tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56757814011815239402024-03-02T09:28:24.297-08:00Seattle Food CommitteeSupporting and strengthening Seattle Food Banks since 1984.Seattle Food Committeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15737796565326121858noreply@blogger.comBlogger44125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5675781401181523940.post-60127388928515320032015-05-27T16:35:00.002-07:002015-05-27T16:35:24.759-07:00Healthy Vegetable Frittata Recipe!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Do you like green eggs and ham? How about green veggies and eggs? Here's a recipe that can make use of the eggs coming to food banks this week through Seattle Food Committee's bulk buy program. With the spinach and all those other good veggies in this Egg Frittata recipe, you will say “I like them Sam I Am!” #healthyrecipes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIn2LWJuiQZ7uu87gX8OGzeYvwi0seBMI0clczBLirdvEQBxrOL7tTEmvg0fmriSVWx0lgk_ueJmAVyLowygVgC_MI7yROihXWilJVwUI1V5svf49BE1ve13jGS-Hss208SWsUeUvTtZE/s1600/Vegetable+Frittata.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIn2LWJuiQZ7uu87gX8OGzeYvwi0seBMI0clczBLirdvEQBxrOL7tTEmvg0fmriSVWx0lgk_ueJmAVyLowygVgC_MI7yROihXWilJVwUI1V5svf49BE1ve13jGS-Hss208SWsUeUvTtZE/s640/Vegetable+Frittata.jpg" width="494" /></a></div>
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Seattle Food Committeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15737796565326121858noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5675781401181523940.post-7492256338044771502014-12-11T15:48:00.000-08:002014-12-11T15:48:30.849-08:00Our Food Bank Community<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
This blog has been reprinted courtesy of Jewish Family Service. For more information see: <a href="http://blog.jfsseattle.org/our-food-bank-community/">http://blog.jfsseattle.org/our-food-bank-community/</a><br />
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It is 9:45 on Wednesday morning, clients are lined up outside, and I am pulling a pallet loaded with produce up the sidewalk and into the <a href="http://www.jfsseattle.org/foodbank.html?_ga=1.201259436.345025507.1415830144" target="_blank">Polack Food Bank</a>. It looks like a busy day, and the last thing I need is for something to go wrong. Naturally that is exactly what happens. The pallet jack gets stuck in one of the huge cracks in the sidewalk. My attempts to dislodge it fail. I am now standing with a useless pallet jack and hundreds of pounds of produce. I could carry it all in by hand, but I do not have that kind of time. Then, some gentlemen waiting on the Food Bank line catch my eye. Here we go…<br />
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There is something about the Food Bank that brings people together. Despite the circumstances, many of our Food Bank people come in with smiles on their faces. Sure, hard times and insufficient public support make life challenging for this population but “poor people” stereotypes – anxious, overstressed, high-strung – simply do not apply to many of our clients. On the line, they chat, joke and laugh as if they were hanging out in the park. Some folks even bring lawn chairs for the wait. This is more than a food bank – this is a social gathering place. It is an opportunity for individuals who often live alone to connect with other people and discuss the finer points of life. This is a community.<br />
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So when seven or eight gentleman surround my pallet jack and begin speaking in Russian and gesturing at the jack, I am hardly surprised. From afar they might seem old and in need, but once you get to know them, you realize these are hardy folk. My attempts to prevent them from overexerting themselves prove useless, and before I know it, they lift the jack clear off the ground and move it to a smoother area. As I thank them and pull through the Food Bank door, they go back to their usual conversations as if nothing had happened.<br />
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There is a lot of complexity in the Food Bank– race, class, language, citizenship, education, luck. The barriers to success are endless, but despite it all, something ties us together. We are all human, and we need each other to thrive. On paper, our Food Bank serves a needy population. But in reality, it serves a vibrant and varied community of unique individuals. This is as much their Food Bank as ours.<br />
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By Kevin Lugo<br />
<i>Kevin Lugo is the former Food Bank Specialist in the <a href="http://www.jfsseattle.org/foodbank.html?_ga=1.201259436.345025507.1415830144" target="_blank">Polack Food Bank</a>. </i></div>
Seattle Food Committeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15737796565326121858noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5675781401181523940.post-14442460690133393522014-11-24T14:43:00.000-08:002014-11-24T14:52:44.869-08:0028th Annual Holiday Celebration: The Great Figgy Pudding Caroling Competition<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCMXPBTtXCKheMm-e8a8lu43P1nzwN_FTdcvIC8hDO7IQ4vTbsBAH5-_Nhnxp8nWXCwzapZ_H_7rpuJhwKoAN5FJoWJMiBzZLoRLAxndIDu9AF05LfnRwij4BjE1RsoJRbnyemZMt69fw/s1600/2014+FINAL+figgy+poster+small+for+FB+(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCMXPBTtXCKheMm-e8a8lu43P1nzwN_FTdcvIC8hDO7IQ4vTbsBAH5-_Nhnxp8nWXCwzapZ_H_7rpuJhwKoAN5FJoWJMiBzZLoRLAxndIDu9AF05LfnRwij4BjE1RsoJRbnyemZMt69fw/s1600/2014+FINAL+figgy+poster+small+for+FB+(2).jpg" height="320" width="231" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16pt;">A Benefit for the Pike
Market Senior Center </span></h3>
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<span style="font-size: 16pt;">& Food Bank</span></h3>
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<o:p> </o:p><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">When: Friday, December 5th
from 6-8:30 pm</span></h4>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Where: Westlake Center &
Downtown Seattle</span><span style="font-size: 14pt; text-align: left;"> </span></h4>
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The biggest single musical holiday event of the season
and a critical fundraiser for the Pike Market Senior Center & Food Bank,
The Great Figgy Pudding Caroling Competition kicks off the month of December
with a wonderful evening of entertainment enjoyed by more than 9,000 spectators
every year. <o:p></o:p></div>
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1,000 carolers and dozens of caroling teams sing their
hearts out on downtown Seattle street corners and in and around Westlake Center
beginning at 6 pm. The top caroling teams compete for crowd favor as well as
prizes for the most donations raised, best choral performance, most creative
team, and people’s choice. Those nominated compete in a sing-off on the Figgy
Main Stage. <o:p></o:p></div>
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A Seattle holiday tradition, the Great Figgy Pudding is a
zany, family-friendly and delightful holiday event for everyone. Caroling teams
range the gamut from dancing lawyers, to costumed co-workers of Seattle
landmark businesses to Von Trapp-like families.</div>
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Figgy Pudding is the primary fundraising event for the
Pike Market Senior Center & Food Bank every year. Our organization has a
focus on food access in Seattle’s downtown core, providing 650 families with
groceries each week, and over 4,500 meals to seniors each month. Additionally,
our senior center offers programs aimed at holistic senior health and wellness.
