Thurston County Food Bank

IT IS THE MISSION OF THE THURSTON COUNTY FOOD BANK TO END HUNGER WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY.

FOOD BANK BASICSTHE THURSTON COUNTY FOOD BANK'S MISSION IS TO ELIMINATE HUNGER IN THURSTON COUNTY. THE FOOD BANK IS GOVERNED BY A VOLUNTEER BOARD OF DIRECTORS MADE UP OF COMMUNITY LEADERS. OUR SERVICE AREA INCLUDES THE URBAN CORE AND GROWTH AREAS AROUND LACEY, OLYMPIA AND TUMWATER. TCFB WORKS WITH THE RURAL FOOD BANKS IN ROCHESTER. COLLABORATION INCLUDES ACTING AS THE LEAD AGENCY FOR THE EMERGENCY FOOD ASSISTANCE PROGRAM ACCESSING FOOD THROUGH FOOD LIFELINE AND NORTHWEST HARVEST AND FEDERAL COMMODITIES.DURING 2021, WE SERVED 22,000 HOUSEHOLDS WHICH EQUALS ROUGHLY 23% OF THE COUNTY'S POPULATION. FORTY-NINE PERCENT OF THOSE SERVED WERE CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF EIGHTEEN. WE DISTRIBUTED OVER FIVE MILLION POUNDS OF FOOD DONATED BY OUR COMMUNITY AND RESCURED AN ADDITIONAL TWO MILLION POUNDS OF FOOD FOR DISTRIBUTION.OUR BASIC FOOD SERVICE INCLUDES FOOD BAGS, BABY FOOD AND FORMULA, FOOD FOR SPECIAL DIETS, AND FOOD BAGS FOR THOSE WITHOUT COOKING FACILITIES. WE ALSO DISTRIBUTE USDA FOODS THROUGH TWO SEPERATE PROGRAMS, ONE OF WHICH TARGETS SENIORS. OUR OUTREACH EFFORTS INCLUDE MANY BEST PRACTICES. "FORKS" (FOR KIDS), A BACKPACK MEAL IS ONE EXAMPLE. STAFF ASSISTS CLIENTS IN ASSESSING ADDITIONAL SERVICES BY PROVIDING BASIC INFORMATION AND APPROPRIATE REFERRALS TO OTHER AGENCIES.THE FOOD BANK IS OPEN MONDAY, WEDNESDAY, AND FRIDAY OF EACH WEEK FROM 11 TO 3 PM. OUR OLYMPIA PANTRY IS OPEN MONDAYS, WEDNESDAYS AND FRIDAYS. OUR LACEY PANTRY IS OPEN TUESDAYS AND THURSDAYS. OUR SERVICE HOURS AT BOTH LOCATIONS ARE FROM 11AM TO 3PM. WE OPERATE A FARM STAND ON SATURDAYS DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS AT OUR LACEY PANTRY FROM 11AM TO 1PM. SPANISH SPEAKING STAFF ARE AVAILABLE DURING BUSINESS HOURS TO ASSIST THOSE LEARNING ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE. WE OPERATE 18 SATELLITE/MOBILE FOOD BANKS AS A PART OF A COLLABORATION EFFORT WITH OTHER SERVICE PROVIDERS AND THE FAITH COMMUNITY. THE HOURS AND DAYS OF OPERATION VARY AND COMPLEMENT THOSE OF OUR MAIN LOCATION TO IMPROVE COMMUNITY ACCESS. OUR MOBILE FOOD BANK PROVIDES DELIVERY TO LOW-INCOME SENIOR HOUSING AREAS TO IMPROVE ACCESS TO THOSE WITH LIMITED MOBILITY OR TRANSPORTATION. SEVERAL PROGRAMS FOCUS ON CHILDREN AND IMPROVE THEIR NUTRITIONAL STATUS WITH A FOCUS ON SUPPORTING THEIR SUCCESS IN SCHOOL. THE FOOD BANK RELIES ON COMMUNITY SUPPORT. IN-KIND DONATIONS OF FOOD AND VOLUNTEER SUPPORT ARE AT THE CORE OF OUR ANNUAL BUDGET. COMMUNITY FOOD DRIVES KEEP THE SHELVES STOCKED AND VOLUNTEERS KEEP THE DOORS OPEN.

THE "FORKIDS" PROGRAMOUR BACKPACK PROGRAM BRIDGES THE SERVICE GAP THAT CHILDREN WHO DEPEND ON THE FREE AND REDUCED LUNCH PROGRAM FACE EACH WEEKEND. THE KEY LONG TERM BENEFIT OF HAVING ADEQUATE NUTRITION IS IMPROVED HEALTH. NUMEROUS STUDIES LINK GOOD HEALTH WITH GOOD NUTRITION. OVER THE YEARS ANY STUDIES HAVE DEMONSTRATED THE POSITIVE LINK BETWEEN GOOD NUTRITION AND SUCCESS IN SCHOOL; IN FACT, THE USDA'S SCHOOL MEAL PROGRAMS ARE BASED ON THE POSITIVE LINK.THIS SUCCESSFUL OUTREACH PROGRAM PROVIDES KID FRIENDLY FOOD TO CHILDREN FOR THE WEEKEND WITH THE HELP OF THE SCHOOL SYSTEM. THE BASIC MODEL IS TO DELIVER FOOD BAGS TO LOCAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS ON FRIDAY WHERE SCHOOL STAFF OR VOLUNTEERS DISTRIBUTE FOOD TO THE PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS DURING THE LAST RECESS. THE STUDENTS ARE ABLE TO USE THE BACKPACK THEY ALREADY OWN TO TRANSPORT THE FOOD HOME. ON A MONTHLY BASIS ADDITIONAL SERVICES ARE PROVIDED INCLUDING TOILETRIES, BOOKS, AND SOME SCHOOL SUPPLIES. THE PROGRAM PROVIDES PRODUCE ROUTINELY DURING THE HARVEST SEASON. THE PRODUCE IS PACKAGED SIMILAR TO A SMALL CSA BOX. THE PROGAM CONTINUES TO LOOK FOR PROGRAM ENHANCEMENT BUT IS SOMEWHAT LIMITED BY THE SIZE OF A BACKPACK. OUR SUMMER LUNCH PROGRAM DEVELOPED OUT OF THE NEED FOR THESE FAMILIES TO CONTINUE TO RECEIVE SUPPORT DURING THE SUMMER.

IN 2019, WE EXPANDED OUR SERVICES AND ADDED THE DISTRIBUTION OF NONFOOD ITEMS. THIS NEW PROGRAM "THE OTHER BANK" TRANSITIONED FROM ANOTHER PROVIDER TO US OVER THE SUMMER. WE CURRENTLY OFFER IN ADDITION TO PERSONAL CARE ITEMS, PERSONAL PROTECTION EQUIPMENT (MASKS), AND BASIC CLEANING SUPPLIES ON A MONTHLY BASIS. THIS PROGRAM STARTED SMALL BUT CONTINUES TO GROW.ALL OUR PROGRAMS AND SERVICES WERE MODIFIED IN SOME RESPECT DUE TO COVID-19. ADDITIONALLY, ALL OF OUR PROGRAMS SAW SIGNIFICANT GROWTH. MANY NEW INITIATIVES WERE DEVELOPED DURING THE PAST YEAR IN ORDER TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THE PEOPLE WE SERVE, INCLUDING A DRIVE-UP PROGRAM AND A HOME DELIVERY PORGRAM.