Join Us in Creating
Room for All
We have bold ambitions to create a better future with food justice and equity at the center. Together we’re creating South Seattle's community food hub, redefining the role food bank’s play in our community as a driver of change, implementing a holistic approach to building secure, healthy, and thriving communities through equitable access to nourishing, culturally celebratory food. We have launched a $17 million capital campaign to renovate and expand our existing facility. With an innovative design, our new home will allow us to grow our programs and integrate our services.
In our service area, 70% of residents are BIPOC, 40-50% are immigrants or refugees. Our neighborhoods have the highest poverty rates and the greatest percentage of low-income residents in the city. As a result, families in our community face greater challenges securing housing, employment, education, and economic security, often leading to food insecurity.
1 in 4 people in South-east Seattle are food insecure, compared to the King County average of 1 in 10.
More than 60 languages are spoken in our community.
Nearly 80% of children in our service area qualify for free or reduced-price lunches, compared to the Seattle School District average of 33%.
Our organization has grown from its grassroots origin into a pillar of support in South Seattle, providing access to food and wrap-around services. We are for the community and by the community, as we gather to lend a hand, fill each other’s pantries, and find solutions to our challenges.
As a historically redlined community, our neighbors continue to experience above-average rates of food insecurity and poverty, with fewer resources available to provide support. Our financial helpline is the first and only of its kind in South Seattle, a critical service that supports guests in taking steps toward economic stability.
food insecurity by community
Most of our guests reside in Beacon Hill, Georgetown, Southpark, and Rainier Beach, where higher-than-average rates of food insecurity are experienced.
Household income & housing costs
The current fair market rent for a two-bedroom apartment in Seattle is $2,455. The annual household income to afford rent is $98,200. However, 37% of households in Rainier Beach have incomes at or below 200% of the federal poverty level. This translates into an annual income of $62,000 for a family of four or $29,160 for a household of one.
The Need
After years of operating out of a 1,200 sq ft facility, at the height of the pandemic, we moved to our current home, providing an additional 6,000 sq ft. A light renovation made the space functional for our operations as they exist today. However, it does not offer the capacity, configuration, or environment required to fully execute our vision of creating innovative food models and expansive wrap-around services.
Our neighborhood needs a community food hub that can meet urgent food needs and help community members collectively address the root causes of food insecurity.
We lead from a place of abundance, knowing that there is no reason for anyone in our community to experience hunger.
40% of food ends up in landfills, yet 1 in 4 people in South Seattle struggle with hunger.
We require a space that will provide:
A more welcoming and dignified shopping experience for our guests
Ample cold and dry food storage to increase our capacity to distribute an abundance of fresh, local, and culturally celebratory food
Gathering space to build community and host service partners
impact
We envision a future where the power of food as a catalyst for building community is fully realized. Access to culturally relevant food allows a mother from Vietnam to pass on a family tradition that shares their cultural identity and history. Sharing a meal with a neighbor nourishes connection and provides a sense of belonging. Growing a garden with each other reignites an appreciation for food and our responsibility as stewards of the earth. Each of these is a puzzle piece that comes together in our community space to honor our shared humanity and love of food.
Ample Food Storage
to meet the need for abundant culturally relevant food, bringing together a selection of ingredients ranging from bok choy to halal meat, kosher items, to rice.
Commercial Kitchen
to prepare warm meals, host classes, share culture, and foster community.
Community Garden
to grow culturally-relevant seasonal crops and forge new connections.
Gathering Spaces
to foster consistent partnerships and reducing travel costs from commuting to access services in multiple locations.
Grocery Store
to provide a dedicated space where guests can browse and choose the food they prefer while enabling us to run our programs concurrently and increase our capacity.
Our community hub is a mechanism for change, empowering us to:
Expand our programs by 10% and increase overall number of people we serve
Improve community members' physical and mental health by reducing stigma around accessing services, cultivating a sense of connection and belonging, and providing access to care
Build meaningful relationships between guests, volunteers, and community partners as together we share meals, learn new skills, and engage in collective action against hunger
Eliminate hunger in South Seattle
Advocate for food justice and equity, addressing the underlying causes
Join Our Community-wide Effort
Our impact will extend far beyond our walls, sparking connections that radiate through the community. By making a gift to support our capital campaign, you're helping achieve our collective vision of creating a space where resources are plentiful, and all are welcome to partake. We're well on our way to our $17 million goal, having secured grants, public funding, and significant individual gifts.
Join us in creating a space with enough room to address the many challenges that lead to hunger in our community.
Goal: $17 Million
$11.9 million raised
ways to join us
Help Fund Our Vision
Together, we’re building a community hub that provides so much more than emergency food relief. Join us in creating a South Seattle hub where we can nourish our collective dignity and humanity.
There are so many ways to give, from giving online to donating stocks or making a pledge; schedule a time to chat about what supporting our community food hub could look like, today. We appreciate your support!
Lend a Hand
We believe that there’s a role for each of us to play in realizing our collective vision. If our community hub speaks to you, join us as a volunteer or become a part of our capital campaign committee.
Stay in the loop
Everyone is invited.
Seriously, everyone.
Yep, bring ‘em.
Them too.
Don’t worry, there’s plenty to go around.
And if there’s not,
We’ll share.
We’ll find the room.
All that’s required is an appetite
And an open mind.
We’re going to need more tables.
More chairs.
More of those.
Yes, bring ‘em.
Do you like BBQ? With a side of sambusa?
And a bowl of pho bo?
Rainier Valley lives like this.
Join us.