There’s no better way to simultaneously give back and have fun this holiday
season. Come and help us get Figgy with it!</div>
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Seattle Food Committeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15737796565326121858noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5675781401181523940.post-77820159801039942522014-11-12T14:15:00.000-08:002014-11-12T14:16:41.006-08:00The SNAP Lifeline<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
This blog has been reprinted courtesy of Jewish Family Service. For more information see: <a href="http://blog.jfsseattle.org/the-snap-lifeline/">http://blog.jfsseattle.org/the-snap-lifeline/</a><br />
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SNAP. Basic Food. Food stamps. Whichever name you know it by, you know it as the lifeline for many families to get their basic food needs met. Starting this month, about 200,000 King County households will see drastic cuts to this vital resource by as much as $90 per month. These cuts will affect SNAP beneficiaries who have heating and cooling utility costs included in their rent or mortgage payments, making their families even more <a href="http://www.ers.usda.gov/topics/food-nutrition-assistance/food-security-in-the-us/definitions-of-food-security.aspx" target="_blank">food insecure</a> through the end of the year.<br />
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“Why is this happening?” you may be wondering. Good question. In February, Congress passed the <a href="http://www.usda.gov/documents/usda-2014-farm-bill-highlights.pdf" target="_blank">2014 Farm Bill</a>, limiting options for states to provide utility assistance to households. Because SNAP benefits are calculated in part by how much utility assistance a household receives, an estimated one-third of Basic Food recipients will see a cut to their benefits.<br />
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The good news is Governor Jay Inslee opted to implement a <a href="http://www.washingtonlawhelp.org/resource/food-stamps-will-be-cut-in-november-and-decem" target="_blank">new program</a> that will put SNAP benefits back where they were. The bad news is it will not be implemented until January, leaving some families without the means to meet their basic food needs for two months.<br />
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Despite receiving notifications about these temporary cuts, we expect many families will be confused.<br />
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These substantial cuts to Basic Food benefits will force clients to have to make some tough choices, especially with winter and the holidays approaching. Some families may be forced to choose between having enough food for the month, or buying warm clothes and jackets for their kids. Many parents may not be able to afford to buy holiday gifts for their children. Many are likely to fall behind in their rent, and some parents will skip meals to make sure their kids get enough to eat.<br />
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As we’ve seen with previous SNAP cuts, the burden often falls on food banks to bridge the gap. Because of this sudden increased stress on food banks, food supply may run low and <a href="http://blog.jfsseattle.org/facing-hunger-here-at-home/" target="_blank">clients may not receive as much as they normally would</a>.<br />
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SNAP is one of the most essential tools Americans living below the poverty line have to help feed their families. When SNAP comes under attack, so do our efforts to help people meet their basic food needs. When benefits are cut, families are cut off from the vital resources that allow them to put food on the table.<br />
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By Bailey Toth<br />
Bailey Toth is a <a href="http://www.lutheranvolunteercorps.org/template/index.cfm" target="_blank">Lutheran Volunteer Corps</a> member and is completing her year of service as the Food Bank Specialist in the <a href="http://www.jfsseattle.org/foodbank.html?_ga=1.24522936.345025507.1415830144" target="_blank">Polack Food Bank</a>. She graduated with her BS in Social Work from the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee. She is passionate about social justice, vegan cooking, reading, being active in the community and cats.</div>
Seattle Food Committeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15737796565326121858noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5675781401181523940.post-86274496450731697612014-11-06T13:03:00.001-08:002014-11-24T14:50:33.643-08:00Food Bank Visits in Seattle on the Rise<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">by Jana Lissiak, Jewish Family Service Food Bank Manager</span></h4>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The lines at the Jewish Family Service <i>Polack Food Bank </i>on Capitol Hill just
keep getting longer. We are serving more
people than ever before, but unfortunately we are not unique in Seattle. New luxury apartment buildings and trendy
restaurants seem to be springing up all around, and by many accounts Seattle’s
economy is beating national trends and continues to grow. But at a time when Seattle is booming, it
seems the city’s prosperity is not reaching all of its residents, and some are
clearly being left behind. Those not on
the upper rungs of the economic ladder are falling further behind and must
increasingly supplement their kitchens with help from the city’s food banks. Seattle
food banks are not able to keep up with this intensifying demand. The average amount of food each household is
actually able to receive per visit is decreasing. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Between 2012 and 2013 food banks had to
stretch to provide food for over <b>47,000</b>
additional visits. If the increasing
demand seen in the first half of 2014 continues, food banks will need to provide
for an additional <b>90,000</b> visits. This
is on top of the already inflated 2013 service levels. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBHtdW4NmUv6ng32pFLQdr0lR81LLtr2vaAwwfvvttdSNVhddpsU93jhDRsY1X1oD9EGpeClQL8-d08NqcBxXOv9R0ki4xfJwgVYOLznd0w-Xp2x0MT2NtPxkb9Tr5fquyPagEQTKUO9E/s1600/Household+Increases.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBHtdW4NmUv6ng32pFLQdr0lR81LLtr2vaAwwfvvttdSNVhddpsU93jhDRsY1X1oD9EGpeClQL8-d08NqcBxXOv9R0ki4xfJwgVYOLznd0w-Xp2x0MT2NtPxkb9Tr5fquyPagEQTKUO9E/s1600/Household+Increases.png" height="200" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Seattle’s food banks are working
diligently to keep up with the growing lines, but our data shows that despite
our best efforts, we are not keeping pace. <b>The average amount of food given
to each household during a visit has decreased by 20% since 2009. </b>The average pounds per household distributed
at each service decreased between 2009 and the first half 2014, from 31.3lbs to
24.9lbs. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">November and December will likely be
even more challenging this year. As many
as one-third of SNAP participants will see a reduction in SNAP benefits of up
to $90 per month as rules from the new Farm Bill are implemented. Luckily, for Washington State residents, this
will only be a <a href="http://www.withinreachwa.org/tag/heat-and-eat/">temporary reduction</a></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">, but it will make this holiday season more challenging for many of the
families we serve and will undoubtedly increase the lines at food banks even
further. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Seattle Food Committeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15737796565326121858noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5675781401181523940.post-1914666732748633782014-08-19T15:57:00.001-07:002014-08-19T16:00:41.187-07:00Panel for Drug-Related Behavior Panels<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Seattle Food Committeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15737796565326121858noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5675781401181523940.post-50476358186494418332014-06-27T14:17:00.000-07:002014-11-24T14:49:35.306-08:00Food Bank Profile: Puget Sound Labor Agency<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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The <a href="http://www.pslaonline.org/index.cfm?zone=/unionactive/view_page.cfm&page=Services" target="_blank">Puget Sound Labor Agency</a> (PSLA) Food Bank was
