our own food bank, to help us be better food bank distributors statewide. In our Advocacy and Partner Programs department, we're always asking, "What are people experiencing in the communities we serve across the state?" One way we answer that is our annual focus group project.

Every summer we hold listening sessions in five areas of the state to hear peoples' stories and better understand their need for food as well as other issues affecting them. This year we went to three corners of our beautiful state: Newport, north of Spokane; downtown Spokane; Port Angeles on the Strait; Ocean Park on Long Beach peninsula; and Maple Valley.

And our new focus group report with our findings is just published! It's called "Focus on Food Security: How Can Our Communities Survive More Cuts?"

In my next few postings, I'll take you to these places and hear what people have to say. You'll see they are a group of resourceful survivors, but everyone has their limits. One man in Spokane told us: "If it wasn't for the food bank, our cupboards and refrigerator would be bare. It wasn't that we were begging. It's just that we had $8 an hour jobs and all our money went to bills."

Next time, we'll start in the upper right hand corner of our state, Newport in Pend Oreille County, just a few minutes from the Idaho border. Come along!

"The Kindness of Strangers"

2011-01-21T11:46:00.000-08:00

Today is kind of a special day for us, as for the second year in a row we've been selected to take part in The Stranger's Annual "Strangercrombie Holiday Auction." And columnist David Schmader wrote some really glorious stuff about us!

The way it works is, a few weeks before Christmas The Stranger teams up with dozens of businesses, artists, musicials, politicians, services, restaurants and all types of partners who offer their products or services to the highest bidder. All the monies go to that year's selected charity, and this year it was Childhaven and The Downtown Emergency Center. Along with every other item on the auction block, The Stranger offers an entire week's paper to the highest bidder including all the various columns (music, arts, advice, the whole works) as well as the cover. This is the week they publish the issue that includes all these auction purchases.

Last year, an anonymous donor brought the front cover and the inside front page of the paper on our behalf. No one had ever done this for us before! We put a picture of our Sandwich Brigade in action on the cover and a description of many of the services and programs we offer around state.

This year, that same donor purchased for us my single favorite column which is "Last Days," a weekly round-up of news events happening around the world from Thursday through the folllowing Wednesday. This issue is a week in the world of Northwest Harvest. I give a big heartfelt thanks to Mr. Anonymous Donor and to The Stranger, with a special tip of the hat to David Schmader who took time out of his schedule to come to our Cherry Street Food Bank for an on-site visit.

"I Sell Real Change at the Safeway"

2011-01-20T08:30:00.000-08:00

Meet my new friend, Jo. I was taken aback when I saw the huge back pack she was wearing and the bike she was pushing up the hill after her visit to the Cherry Street Food Bank. I asked her how she was able to ride her bike and still manage to function with that big pack on her back?

"It's not too bad," she told me. "I do OK because the pack kinda acts like a counterbalance though I can't do the big hills. They're just too much for me and I have to get off and walk the bike up." I asked Jo if she is homeless and although she was for a time, she says she has a place to stay now. Unfortunately it's too expensive to afford on the money she earns selling the Real Change newspaper.

Jo was friendly, funny and kind and when I asked her where she sold the Real Change paper she responded that she sells it in front of the Safeway Store on lower Queen Anne behind the Uptown Theaters. I asked her if it is difficult or dangerous for a women to be on the street these days and she said some days it can be pretty tough. I admire her, and am sometimes amazed how hard people work to get a little money and find some food. I'm so glad that she thought to come to Cherry Street to get what food we could provide and then save those precious funds she does have for other necessities. The last thing I told Jo was that I promised to come pay her a visit at the Safeway and buy my weekly Real Change directly from her.

The Brazilians Are Coming!

2011-01-17T13:00:00.000-08:00

So we had a really interesting group of volunteers here today. It was seven out of thirty-six high school students traveling with an organization call the Brazilian Youth Ambassador Program.

They speak almost perfect English and were having a great time. They were selected through a national competition among Brazilian public high school students who show an interest in social responsibility and volunteer work in their communities. They will be here for two weeks and the Youth Ambassador program will provide them with a quick immersion in U.S. culture and society that will offer them new lenses to see the world and themselves.

