Food Banks Continue to Grow and Transform to Meet Growing Needs

When the Rainier Valley Food Bank first opened in 1991, it was an all-volunteer group serving about 50 households each week. Last year, over 730 people visited each week.

Executive Director Gloria Hatcher-Mays said the situation is not slowing down. While many people are on their way to post-pandemic recovery, many more are suffering from a spike in inflation, she said.

“They have gone back to work, but many still come here to make a living,” she said.

The food bank has just moved to a larger space. Plans are underway to remodel it to look more like a grocery store than a food pantry.

“We found that in order to treat people with dignity, they needed a space where they could shop for themselves,” says Hatchermays.

This includes offering fresh produce and culture-related foods such as collards and mustard greens and halal meats. The idea is to create a welcoming space and reduce the stigma of having to rely on charity.

Hatcher-Mays sees the new space as more than just a food hub.

“This will be a hub for service and community connections,” she says. “Get together, feel connected, and never be alone.”

Many food banks have adopted an approach that gives people options beyond groceries and non-perishable foods. Helps reduce food loss.

Scott Allard studies poverty and safety net programs at the University of Washington. He recalls volunteering at his pantry of food outside Chicago. There he was handing out jars of peanut butter to people.

“I had a jar of peanut butter in the trash because everyone was giving me a jar of peanut butter,” says Allard.

He said it prompted the organization to switch to a different model, and people appreciated having more food options.

“It may not be enough to lift that family out of poverty, but it’s important,” says Allard. “It’s important to the day-to-day experience, and it’s important to the trust people build with those providers.”

Fostering trust is key to allowing people to connect to services they may need. An example of this can be found in ballads.

Ballard Food Bank has grown from its previous location and moved over a year ago. Once inside, there is a cafe where people can sit and have coffee and snacks. Today’s soup is potato bacon or French onion.

The store looks like a co-op. Volunteers are bottling fresh food. There are also shelves for shampoo, soap, hygiene products and pet food.

Executive Director Jen Muzia explains that once people have selected what they need, they bring the items to the checkout counter where volunteers check them out.

“So it’s an opportunity to connect. They’re helping to bag groceries. Muzia says, ‘Do they know we have other services here?'”

These services are on the other side of the store, including low-cost pet care, rent assistance, and health care needs. But like any family, food banks are struggling with rising costs.

“We used to spend about $300,000 a year on food,” says Muzia. “And this year, we plan to spend $1.5 million.”

Compounding the challenge is the fact that grocery stores are donating less food.

Ryan Scott is Chief Development Officer for Food Lifeline, an organization that provides donations to food banks.

“We typically have four to five million pounds of food in our warehouses that are being moved for delivery. Right now we have just over one million pounds,” says Scott.

Scott said donations are low because grocers are having supply chain problems. Additionally, federal Covid aid that helped food banks has expired. Food Lifeline says he has spent $10 million on food supplies this year alone. This is more than double his normal year.

This reflects the new reality. Food banks used to be the source of what people need now, but these days they lead to what they need next. Food banks are no longer just for emergencies. They have become a permanent part of the safety net.