established in 1975 by Seattle labor unions to provide assistance to striking
union workers facing hardships. Today,
the PSLA food bank, located in the Seattle Labor Temple, has expanded its
services to include a six zip code service area and individuals who are
retired, disabled, underemployed or unemployed. After facing a few difficult
years during which the food bank was at risk of closing down, the current food
bank director Morgan Stine is wholeheartedly committed to rebuilding the
reputation of the food bank by creating a safe and trusting atmosphere for
clients.</div>
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Although the process of bringing this food bank back to life
has been slow and challenging, in less than a year the PSLA volunteer base has
expanded from 4 to 29 individuals. Morgan is also hoping to expand services by
adding another distribution day during the week or incorporating a mobile food
bank delivery system on top of the existing programs. The food bank currently
distributes food on Mondays and Fridays, hosts a hygiene station every two
weeks, provides no cook food bags, and is dedicated to extending assistance to
disabled individuals by ensuring ramp access.</div>
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Rooted in Seattle’s historically strong labor unions, the
PSLA food bank continues to utilize these connections by relying on
relationships with unions to support current efforts. The PSLA upholds
authentic ties to this long lasting foundation by collecting donations
exclusively from donors who support the rights of workers to organize. Director
Morgan Stine addresses each challenge with enthusiasm and is happy to be in the
place he is, clearly passionate about the work of the PSLA organization. Backed with this solid base, the PSLA food
bank is heading into a bright future as it continues to grow, build strong
relationships, and nourish the community. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Seattle Food Committeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15737796565326121858noreply@blogger.com22800 1st Avenue, Seattle, WA 98121, USA47.6168451 -122.3518937999999747.6165106 -122.35252429999997 47.6171796 -122.35126329999997tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5675781401181523940.post-89843208819984288902014-06-16T14:01:00.001-07:002014-06-16T14:01:47.666-07:00West Seattle Food Bank<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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After a <a href="http://www.seattlefoodcommittee.org/" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17.030000686645508px; text-indent: 0px;" target="_blank">Seattle Food Committee</a> meeting last Monday, a group of members were able to witness <a href="http://www.westseattlefoodbank.org/" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17.030000686645508px; text-indent: 0px;" target="_blank">West Seattle Food Bank</a>’s emphasis on efficiency and quality as a van tightly packed with banana
boxes full of fresh produce and deli items was skillfully unloaded and
organized. The West Seattle Food Bank’s
dedication to creating and maintaining positive relations with their community
enables them to continually receive generous donation similar to this one from
surrounding community partners. The
sincere connections made with neighboring grocers and donors allow the food
bank to provide their clients with substantial and fresh food on a regular
basis. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Due to their reputation of providing desirable
and dependable foods, clients of the food bank are able to expect and rely on
quality items with every visit to the food bank. The West Seattle Food Bank takes
a lot of pride in the value and breadth of the food they provide to their
clients but take their efforts further by centering their methods of
distribution in compassion and generosity.
Everything comes down to the needs
of the client and ensuring that they receive what they need in a generous and
respectful manner. In order to address the
various needs of their clients, the West Seattle Food Bank runs a number of
programs including a Baby Corner program, a Bookcase program, a backpack
program, and personalized Home Delivery for elderly or disabled individuals. With
its numerous programs and undying commitment to distributing food to
individuals facing hunger, the West Seattle food Bank offers a lot of support
to its community. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Not only is a strong sense of community promoted between the food bank
and visiting clients, but the West Seattle Food Bank values the community created
among their own volunteers who are crucial to its functionality. This wide base of volunteers consists of
students pulled from neighboring schools to long standing volunteers who have
stood by the food bank for many years.
The effort of these gracious volunteers partnered with a team of
dedicated staff allows the West Seattle Food Bank to be such a notable and
influential force in their community. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17.030000686645508px; text-indent: 0px;">Thanks to <a href="http://www.huskinson.com/" target="_blank">Huskinson Productions</a> for this video. </span></div>
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Seattle Food Committeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15737796565326121858noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5675781401181523940.post-49933560984933828502013-12-04T12:37:00.001-08:002013-12-04T12:37:31.060-08:002,000 Turkeys at the Food Bank @ St.Mary's<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Take an inside look at Thanksgiving distribution at <a href="http://thefbsm.org/" target="_blank">The Food Bank at St. Mary's</a>. A volunteer captures all the food bank goes through to ensure that guests receive nutritious foods for the holidays. See the original post <a href="http://danvworld.wordpress.com/2013/11/28/201/" target="_blank">here</a> at the <a href="http://danvworld.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Dan V World</a> blog.<br />
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Seattle Food Committeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15737796565326121858noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5675781401181523940.post-17288509713977347082013-10-11T08:48:00.000-07:002013-10-11T08:48:26.254-07:00Community Choir Concert for North Helpline<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Seattle Food Committeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15737796565326121858noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5675781401181523940.post-83166583377795746422013-09-10T16:13:00.000-07:002013-09-10T16:13:10.074-07:00Seattle Human Services Coalition’s 2013 Candidates Forum<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b><u><span style="color: #c00000; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 24.0pt;">Save
the Date!</span></u></b><u><o:p></o:p></u></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16.0pt;">Want to know what our local
candidates think about human services and social justice issues?</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16.0pt;">Join us for a face-to-face
opportunity with Seattle and King County candidates!</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #c00000; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 24.0pt;">Seattle Human Services
Coalition’s</span></b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #c00000; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 24.0pt;">2013 Candidates Forum</span></b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18.0pt;">September 17<sup>th</sup></span></b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18.0pt;">5:30 PM to 8:00 PM</span></b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18.0pt;">Garfield Community Center</span></b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18.0pt;">2323 East Cherry Street</span></b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18.0pt;">Seattle, WA</span></b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16.0pt;">Invitees include candidates
for:</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16.0pt;">King County Council Position 1,
King County Executive, King County Sheriff</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16.0pt;">Seattle City Attorney, Seattle
City Council and Seattle City Mayor</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16.0pt;">Moderated by Professor David