We had them doing all kinds of jobs like slicing and packaging long baguettes, bagging coffee, recycling cardboard and handling out food to people coming through the line. The students couldn't have been more kind, gracious and cheerful. I spoke with them all and to a person their assessment of Northwest Harvest was "AWESOME!" I told them not be strangers if they every found themselves in our part of the world again.

We're lucky in that we get a lot of international students visiting us to volunteer. Have you and your group been by yet? Tell me about your experience!

Strawberry Fields Forever

2011-01-14T14:00:00.000-08:00

Some of you may have heard that story on NPR called "Overburdened Food Banks Can't Say No to Junk." It made me think about the kinds of food we secure for distribution to our network of partner programs and I'm really pleased to be able to say that over two-thirds of our food is consistently produce -- fruits and vegetables. Nutrition really is key to fighting hunger so we take that pretty seriously at Northwest Harvest.

But sourcing and obtaining all this good food can be an interesting experience! For example, my friend Caesar called me a while back from California:

“Mike, I’m drowning in strawberries! See if you can get a couple of semis to come down and get a bunch!”

So I did.

We were able to pick up two full loads of berries and broccoli down in Salinas, CA. We love getting fresh fruit and vegetables and the great people from an organization called "AG Against Hunger" make that possible. The way it works is, the California hunger response system gets first crack at excess donated fruits and vegetables. Once they’re maxed out, they can offer it to other states.

Last year, I struck up a deal. Every Friday at 10 a.m., I promised to have a 40-foot refrigerated trailer at their doorstep which they would fill with freshly harvested products. The truck then drives north during the weekend to be at our doorstep first thing Monday morning, so we can immediately give it out.

The program started in April of 2010 and it brought in over 400,000 pounds of fresh nutritious fruits and vegetables. The things we do to secure nutritious food!

Take Action for Hunger

2011-01-13T08:00:00.000-08:00

Our public policy manager Josh Fogt wanted me to remind you....Hunger Action Day is February 25!

Northwest Harvest staff join other supporters at Hunger Action Day 2010.

Josh writes:

"Save the date for Hunger Action Day, the annual day of advocacy where we take our fight to eliminate hunger to our lawmakers at the state capitol in Olympia. Hunger Action Day is organized each year by the Anti-Hunger and Nutrition Coalition (AHNC) and will take place on Friday, February 25, 2011. In my role as public policy manager, I represent Northwest Harvest on the AHNC steering committee and I encourage all of our supporters to join us in a day of action to end hunger in Washington.

Last year over 150 people attended the 2010 Hunger Action Day, doubling the size from 2009. Washingtonians passionate about hunger and nutrition from across the state were joined in Olympia with antipoverty advocates from a variety of organizations. This year we hope to grow our numbers to make an even bigger impact on the legislative process.

The day is open for those completely new to advocacy and old pros alike. We start the morning getting everyone briefed in the hunger and nutrition issues before the legislature this year that are being tracked by the AHNC. We then offer some helpful tips for communicating with your elected officials. In the afternoon, the AHNC arranges meetings with your elected officials for all attendees who register in advance. Together with other Hunger Action Day advocates from your district, this is your opportunity to speak out for hungry families in your community.

This year your voice in Olympia is more important than ever as the state is faced with eliminating critical safety net services to address the state budget crisis—cuts that will lead to greater numbers of families in need. Northwest Harvest believes we all have a role to play in ending hunger and that speaking up about hunger in your community is an important part of our fight. We hope you join us at Hunger Action Day on Friday, February 25, 2011 to make your voice heard."

Kent Cannery

2011-01-12T15:00:00.000-08:00

“Whew, it’s hot in here!” the lady said as I walked into the Latter Days Saints cannery in Kent.

With all the machinery and volunteer activity going on, she's right. So what does a cannery have to do with Northwest Harvest? As a humanitarian gesture, The Latter Days Saints invite various groups from outside the church to come in and use their canning facility. We've created an interesting partnership between the cannery, Northwest Harvest and the South King County Food Bank Coalition. The cannery provides the venue, we supply the carrots (as we have nearly a million pounds of donated frozen product) and the coalition supplies some of the volunteers and leadership on the floor.

