April 13, 2010
A STRONG NETWORK COMES TOGETHER
We work to provide our agencies with the tools and knowledge they want and need to be successful in their work, to operate with the best practices in our industry, and to build their capacity as highly functioning, thriving organizations. One of the ways we do this is by holding an Annual Agency Conference, where each of the nearly 300 food banks, meal programs and shelters we serve throughout Western Washington can come together to learn best practices of the network. This year’s conference, held on March 22nd, included the presentation of our Agency Excellence Awards, given to four agencies who demonstrate excellence in Food Resource Development, Client Service, Collaboration and Community Resource Development. Along with the award and title, the winners also received a $5,000 cash grant from Food Lifeline!
This year’s award winners are:
- Excellence in Food Resource Development: Marysville Community Food Bank
- Excellence in Client Service: North Kitsap Fishline Food Bank and Emergency Services
- Excellence in Collaboration: North Helpline
- Excellence in Community Resource Development: Bellingham Food Bank
The conference also offered agencies a variety of learning opportunities, including how to grow food supply, how to track, move and keep food fresh, and how to increase fundraising capabilities. By building the strength of our network, we can more efficiently and effectively work toward ending hunger in local communities.
Excellence in Food Resource Development: Marysville Community Food Bank
Marysville Community Food Bank showed excellence in developing food resources through its Giving Gardens program, which helped the food bank bring in more fresh produce donations. The initiative, launched in 2009, is designed to increase donations of produce to the food bank and promote gardening among food bank clients. The food bank partnered with local community members to generate publicity around the program and find sources for free seeds to plant produce with and to distribute to clients. Since its inception, Giving Gardens has increased fresh produce donations from 4,000 pounds yearly to 25,000 pounds, and more than 100 food bank clients have reported growing their own produce, resulting in an additional 5,000 pounds.
Excellence in Client Service: North Kitsap Fishline Food Bank and Emergency Services
North Kitsap Fishline Food Bank and Emergency Services demonstrated its exemplary approaches to ending hunger with its backpack program, Food-for-Thought, which helps feed local school children on the weekends, when children often don’t have the food they need. When the program started last October, they helped three students, and by the end of this school year they anticipate 100 to 150 student participants. The backpacks are filled with snacks and three balanced meals for both Saturday and Sunday, and are designed to be easily prepared by the children themselves.
Excellence in Collaboration: North Helpline
North Helpline received this award because of its expansion at McDermott Place, which provided the food bank with a permanent home and expanded its capabilities in providing food, shelter and medical services. After learning their former home was slated for demolition, North Helpline spread the word about needing help finding a new location. Rotary Clubs began raising funds for a new facility and helped connect the food bank with other local community groups. These groups rallied together, along with the City of Seattle and the Low Income Housing Institute (LIHI), and the State of Washington offered financial support and moved up deadlines for construction on a new facility for both LIHI and North Helpline, which would include a 2,700 square-foot medical clinic. Both clients and supporters agree this new home allows those in need to have access to all the resources they need to remain healthy and housed.
Excellence in Community Resource Development: Bellingham Food Bank
Bellingham Food Bank received this award for its Milk Money program, which helped the food bank raise more funds to purchase much-needed milk for hungry people. Milk Money, launched in 2009, reaches out to community groups to solicit funds to buy milk every month. The food bank typically ran out of this highly important product 30 to 60 minutes into each distribution day they were open, and this new program encourages local organizations to become sponsors and raise $750 for milk purchases during a specific month. Bellingham Food Bank also worked with a local dairy and was able to buy the milk at $.81 cents per gallon, which is well below the wholesale price. Since its inception, Milk Money generated more than $20,000, allowing them to distribute at least one half gallon of milk to each household at every distribution.