Domke from the University of Washington</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16.0pt;">Free and open to the public!</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16.0pt;">Light refreshments will be
served.</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16.0pt;">Sign language and language
interpretation and child care services available upon request with RSVP.</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18.0pt;">Please RSVP by September 13<sup>th</sup> to</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18.0pt;"><span style="color: #1155cc;"><a href="mailto:mpenaloza@shscoalition.org">mpenaloza@shscoalition.org</a></span> or call <a href="http://org.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=MPviim7AcYgc3fKL0R%2FP457tZMSrHVa1" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">206.325.7105</span></a>.</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18.0pt;">For more information, visit:</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18.0pt;"><span style="color: #1155cc;"><a href="http://shscoalition.org/2013electmenu.php">http://shscoalition.org/2013electmenu.php</a></span></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18.0pt;">DON’T FORGET TO VOTE ON
NOVEMBER 5<sup>TH</sup>!</span></b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #a50021; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18.0pt;">A Special Thanks to our Forum
Sponsors:</span></b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #a50021; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18.0pt;">Alliance of People with
disAbilities</span></b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #a50021; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18.0pt;">Child Care Resources</span></b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #a50021; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18.0pt;">One America</span></b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #a50021; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18.0pt;">YWCA Seattle| King | Snohomish</span></b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #a50021; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18.0pt;">Church Council of Greater
Seattle, Lifelong AIDS Alliance, Lighthouse for the Blind, Non-Profit
Anti-Racist Coalition, Real Change, Seattle/King County Coalition on
Homelessness, Senior Services, SOAR/Youth Development Network, Tenant’s Union
of Washington State, Washington Low Income Housing Alliance</span></b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: maroon; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"> 206.325.7105 | <a href="mailto:shsc@shscoalition.org">shsc@shscoalition.org</a>
| <a href="http://www.shscoalition.org/">www.shscoalition.org</a></span></b><o:p></o:p></div>
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Seattle Food Committeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15737796565326121858noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5675781401181523940.post-34240317691045605882013-09-10T15:36:00.001-07:002013-09-10T15:36:55.992-07:002013 Backpack Summit!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhakuafcS2F7PLgnUsLvZTreYWa1kP5D9uhXt6gYSqDbV2iIYLiNKOmpNfEXBIZwVoYZy_JrW4pGyxVKjURAxQA17REVVXYq5N6rJrDKd1p5MYqsywxgBxZNWw7vsA6Qy9rwg9CcThK5j4/s1600/Backpack.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhakuafcS2F7PLgnUsLvZTreYWa1kP5D9uhXt6gYSqDbV2iIYLiNKOmpNfEXBIZwVoYZy_JrW4pGyxVKjURAxQA17REVVXYq5N6rJrDKd1p5MYqsywxgBxZNWw7vsA6Qy9rwg9CcThK5j4/s1600/Backpack.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhakuafcS2F7PLgnUsLvZTreYWa1kP5D9uhXt6gYSqDbV2iIYLiNKOmpNfEXBIZwVoYZy_JrW4pGyxVKjURAxQA17REVVXYq5N6rJrDKd1p5MYqsywxgBxZNWw7vsA6Qy9rwg9CcThK5j4/s1600/Backpack.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
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The Seattle Food Committee will be hosting a Backpack Summit on Monday, September 30. Join us as we brainstorm how a collective effort could maximize the impact to end childhood weekend hunger! RSVP to Sabrina at <a href="mailto:sabrinaj@solid-ground.org">sabrinaj@solid-ground.org</a>. </div>
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Seattle Food Committeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15737796565326121858noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5675781401181523940.post-22049861703989279272013-08-19T16:23:00.001-07:002013-08-20T12:58:55.479-07:002013 SFC Van Tour!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<i>Sabrina Jones, Program Assistant for <a href="http://www.solid-ground.org/Programs/Nutrition/Resources/Pages/default.aspx" target="_blank">Food Resources</a> with <a href="http://www.solid-ground.org/Pages/Default.aspx" target="_blank">Solid Ground</a>, helped organize and plan the 2013 Van Tour</i><br />
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The 2013<a href="http://www.seattlefoodcommittee.org/" target="_blank"> Seattle Food Committee</a> Van Tour on Monday, August 12 was attended by over 40 people, with participants from food banks, meal programs, and food distribution sites! This annual event serves as an opportunity for meal programs and food banks to come together, network, and get a behind-the-scenes look at a few emergency food programs in Seattle. All meal programs and food banks have their own way of operating under their unique circumstances, whether it be small spaces, language barriers, no parking, or little storage space. The Van Tour allows participants to observe these operations and pick up best practices that may just help the whole system run a little better.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHYzDS2Sx9AFTOYZvEJexxzuk3HdeVXKCDiwPEI7WEiC3EFEy8t5ZeQCLSJDQn6a9DKiOJTYlvwz8DEdHif7f8GmVOLvl9RWSHRko-_T3R1RTM32FLZYYtgjJufmbgoRwNaumoUqLJXAs/s1600/Kate+Speaking.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHYzDS2Sx9AFTOYZvEJexxzuk3HdeVXKCDiwPEI7WEiC3EFEy8t5ZeQCLSJDQn6a9DKiOJTYlvwz8DEdHif7f8GmVOLvl9RWSHRko-_T3R1RTM32FLZYYtgjJufmbgoRwNaumoUqLJXAs/s200/Kate+Speaking.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kate-HIP</td></tr>
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This year's tour started at the <a href="http://www.hungerintervention.org/" target="_blank">Hunger Intervention Program</a> (HIP). HIP serves approximately 7,000 meals during the year. The program has only one full-time staff member and one AmeriCorps member. With the help of dedicated volunteers, approximately 60 each month, HIP teaches nutrition education, serves Healthy HIP Packs to three schools, and operates a meal program. They eventually hope to double their HIP Packs program, which delivers weekend meals to students at school.<br />
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Fundraising has become focus for HIP, as they have few income sources. HIP receives grants for its backpack program, but it also relies on individual donors for other income. Most of the food for its programs come from Food Lifeline, Northwest Harvest, and individual food drives. By focusing more attention to fundraising, Kate hopes to expand HIP's programs and provide an additional layer of stability for the organization.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizHdD4MRhuxhK-qAoqsETdEVmGBRiQEx6WLbgEmUcYy8TISn_UzaQRThguiT3WFXPuFWApjanJEzeql4gZk5djaSVApm6dLVm2OITbilvnapw4UJnVGwDIhVe2mRljxCLLz4-yK77rp28/s1600/Sam+RVFB.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizHdD4MRhuxhK-qAoqsETdEVmGBRiQEx6WLbgEmUcYy8TISn_UzaQRThguiT3WFXPuFWApjanJEzeql4gZk5djaSVApm6dLVm2OITbilvnapw4UJnVGwDIhVe2mRljxCLLz4-yK77rp28/s200/Sam+RVFB.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sam-Executive Director of RVFB</td></tr>