As a result we take a product like frozen carrots that are taking up a lot of our precious freezer space and turn them into a nutritious shelf-stable food item that then goes to the South King County Food Bank Coalition to be distributed to their network of eleven food banks. It’s a win-win for everyone involved.

Boy, the things we do to find and distribute food! Speaking of, did you know we secured 24 million pounds of food last year for distribution? Statewide, the need has increased 35% since the start of the recession.

With volunteer help, we canned and distributed 15,000 pounds of product to families in need in King County in December alone. Interested in helping out? We have three shifts available on several dates in January and we need 15-25 volunteers per shift in order to make it all happen. The shifts are:

9:00 am - 1:00 pm
11:30 am - 3:30 pm
12:30 pm - 4:30 pm

The dates are every Wednesday and Friday in the 2nd, 3rd and 4th weeks of the month. So for January, that is the 12th, 14th, 19th, 21st, 26th and 28th.

Give Basil Weiner from South King County Food Bank Coalition a call to schedule a time slot to to get more details.

"It Was My New Year's Resolution!"

2011-01-07T13:30:00.000-08:00

Hey, meet my new best friend, Nathan. This morning as I was visiting the Cherry Street Food Bank doing what I love to do -- meeting the volunteers and thanking them for coming in to help -- there were a lot of new faces. So I asked each one, "What brings you our way? You know, we couldn't do it without you!" I got lots of interesting answers. "I just retired and I'm going nuts sittin' around the house." "I just moved here from Arkansas to be near my kids and grandbabies and I love Seattle and wanted to help." "My work scheduled just changed and now I have Friday mornings free."

When I got to Nathan, he was working the front desk greeting people and handing out tea packets. "So Nathan we haven't met, what's your story?" "Well, I only live a few blocks from here up the hill so I've known about Northwest Harvest for years. For the past little while, I've had this feeling like I should try to do more to help people so this year I finally made up my mind. For my New Year's resolution I vowed I woud try to get involved in my community and here I am, my first day here at the food bank!" I told Nathan it better not be his last. I've got my fingers crossed that there are more people in our community who made the exact same New Year's resolution as Nathan.

By the way, we've got a great group for young volunteers at Northwest Harvest -- check out their Facebook page, you may be interested in joining!

"Hey, Let's Go to The Show!"

2011-01-07T08:00:00.000-08:00

This week, I've been focusing on some of our other teams across the state besides Seattle and Kent. Yesterday it was our Yakima operation and next week it will be Spokane. Again today, I'm going to have warehouse manager Lisa Hall tell us in her own words why she thinks it's important that we attend agriculture shows (or as we call them, "ag" shows) in the rural part of our state. Here's what she had to say:

"What do farmers and orchardists do in the winter? They go to ag shows! So that’s where we go, too. Our food procurement specialist Julie Delaney, our VISTA gleaning coordinator Jami Willard, and I all attended the Washington Horticultural Association annual meeting in December here in Yakima. We set up a table in the lobby of the convention center and talked to people from all over the state. Besides the attendees there were other people who had booths. We talked to them as well. There were folks from the State Department of Agriculture, the Washington Fruit Commission and other organizations that support the growth of the fruit industry in the state. They had workshops on a variety of topics ranging from how to computerize your orchard to the care and feeding of fruit trees and the latest on the immigration issue. One day, the place was jammed with Future Farmers of America (FFA) high school students from all over the state. They were being judged on their ability to judge apples. I should have gone along to take lessons!

Yakima warehouse manager Lisa Hall at the December ag show.

Meanwhile, we made contacts with orchardists, handing out business cards and brochures, hoping they will remember Northwest Harvest when they have product that isn’t saleable but still edible. We’ve received one donation as a result of the show and another one is pending. Who knows what gleaning events will come out of these contacts? We’re gearing up for another show this weekend (January 7 and 8th) at the Sundome in Yakima. This is the Yakima Ag Expo. There will be lots of huge equipment and pricey trucks to look at as well as speakers from near and far. It’s a good chance to reconnect with old acquaintances and make new friends for Northwest Harvest."

Sourcing food is a big job but because of our relationships with the ag industry, we're able to provide a nutitious meal for a family of three for only 67 cents.

A Yakima Holiday!

