Time flies when you’re having fun! It’s already May, and y’all know what that means: our annual Urban Ag Bike Tour is right around the corner. Heading into our 5th year with support from Bike Works, participants have the opportunity to choose from FOUR tour dates! That’s four routes and four opportunities for cyclists of all levels to learn about our Southeast Seattle food system.

There are many ways to give to a food bank. People have given their time in the form of volunteering, donations in the form of non perishable items; such as rice, pasta, snacks, cooking oils and canned goods, and hosted fun(d) drives, to name a few. These are all wonderful, necessary, and fun ways to get involved with your community! A crucial pillar to our mission is to provide fresh nutritious produce to our food guests. That’s one of the reasons people love RVFB! While purchasing produce for our guests is necessary- due to the sheer volume we serve- community gardens and p.patches have gotten involved through “growing a row” for our Food Bank. Partnering with our local food system through the Giving Garden program has allowed us to build partnerships across our community while nurturing our guests with fresh, community grown, good food.

This summer we are excited to announce RVFB’s 3rd annual Urban Ag Bike Tour in partnership with Bike Works, on not one, not two, but THREE tour dates! That’s three routes and three opportunities for cyclists of all levels to learn about our Southeast Seattle food system.

A good meal shared with good company brings happiness to the heart. It’s as universal and human as a smile. A thriving community can be gauged by its access to healthy food and the absence of hunger. Hunger is not an issue of charity, it’s an issue of justice. It’s with this shared vision that True Blue Aquaponics and RVFB have joined forces to begin growing healthy, fresh food right onsite at the food bank.

Racial inequality has been at the forefront of our news and conversations, and at RVFB we see that food access is innately linked with social justice. We asked community leader Kenya Fredie to share her thoughts on how growing food impacts social justice. Kenya wears multiple hats as Dept. Neighborhoods P-Patch Community Garden Coordinator, “Growing for Giving” Volunteer at Judkins P-Patch, and dedicated steward to her daughter, her earth, and her community.