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The <a href="http://rvfb.org/" target="_blank">Rainier Valley Food Bank</a> was the site of our second stop. This incredibly busy food bank serves about 13,000 people a month and has tripled its annual budget since 2008. The food bank has been open for 22 years and has outgrown its current space. Without a proper driveway for deliveries, drivers must park on Rainier Avenue and then move pallets into the food bank. These deliveries also happen on distribution days, which adds to an already hectic situation. A new space, built to serve a food bank, would hopefully make life easier for food bank staff, delivery drivers, and clients.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMAQpbj23AY9h9HO5Oe-7jR8-RdgkoGSvqb2af6RRnZoM9sFz5PI5AhRQBi0OECYrBANJWjWFTLoVM_2C6n4ZLZtAJGxmBC9o3Bf873qNuhBcQY2fdfcBfdOkRjkv9D4h0qUR8hg_WsQ0/s1600/RVFB+Sign.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMAQpbj23AY9h9HO5Oe-7jR8-RdgkoGSvqb2af6RRnZoM9sFz5PI5AhRQBi0OECYrBANJWjWFTLoVM_2C6n4ZLZtAJGxmBC9o3Bf873qNuhBcQY2fdfcBfdOkRjkv9D4h0qUR8hg_WsQ0/s200/RVFB+Sign.jpg" width="150" /></a>The Rainier Valley Food Bank recently started using Salesforce, a CRM that allows them to better track clients, volunteers, and donations. Client cards given out during a client's first visit help volunteers to quickly check in guests. Clients keep this card and present it when they arrive at the food bank. Volunteers are able to quickly look up the client, document their visit, and provide them with a sticker to let other volunteers know the quantity of items to provide them with. Even with this well honed system, volunteers are trained in communication styles to de-escalate chaotic situations that may arise during distribution.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOQzgRXLEfkN29fnZXuI86dsvS3T5ToRAenAtzfwJtXxGTnqqZNWVBTSvJWWTB3H-F_-1aC7ZVnxy9ybyBrKIGflp-55rjMk7IDtX51eIJ8tD88bhbcPRho6PyTnLSSJ8JveeqntBI3SY/s1600/Scott+and+Farm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOQzgRXLEfkN29fnZXuI86dsvS3T5ToRAenAtzfwJtXxGTnqqZNWVBTSvJWWTB3H-F_-1aC7ZVnxy9ybyBrKIGflp-55rjMk7IDtX51eIJ8tD88bhbcPRho6PyTnLSSJ8JveeqntBI3SY/s200/Scott+and+Farm.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Farmer Scott</td></tr>
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The <a href="http://www.solid-ground.org/Programs/Nutrition/CommunityFarm/Pages/default.aspx" target="_blank">Seattle Community Farm</a> is a program of <a href="http://www.solid-ground.org/Programs/Nutrition/Lettuce/Pages/default.aspx" target="_blank">Lettuce Link</a> within Solid Ground. Farmer Scott, the only staff member at the farm, showed participants around after they enjoyed a delicious lunch in the sun. The all-organic farm produced over 9,500 pounds of food last year, which was triple what it produced during its first year growing season. The produce grown at the farm is based on the needs and wants of food bank clients and includes tasty treats such as beets, carrots, squash, tomatoes, and beans.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6RjbnpxDG-6Eq8Q-osuM5oVyDSILuPzjm2iw-JmS8xWPlLJ0SNCq5uz6oGnrFtW8BxM9XxZGmrJn3VOCtkipP6Kj2s_GWvi-2irbaX4f_JHXoyT-nKl-kqIzNssnp_oyW3-xIxALmbxA/s1600/Tomatoes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6RjbnpxDG-6Eq8Q-osuM5oVyDSILuPzjm2iw-JmS8xWPlLJ0SNCq5uz6oGnrFtW8BxM9XxZGmrJn3VOCtkipP6Kj2s_GWvi-2irbaX4f_JHXoyT-nKl-kqIzNssnp_oyW3-xIxALmbxA/s200/Tomatoes.jpg" width="200" /></a>Almost all of the produce grown at the Seattle Community Farm goes to the Rainier Valley Food Bank. Food bank clients are able to receive healthy, organic produce that wouldn't otherwise make it into their kitchens. The farm and food bank believe that everyone should be able to eat healthy, pesticide-free food, not just the wealthy. The produce from the farm also goes to some work-trade volunteers. Volunteers offer their time to help maintain the farm and harvest, and in return they are able to take home a giant bag of fresh produce. This mutual beneficial relationship allows the farm to operate at a low-cost, provides learning volunteer opportunities, and allows volunteers to enjoy the fruit (vegetables) of their labor!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Carla-SIC Food Bank Manager</td></tr>
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After visiting the Seattle Community Farm, the van took the group to the <a href="http://seattleindian.org/" target="_blank">Seattle Indian Center</a> (SIC). SIC is the First American Indian/Alaska Native Human Services Agency in King County and offers an array of human services. During our visit we saw the food bank, the kitchen that prepares community meals, and their men's hostel. It was amazing to see their space and hear how the programs make it work.</div>
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SIC's Community Meal program serves over 200 meals a day. They serve both breakfast and lunch. Meals are made from scratch and Chef Edwin aims to serve clients only healthy, fresh food. Their food bank, which is open Tuesday and Thursday, has no restrictions on who they serve. They work diligently to serve clients culturally relevant food such as tofu, and try to always have a protein item on the line. One challenge the food bank has is limited funds to purchase items such as tofu or protein, as these items are hard to get donated. However, the food bank makes do with what they have and serve everyone. Sometimes they even run out of food. </div>
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Our last stop on the Van Tour was the<a href="http://www.udistrictfoodbank.org/" target="_blank"> University District Food Bank</a>. The University District Food Bank is open <a href="http://www.udistrictfoodbank.org/schedule.php" target="_blank">Monday through Friday</a> for a total of 25 hours, with two sets of evening hours for clients. The food bank was started 30 years ago and has operated out of the same space for all of that time. Space for the food bank, in particular perishable space, has proven to be one of its most challenging elements. In fact, the food bank is currently undergoing a capital campaign for a new location. The new location will have the food bank on the first floor, low-incoming housing on the top floors, and a roof-top community garden.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Joe-Executive Director of UDFB</td></tr>
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The University District Food Bank runs an impressive operation. With 85-100 volunteers per week, three full-time staff, and two part-time staff, the food bank serves over 4,000 households each month, has a home delivery program that serves approximately 30 people, and delivers food for 175 children a week to four Seattle schools. The food bank operates under a grocery shopping model, which allows guests to walk around with carts and select the items they want (with quantity of items decided by family size). This specialized approach to food banking allows clients to feel more like customers than clients at a food bank.</div>
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Seattle Food Committeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15737796565326121858noreply@blogger.com2Seattle, WA, USA47.6062095 -122.332070847.2636815 -122.9775178 47.9487375 -121.68662379999999tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5675781401181523940.post-34837153554235303852013-04-15T14:00:00.003-07:002013-04-15T14:00:35.664-07:00University District Food Bank Fundraiser<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<strong>News from the </strong><a href="http://www.udistrictfoodbank.org/" target="_blank"><strong>University District Food Bank</strong></a><strong>:</strong><br />
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I’m excited to announce <a href="https://udistrictfoodbank.ejoinme.org/MyPages/FIGHTHUNGERbuildhope/tabid/457058/Default.aspx">Food Truck Roundup!,</a> an event celebrating the 30 year anniversary of the University District Food Bank and official kickoff of our Capital Campaign, <a href="http://fighthungerbuildhope.org/">Fight Hunger build hope,</a> to construct a new facility. <br />
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In 1983 the food bank provided food to 50 families a month. Today on average we distribute groceries to 1100 different families a week in the same 800 square foot facility. It’s time for a change! <a href="http://fighthungerbuildhope.org/">Fight Hunger build hope</a> is a three year $2.75 million project to greatly expand our distribution and storage capacity and enhance our ability to provide nutritious meals to families in need. </div>
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We've already raised $1.75 million! The Food Truck Roundup! is a great opportunity for you to find out more about our capital campaign and have a great time. Event details below: </div>
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What: Food Truck Roundup!, <a href="http://fighthungerbuildhope.org/">Fight Hunger build hope</a> Capital Campaign Kickoff Party</div>
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Where: Phinney Neighborhood Community Center, 6532 Phinney Ave N.</div>
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When: Sunday, May 19th from 3-7 PM</div>