2011-01-06T11:22:00.000-08:00

Most of the time, I tell you little stories about things that are happening here in Seattle at the Cherry Street Food Bank or our Kent warehouse. But Northwest Harvest is much more than that -- we're statewide and we have so many more stories to share! I thought it might be fun for you to hear about some of the goings-on at our warehouses in Yakima and Spokane. So today, I asked our Yakima warehouse manager Lisa Hall to give us a snapshot of what the holiday season looked like over in her neck of the woods. Here's her response:

"Happy New Year!

Northwest Harvest's Yakima Warehouse filled with food from local school food drives.

The month of December was a blur of activity here with scattered snow flurries to make our plans more difficult to carry out, but we did it! Here are a few sights and sounds of the season:

Christmas cards from as far away as Colville thanking us for helping them get food.
An invitation to a partner program food bank Christmas party – unfortunately we were all so busy we couldn’t go!
Christmas cookies brought in by volunteers to share with others.
More snow!
A call from a school outreach worker who had 6 families who had absolutely no food. We were able to help.
Another call from an advisor at Yakima Valley Community College needing help with food for some student families.
School food drive pick-ups bringing in over 22,000 pounds of food in just a few days – our volunteer work area was jammed with bins of food.
Unexpected calls from a couple of donors who still had fresh produce for us to pick up. Yippee!
Flu and cold season hitting us hard. Who is here to work today?
A family of six came to volunteer. While they worked on packing cans, they sang in perfect harmony! Sweet!"

Readers -- you all really do make a difference for us in amazing ways. Have you considered volunteering with us?

The Tale of the Chocolate Bar Labels

2010-12-31T11:00:00.000-08:00

When speaking with large groups or visiting with volunteers, I often get asked the question, “What’s the weirdest donation you’ve ever had to deal with?"

There are many, but one I’ll always remember is the day a woman called and said, “I have a truckload of gourmet chocolate bars to give you but here’s the deal: you have to destroy every box, take my label off every bar and throw it away, and design your own label to replace it.”

I asked the lady, “So what exactly is wrong with the candy bars?”

She answered, “For the milk chocolate, I put a picture of a dog and called it Pooch Treats and for the dark chocolate, a picture of a cat for Kitty Treats.”

I said “I thought chocolate made dogs and cat deathly ill."

Her response? “My problem exactly."

Well, we’d been looking for a volunteer job that parents and kids could all do together on weekends and this fit the bill perfectly. We made new labels followed the donor's instructions and for months worked on re-labeling those chocolate bars... and all it cost us was the number of chocolate bars our little “taste tasters” needed to sample to "just make sure" they were O.K. to eat!

Happy Year, Folks!

Our Amazing Helpers!

2010-12-29T16:45:00.000-08:00

I just met the coolest volunteer. His name is Reed Klein, and when I bumped into him he was handing out rice and rolled oats. I asked Reed to tell me a little bit about himself. He was attending college in Tacoma when he got a phone call from one of his best friends asking him to come to Turkey to work with him in an orchard. His buddy runs a poplar orchard in the town of Madras which is just outside of Izmir. It turns out the wood of the poplar is valuable for making paper.

Reed thought over the proposition and decided that at the age of 21 this would be a once in a lifetime opportunity, so he decided to drop out of school for a while and take a giant leap and make this exciting trip.

So I asked him, “With all this on your plate, why would you take time out of your busy preparation to come volunteer at Northwest Harvest?” His response was that even though he was busy he wanted to make himself useful before he leaves in November. He thinks it might be “good karma” to see him on his way. When I asked why us, he said he’s seen our boxes in stores and heard of us his entire life and always wanted to come here. People are amazing! I love our volunteers.

"I was in the neighborhood so..."

2010-12-29T11:18:00.000-08:00

"I was in the neighborhood so I thought maybe you could use some help."

This time of year, it's amazing how many people feel the calling to come by and support our work by offering to do whatever needs doing at any given time. It's a good thing we have our volunteer manager Jeri here to keep track of everyone. Today this particular guest just happened to be the president of our Board of Directors Dan Harkins. He had planned to spend part of the day with his daughter and granddaughter Mandy and thought -- what would be a better way to start the day than helping out at the food bank? We are really lucky to have a Board that is hands on and loves to get shoulder-to-shoulder with us in serving others. Dan also helped out during KING5's Home Team Harvest -- here he is with some of our fabulous U.S. Bank volunteers.

