The Food Bank @ St Mary’s

The Food Bank @ St Mary’s plays a crucial role in addressing food insecurity in Seattle, aiding over 2,000 people weekly, thanks to the efforts of a small group of staff and volunteers.

“Volunteers are a cornerstone of our success,” said Lexie Curson, Development Manager. “The work they do is life changing. Some volunteers have worked with us for decades and each person’s involvement has a tangible impact in our community.”

The Food Bank feels like a town square with its activity, cultures and friendships. In the largest area, the Walk In Grocery, volunteers sort, stack and distribute items, helping customers select from a variety of foods such as meat, seafood, fresh produce, vegetables, frozen foods and pantry items. Personal hygiene products are provided when available.

Volunteers are also active in the Food Bank’s Homebound Food Delivery and Baby Corner programs. They bring weekly supplies of groceries to over 100 individuals who live within a two-mile radius of the Food Bank and are homebound due to disabilities. Dietary restrictions and special needs are considered when preparing these deliveries.

Seattle families with children under age two, visit the Baby Corner to obtain bags with jars of baby food, formula, diapers, and baby wipes. Volunteers also assist in the Food Bank’s collaboration with three Seattle public schools to provide kid- friendly, nourishing food during the week and over school holidays.

The average weekly cost of groceries in Washington is $287 which means The Food Bank can save participating families approximately $15,000 a year.

“In addition to individual volunteers, we receive bulk donations from local farms, grocery stores and food manufacturers,” said Curson. These contributions provide efficiencies of scale and nutritious selections of food. “We have excellent, long-standing relationships with well-known national and local retailers including Safeway, PCC, Trader Joe’s, Bakery Nouveau, and Macrina Bakery,” she explained.

Started in the 1930s when the pastor at St Mary’s Church opened his personal pantry to share canned food and money with neighbors in crisis, the Food Bank has adapted to many economic challenges over the years, including Boeing layoffs, the dotcom bubble crash, the Great Recession, Covid, and recent cuts in federal funding for food insecurity.

As it has grown, The Food Bank has also changed to reflect Seattle’s diverse population. Three days a week clients arrive early in the morning and hang their bags on a chain link fence to mark their spot in the entrance way. “Waits can be long and the bags create an honor system everyone respects,” Curson said. When the doors open, volunteers greet clients in one of more than 10 languages including: Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Ukrainian, Spanish and African and Indian dialects. Volunteers check IDs to ensure an allotment of groceries for one week and direct customers to services. Staff and volunteers are always on the lookout to find foods that meet cultural and dietary needs or preferences.

Bruce Wood is the Executive Director. He brings a background in business administration, development and non-profit management. He also has extensive experience working with public and private sector groups throughout Seattle.

“The support provided by a broad cross section of our community enables us to focus on long-term planning needs required to address issues of food scarcity, such as the impact of the Avian flu on the availability of eggs or the challenges of maintaining low operational costs,” Curson said. “It is notable that 90% of funds raised for the Food Bank go directly to food distribution.”

Staff and volunteers come from all walks of life. Some volunteers are former clients excited to help others gain access to healthy food. Others bring language skills to help with translation and guidance in programs and services. Community members with other resources provide new talent and in-kind donations of food, personal care items, or financial donations.

The Food Bank @ St Mary’s is located at 611 20th Ave S. If you are interested in getting involved, you can reach out by email thefbsm.org/contact-us or use the QR code.

~Diane Aboulafia