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Tickets: $25 per person which includes eight food tastes and four drink tastes. <a href="https://udistrictfoodbank.ejoinme.org/MyPages/FIGHTHUNGERbuildhope/tabid/457058/Default.aspx">Buy tickets here!</a> Note: to comply with state law, this event is only open to those ages 21 and over.</div>
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Event Features: </div>
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<li> Tastes from some of Seattle’s most creative and innovative food truck chefs including Skillet Street Food, Barking Frog’s Mobile Kitchen, Contigo, Crisp Creperie, Chopstix, Veraci Pizza, Hallava Falafel, Street Treats, Seattle Biscuit Company, and more! </li>
<li>Beer, wine and spirit tastings from several of Seattle’s finest local beverage purveyors including Oola Distillery, Golden Distillery, Sozo Wines and Fremont Brewing Company </li>
<li>Live music and entertainment featuring Blackberry Bushes, Washover Fans and Ali Marcus</li>
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Seattle Food Committeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15737796565326121858noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5675781401181523940.post-22130848588484700202013-03-11T13:53:00.000-07:002013-03-11T13:55:04.560-07:00Fundraisers for North Helpline<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Seattle Food Committeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15737796565326121858noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5675781401181523940.post-17073810091076650762013-01-11T12:49:00.000-08:002013-01-11T12:49:48.335-08:00Salvation Army Food Bank's Spice Program<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<em>Leilani Williams, Community Service Specialist at the <a href="http://www1.usw.salvationarmy.org/usw/www_usw_northwest.nsf/vw-sublinks/B8EE0B0ADBA6ECAD882576AA0004F9EB?openDocument" target="_blank">Salvation Army on Pike Street</a>, describes how they add a little spice to the lives of their food bank clients. </em><br />
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We have been making and distributing our own spice blends for the last couple months, with rave reviews! It’s exciting to tell clients the amazing things they can do with the curry blend, a few potatoes, an onion, and a couple carrots - accompany this with a pot of brown rice and you’ve got an amazing healthy meal made entirely with food bank ingredients! <br />
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We know the most expensive aisle in the grocery store is the spice aisle, and that many clients have to forego adding a little spice to their meals, relying too much on salt. So we use the power of buying in bulk and make an assortment of spice blends: Italian, Curry and Mexican, all salt free, as well as a Vegetable spice blend that does contain some salt. We have plans to add more spice blends from around the globe and to showcase a blend weekly via a crock pot of beans or lentils - knowing once we add smell to the equation even those people who are a little apprehensive about the spices won’t be able to resist. It’s been great for starting conversations about food with our clients, they love to tell us their favorite ways to use the blends and ask us for recipes. <br />
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In a time of overly processed artificially flavored foods we are so excited to be able to make eating whole healthy foods exciting for our clients with such a small and powerful addition to our food bank!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Spice Rack</td></tr>
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Seattle Food Committeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15737796565326121858noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5675781401181523940.post-13543879918170104822012-12-04T09:09:00.002-08:002012-12-04T09:11:33.804-08:00The 26th Annual Great Figgy Pudding Street Corner Caroling Competition<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://www.pikemarketseniorcenter.org/" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="128" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBcsqhPLo009ygf2lTM-r01HU68RjVrY7pSpfYF1NX-XKfsuTvsUgAqK5-zhMIk46u6tPAtNf4BupVavO9Yjv8pb9i0Ddg0iBV_CZbEaInhtCcd5ewWGAaFuUGgp5nat21IxD6eGHabEs/s320/PMSCFBlogo-01.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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This Friday the Pike Market Senior Center and Food Bank will host the 26th Annual Figgy Pudding Street Corner Carolina Competition. Nearly 10,000 people come out every year to hear caroling teams compete in a sing-off. All proceeds benefit the Pike Market Senior Center and Food Bank, a Seattle Food Committee Member. Their <a href="http://www.pikemarketseniorcenter.org/figgy-pudding" target="_blank">website</a> offers more details and pictures from past events. Figgy Pudding begins at 5:00 pm and the main stage sing-off happens at 7:30. This event is sure to be a good time for the whole family!</div>
Seattle Food Committeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15737796565326121858noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5675781401181523940.post-48377638984899126572012-11-16T13:37:00.007-08:002012-12-04T09:12:28.678-08:00Turkeys for Thanksgiving<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="line-height: 150%; text-align: left;">Founded in
the 1940’s The Food Bank @ St. Mary’s is Seattle’s oldest food bank. The doors
are open to everyone regardless of creed. The services target the most basic of
human needs. This week, in preparation of Thanksgiving the food bank is giving
away over 1200 turkeys.</span></div>
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“We
started looking for donations earlier this year from the better known companies
who distribute turkeys,” said Alison Pence, Director of the food bank.
“Everyone told us they were only giving to their local organizations. So I
decided to ask locally for donations from churches, schools, individuals, even
on my personal Facebook page!” Slowly but surely the donations came in. One of
the local churches physically brought in 225 turkeys on Monday morning. The
food bank bought 1000 turkeys with the donations that came in.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The food
bank had nearly 700 people come through on Tuesday and almost 600 today.
Luckily, not everyone wants turkey so we had chicken, beef, pork, and lamb as
an alternative. “We try very hard to satisfy each culture,” said Pence. “We
also have a kosher freezer and halal meats for those who need it. The poor and
the hungry deserve to have a good Thanksgiving too.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-size: 9pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The Food Bank @ St. Mary’s serves anyone
living within the Seattle city limits. Our primary purpose is to combat hunger
at a local level. Along with a staff of five and a team of 100+ volunteers, we
operate a walk-in food bank and a home delivery program providing groceries for
7,500 – 8,000 people each month. In addition to food items, we provide No-Cook
bags of groceries for the homeless, hygiene products such as soap, shampoo, and
socks, as well as baby and toddler supplies including formula, diapers, and
baby food.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 9pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Earlier this year, the food bank started the
“Feeding Hungry Children” program feeding children who attend local schools.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Seattle Food Committeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15737796565326121858noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5675781401181523940.post-52922968595492559242012-10-18T15:53:00.000-07:002012-10-18T15:54:41.430-07:00Food Banks and Urban Farms<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<em>Erin "Mac" MacDonald, Development Associate at the </em><a href="http://www.ballardfoodbank.org/" target="_blank"><em>Ballard Food Bank</em></a><em>, discusses urban farms and how they're improving food banks across Western Washington.</em> <br />