Santa at Cherry Street Food Bank

2010-12-23T13:08:00.000-08:00

I thought I'd share with you a couple photos from this morning's awesome visit from Old Saint Nick. The kids were in awe of Santa (a.k.a. Bob, one of our long-time volunteers) and really loved the gifts they were given. It was a great day because everyone was so happy and grateful!

"Rob McKenna is Handing Out the Chickens Today"

2010-12-22T13:10:00.000-08:00

Well, today is our big Christmas distribution and there is a feeling of goodwill and excitment among the staff and volunteers. There are a number of TV stations taking pictures (inlcuding KOMO and Q13) as well as KOMO News Radio. We had a special guest drop by: Washington Attorney General Rob McKenna with his wife and children. They wanted to take their turns working the frontlines handing out non-perishable food. Rob gave out the chicken, something we rarely have but wanted to be our special gift to our friends in need for Christmas. Rob took the time to give seasons greetings to staff and all present. It was a pleasure to have them at Cherry Street! Watch for news coverage this evening....

Big stuff happening tomorrow, so stay tuned. We're getting ready for Santa!

"Guess Who's Comin To Town?"

2010-12-21T10:34:00.000-08:00

Santy Claus, that's who! On Thursday, December 23 Old St. Nick will be bringing the reindeer, his elves and a big, red bag of presents to the Cherry Street Food Bank on Thursday, our usual Baby Day. Santa will be availabe for pictures on his lap with the babies, mommies and daddies and the elves will come with cameras and develop the pictures while the families wait. We'll also have our usual offering of formula, diapers and baby food for thise in need. A good time will be had by all with plenty of good cheer, and as always it's all free!

P.S. You can see Santa above with some of our food bank staff from last year!

"Merry Christmas!"

2010-12-20T14:25:00.000-08:00

This week is our big Christmas Distribution today and Wednesday, and I for one am really excited especially in light of the debacle that was Thanksgiving. You may remember -- it snowed and froze up so only a fraction of the people we planned for were able to get here to pick up their Thanksgiving dinner. For those of us who care deeply about our sisters and brothers in need, it was heartbreaking.

So let's make up for it this week! We have a delicious menu on tap: for those who can't cook and are hungry NOW we will once again offer our cranberry, cream cheese and turkey sandwiches. For our friends who can cook they'll be whole chickens, potatoes, onions, rice, beans, pasta, rolled oats, canned tomatoes, canned fruit, frozen corn and green beans, coffee and bread.

Thanks to a generous donation from our friends at Full Circle Farm we also plan to have bananas, apples, oranges, cabbage, eggplant, zuchinni and other fresh items. Doesn't it sound delicious? So if you know someone who might be going without don't hesitate to send them our way. We'll be waiting for them with open arms!

"Keeping It Thrifty!"

2010-12-17T10:49:00.000-08:00

“There he is again” Ruby said to me. “It’s only 8:20 in the morning and the thrift store doesn’t even open until 10:00 but just like every other Wednesday he’s plopped himself down on the doorstep waiting for the shop to open.” His name is Randy and he lives next door in the low income housing below Harborview. He knows the thrift store is closed on Tuesdays to restock and he likes to be one of the first in when it reopens on Wednesday. As Randy told me, “Most of the stuff in my apartment came out of this store.”

At Northwest Harvest we are really lucky that Father Paul Collins and the parishioners at Trinity Episcopal Church love, support and house Northwest Harvest's Cherry Street Food Bank and our main administrative offices.

They also do another cool thing four days a week: they offer 16 vouchers a day, $12 for a single person and $17 for a family, to the first 16 people who come to the window to be used to “buy” merchandise in their thrift store. You’re allowed to get a new voucher every other month. That way, someone taking the bus can go to the food bank to get groceries or a lunch, go around the corner and get a voucher and then shop for clothes or other household items they might need. The store gets some great things donated and they keep the prices low. Its one-stop shopping and it’s all free for those who have a need.

This week for those that simply can't afford to go to WalMart or other retail outlets they can come here to find some Christmas treasures at a fraction of the cost. Every person who works at the thrift store is a volunteer and they donate all proceeds to nine different chartities around the city -- mostly shelters.