Urgent call for help from the White Center Food Bank

West Seattle is actually served by two food banks with distinct boundaries – and the one that serves southern West Seattle, the White Center Food Bank, is in urgent, immediate need of help. Just got this note from executive director Rick Jump:

I don’t want to be like the boy who cried wolf so I don’t ask for anything unless the situation absolutely warrants it. Our numbers are up (way up) and donations are down. We are currently experiencing critical shortages of food which will begin to impact services in the next week or two. Our inventories are shrinking fast and we need almost all types of non-perishable food. Canned fruits and vegetables, soups, tuna, cereal, dry variety foods such as Hamburger Helper, Rice-a-Roni and Mac & Cheese are especially needed at this time.

Information on where to go and how to donate can be found at whitecenterfoodbank.org — at this page in particular (which also includes a link to donate $ online). Meantime, we’ll be checking with West Seattle Food Bank to see if they have any immediate needs as well.

ivan September 29, 2008 (7:10 pm)

Some people might not know this, but the White Center Food Bank, unlike food banks in the Seattle and Burien city limits, gets no municipal aid. It’s not in any city.

Yet the White Center Food Bank feeds more people than any food bank in the area.

Rick needs food but also he needs cash to buy more. Please dig deep, and thanks.

Melissa September 29, 2008 (8:16 pm)

Rick explained to me that he can buy deeply discounted food with the money we bring him (i.e. he can get more food with $10, say, than we can), so although it feels good to bring food, they can do more with money. Remember also that many businesses in West Seattle give to the WS Foodbank; far fewer give to the White Center Foodbank.

My kids and I will be bringing them a check tomorrow.

changingtimes September 29, 2008 (9:53 pm)

this is all great but i have noticed that some of the people who line up for the food bank have nicer clothes/cars then others! how do people monitor who gets food and who is over qualified?

datamuse September 29, 2008 (10:05 pm)

The quality of one’s clothing or car is not a reliable indicator of one’s current net worth.

WSB September 29, 2008 (10:15 pm)

I don’t recall all the specifics but there are some fairly stringent rules and policies – I interviewed Rick in person for a video feature on WCFB some months back. You are only entitled to services for a certain period of time, and certain days/times, for example, if I recall correctly. They do an amazing job of making the most of what they have … I remember the story he told about the nutritionist who came up with an interesting recipe to demonstrate, to get people interested in an unusual food item that they suddenly had received in abundance. Nothing goes to waste.

Bertha September 29, 2008 (11:33 pm)

changingtimes – I work for an area food bank (not WC or WS) and believe me people using food banks are not ‘overqualified’. This past month my food bank was forced to give clients Top Ramen and Frosted Flakes along with a little produce. People come to us because they need food not because they think it’s a great scam to score a free package of Top Ramen. Times are tough and we are seeing more and more people who have never used our services before. You may not be aware but the Operational Emergency Center in Renton closed at the end of August. OEC served 4000 people a month. Food banks already seeing an increase in clients are now serving former OEC clients placing even more stress on the system. I agree donating money directly to the food bank gets more food for the dollar but any donation is appreciated. Thanks for all your support!

Sue September 30, 2008 (6:17 am)

I actually saw someone asking for food on Freecycle this week, so you know times are bad. Unfortunately, I think things will get worse before they get better.

MCM September 30, 2008 (8:28 am)

The Community School of West Seattle is doing a food drive next week to fill the school director’s van up with food donated by the families. Hopefully it will be overflowing!!