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This summer, I’ve been introduced to people who are striving to create a sustainable and local community of gleaners, farmers, and food bankers to source locally grown food for those in need. I visited with farm managers of two food bank farms, <a href="http://www.efoodnet.org/" target="_blank">Mother Earth Farm</a>, and <a href="http://www.vashonfoodbank.org/" target="_blank">Vashon Island Food Bank Farm</a>. Through these on-site farm outings and in conversations with the staff at <a href="http://www.firstharvest.org/" target="_blank">Rotary First Harvest</a>, and others, I’ve come to the opinion that yes, Seattle needs another large food bank farm of its own to feed the Seattle Food Bank community, much as <a href="http://www.solid-ground.org/programs/nutrition/marra/pages/default.aspx" target="_blank">Marra Farm</a> and <a href="http://www.solid-ground.org/programs/nutrition/communityfarm/pages/default.aspx" target="_blank">Seattle Community Farm</a> are doing in South Park and Rainier Valley, respectively.<br />
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The good news is, food bank farms are emerging. In Western Washington alone, there are a number of food banks leasing land to pursue small farms that they then manage and food banks that have developed partnerships with local farms that donate all or most of their produce.<br />
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<em>A Snapshot Of Two Food Bank Farms</em><br />
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<a href="http://www.efoodnet.org/" target="_blank">Mother Earth Farm</a>, Orting, Wa. <br />
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Canyon Little has been managing the Mother Earth Farm for three seasons under the <a href="http://www.efoodnet.org/" target="_blank">Emergency Food Network</a> (EFN). In 2011, on 8 acres, 150,000 lbs of produce was grown at the farm. Produce is distributed across a network that includes over 20 food banks, and these food banks come to the farm to pick up the produce. The farm itself has been around for 12 years. Canyon took over as manager after his mother, Carrie Little, left to work exclusively on her land at Little Eorthe Farm. <br />
There is one greenhouse on-site, which was completed last winter. Like the Seattle Community Farm, they also grow culturally appropriate vegetables for their diverse client population, such as Chinese Cabbage and hot peppers. <br />
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King County:<br />
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<a href="http://www.vashonfoodbank.org/" target="_blank">Vashon Island Food Bank Farm</a>, Jenn Coe<br />
Jenn Coe is the farm manager for the Vashon Island Food Bank Farm. They’ve cultivated ½ an acre on land they lease. They harvest 6,000 lbs of produce a year for their food bank clients. Currently the farm grows ten specific crops based on what most people will eat. The board decides what will be grown each season. They also donate produce to the White Center Food Bank when there’s a really good harvest. The extra produce gets delivered when their truck makes its weekly off island run to Food Lifeline and Northwest Harvest. <br />
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Jenn says that the farm could grow more food if they had a steady group of volunteers, but being on the island can present some challenges. There are many non-profit groups on the island to begin with, and Vashon has a small population from which to glean volunteers. While there are many farmers who live on the island, they are busy managing their own land, so it is difficult to get on-going commitment from islanders who are otherwise engaged. With that in mind, they’ve started a successful “Foster Seedlings” program. Without a greenhouse, Jenn is unable to start seedlings for the farm herself. So, farmers and other volunteers on the island receive flats and containers with potting soil and seeds. They’re asked to put flats in their greenhouses, alongside their own. It’s an easy way for them to contribute and in return, the food bank farm gets professionally grown seedlings that are ready to be transplanted right into the ground.<br />
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Urban farms are here in the city and across the country and I don’t forsee them going away. Indeed, in a time of growing uncertainty and a rise in the number of clients coming to our food banks, it’s time to start thinking hyperlocal when it comes to sourcing our food. <br />
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Please check out the links I’ve included throughout this piece, and consider making a trip to visit one of the various food bank farms in the Greater Seattle Area. <br />
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Island County:<br />
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<a href="http://goodcheer.org/" target="_blank">Good Cheer Food Bank</a> on Whidbey Island. They have 54 raised beds in which to grow food, and they harvest 5,000 lbs annually.<br />
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Whatcom County:<br />
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The <a href="http://www.bellinghamfoodbank.org/" target="_blank">Bellingham Food Bank</a> operates a three acre farm, and they, like many other food bank farms, also grow with their clients’ needs specifically in mind. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0vZ9b0SMXfo&feature=plcp&noredirect=1" target="_blank">Their short video</a>, made in 2010, presents a nice snapshot of what they do.<br />
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Clark County:<br />
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The <a href="http://www.clark.wa.gov/farm/food_bank.html" target="_blank">Clark County Food Bank</a> operates a four acre farm to feed folks in the Greater Vancouver area.</div>
Seattle Food Committeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15737796565326121858noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5675781401181523940.post-80513178446773845532012-10-02T14:50:00.001-07:002012-10-02T14:50:58.814-07:00Packs for Kids<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<em>Jessica Wright, Home Delivery Coordinator for the University District Food Bank, reflects on the evolution of their Packs for Kids program. </em><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbsyFKRlY4ub3cxt8JVW4Yusf-sYghDm_hqeyf5BA5WhNB4XoFMMGBK0k0ttkIT4G7GJvT-fD38_lgh2yWQEPbz2GBt-Xw4hOu-K0rM6rIppb2S_VFK8l7TBADeUT5t6lyVw6o6L75Tnw/s1600/Packs+for+Kids.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="247" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbsyFKRlY4ub3cxt8JVW4Yusf-sYghDm_hqeyf5BA5WhNB4XoFMMGBK0k0ttkIT4G7GJvT-fD38_lgh2yWQEPbz2GBt-Xw4hOu-K0rM6rIppb2S_VFK8l7TBADeUT5t6lyVw6o6L75Tnw/s320/Packs+for+Kids.jpg" width="320" /></a>The 2011-2012 academic year was <a href="http://www.udistrictfoodbank.org/" target="_blank">University District Food Bank</a>’s first time partnering with <a href="http://ecksteinms.seattleschools.org/" target="_blank">Eckstein Middle School</a> to provide backpacks of weekend food to students in need. By the time summer arrived, we had many parent volunteers helping pack up food to approximately 35 students each week. Even with the initial success of the program, we wondered if these middle school students had hungry siblings. We all were pretty sure that they probably did. Thanks to some of the Eckstein volunteers’ help, we were able to connect with some of the elementary schools in our service area and introduce the idea of sending weekend food home with some of their students. Now we are beginning a new school year with Eckstein and a few of these additional elementary schools, committed to making sure these children are able to grow into healthy and successful young adults. <br />
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We want food going home in backpacks to meet three qualifications: 1) be nutritious and support growth, 2) be easy enough to prepare for the students to safely do themselves, and 3) be culturally appropriate and desirable to eat. Figuring out what to put in each backpack that met these three goals was a process of trial and error throughout the year. It will continue to be so this year as we serve new students and keep serving some of the same students who received similar items last year. It was a surprise to find out after a couple months of distributing backpacks that peanut butter and jelly was not something that most of our Eckstein students wanted to receive. Was it only me that packed a PB&J sandwich for lunch every day from Kindergarten through 10th grade? <br />
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As we add elementary students to our program this year, we’ll have to take another look at what these younger students are capable of preparing for themselves and how much they’re able to carry home. Opening up a can of soup, pouring it into a bowl, and microwaving it for the amount of time it says on the can’s instructions are reasonable expectations for an 11-13 year old student, but not necessarily for the younger and wider age range we’ll serve at the elementary schools. I also had to remind myself many times in the last few weeks that the successful model we have at Eckstein Middle School is not to be used as a cookie cutter for programs we begin in other schools. Each school will have their own set of needs. While it feels good to have a year of the program in our experience file, I expect that this school year will provide many more unique circumstances to work through. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7f619XQ5VlKiv9WZ5_YNedZdVmH8B8ZBHEeMf-4PM5PEIi7V8Pp_8j_v1i-yj-nJulTV2rFKK9YoyPfoRgBG9fc_4E0U8zcIXHRtq2DuPZJzV6HfFxkbSyPikcL67ra75Nzl2zdx_IcY/s1600/Packs+for+Kids+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="262" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7f619XQ5VlKiv9WZ5_YNedZdVmH8B8ZBHEeMf-4PM5PEIi7V8Pp_8j_v1i-yj-nJulTV2rFKK9YoyPfoRgBG9fc_4E0U8zcIXHRtq2DuPZJzV6HfFxkbSyPikcL67ra75Nzl2zdx_IcY/s320/Packs+for+Kids+2.jpg" width="320" /></a>From the beginning of our working relationship with the Eckstein Middle School PTSA, I was impressed with their energy and compassion for hungry students. Groups at the elementary schools are stepping up and showing enthusiasm too. These parents are concerned with the well-being of not only their children, but their children’s classmates as well. There are signs of increased numbers in the Eckstein program, and as we branch out to local elementary schools I have hope that we will be able to help out a lot of families that are under a large amount of stress just trying to make ends meet. Giving these students healthy food that they can easily take home and safely prepare for themselves is a challenge. Succeeding, however, results in healthier and more focused students ready to learn when they get to school on Monday morning. </div>
Seattle Food Committeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15737796565326121858noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5675781401181523940.post-18458045962564262532012-08-28T15:39:00.000-07:002012-08-28T15:41:00.552-07:00The Food Bank @ St. Mary's Online Auction!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<i>NOTED CELEBRITIES JOIN FORCES TO RAISE FUNDING FOR THE FOOD BANK @ ST. MARY'S IN SEATTLE, WA!</i><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVYBwR7lm7dCwnqKPJHl4-IawJSzFg7z9uvZCiJGrq_nl0aJnFlFeCB-Ujhhx9i4lDmAOUJQS4PLyGW3piB_SMCcp0K4EOGBz06FlpnZ9SZejLJmC5GL5xVlny-5vYBd9-_bkXvvFLYI8/s1600/FB+@+SM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVYBwR7lm7dCwnqKPJHl4-IawJSzFg7z9uvZCiJGrq_nl0aJnFlFeCB-Ujhhx9i4lDmAOUJQS4PLyGW3piB_SMCcp0K4EOGBz06FlpnZ9SZejLJmC5GL5xVlny-5vYBd9-_bkXvvFLYI8/s1600/FB+@+SM.jpg" /></a>Celebrities in the sports, music, art, film, literary and political areas have generously donated autographed items to be auctioned on eBay through eBay's Giving Works to benefit <a href="http://thefbsm.org/" target="_blank">The Food Bank @ St. Mary's</a> in Seattle. All funding received from this auction will be used for the many exceptional programs of the Food Bank that assist the most vulnerable in our community and to purchase food for those who are hungry and unable to help themselves. 100% of the funding from this auction goes to the non-profit Food Bank! We are so very grateful for the thoughtfulness and kindness of these celebrities! There will be more amazing auction items in the upcoming months! :)<br />
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The first fundraising auction will go live at midnight (12:01 a.m.) on September 1, 2012 and will end on Monday, September 10, 2012. The items to be auctioned at this first auction are:<br />
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• A signed hardback First Edition copy of former President Jimmy Carter's book, Living Faith (He is also a Nobel Peace Prize winner.)<br />
• A concert poster from the 2011 tour signed by all the Pearl Jam band members<br />
• A John leCarre signed hardback book - Our Kind of Traitor<br />
• A Tom Clancy signed First Edition hardback book - Against All Enemies<br />
• Football Sportscaster Chris Berman signed poster of himself as "The Gridfather"<br />
• "Grease" movie poster signed by actor/singer John Travolta, along with the DVD of the movie and "Grease" trading card from when the movie originally came out (very collectible!)<br />
• A baseball cap signed on the bill by actor Robin Williams, along with a signed photo<br />
• Comic and actor Larry, the Cable guy sent a signed baseball cap, complete with his signature fishing hook attached, to be auctioned<br />
• A signed photo of His Holiness, the 14th Dalai Lama (Nobel Peace Prize winner)<br />
• Golfer Jim Furyk signed color photo (2010 PGA Tour Player of the Year, 2006 Second in Official World Golf Ranking, 2010 Fed Ex Golf Champ)<br />
• Grammy winning band Sugarland signed photo and platinum selling cd of "The Incredible Machine" (cd is not signed, the photo is)<br />
• Baseball great Derek Jeter signed photo (Captain NY Yankees, sure to be in Baseball Hall of Fame, first Yankee to get 3,000 hits)<br />
• Seattle Seahawks Gameday program signed by player Red Bryant<br />
• "Garfield" print signed by cartoonist Jim Davis<br />
• Nickelodeon cast of iCarly signed photo and signed script<br />
• The Seattle Mariners sent Felix Hernandez and Dustin Ackerly bobbleheads (not signed) for auction, along with a women's Felix Hernandez t-shirt and a Justin Smoak Smoakamotive<br />
• Rock Radio Station KISW 99.9 in Seattle in Studio event - BJ Shea Morning Experience for 2 + Prize Pack - Winner sits in from 8 to 10 am during the show in the studio!<br />
• A signed, matted photograph by noted Santa Fe photographer Elliott McDowell (photograph is of a music theme)<br />
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Bidders will find the items by either typing in the names of the donors above, or by typing in the eBay name of the Food Bank - which is foodbankst.marys.<br />
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Remember, all proceeds from the auction go to the non-profit, 501(c)(3) Food Bank @ St. Mary's. <b><i>PLEASE BID GENEROUSLY.</i></b> The object is not to get "A Good Deal" but to support a non-profit, social service agency that feeds those in need and does so much more to improve the quality of life for people who are suffering or facing hard times. <br />
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For over 66 years (since 1946) the mission of The Food Bank at St. Mary’s in Seattle, WA has been: “Supporting our community with hospitality, respect and nutritious food.” Our goals and our programs serve to meet the basic food needs of the most vulnerable in our community who are unable to provide for themselves, including low income and poverty level families, infants, young children, the elderly, disabled, handicapped, homeless and home-bound individuals, those who are experiencing severe hardships for the first time due to job lay-offs or other misfortunes and those who are in permanent dire circumstances. This celebrity auction is to raise funding for our programs and food purchases. In 2011 we served over 83,000 people and distributed over 3,000,000 pounds of food to people in times of great need. Currently in 2012 we are feeding over 8,000 people a month. Our website is <a href="http://www.thefbsm.org/">www.thefbsm.org</a>.<br />
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Again, the fundraising celebrity item auction goes live for 10 days starting this coming Saturday morning, September 1st and ends on September 10th.<br />
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Thank you so much for your generous support of the Food Bank @ St. Mary's. Your bidding helps feed others. If you have any questions about any of the items, call Freeda at 206-769-5941.</div>
Seattle Food Committeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15737796565326121858noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5675781401181523940.post-91333191963943373882012-08-16T12:23:00.000-07:002012-08-16T12:24:29.221-07:002012 SFC Van Tour!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
On Monday, August 13, 2012 over 40 individuals from food banks, meal programs, the city and state, and food distributors attended the annual SFC Van Tour. This year’s tour gave attendees the chance to learn about a few of Seattle’s meal programs and the work they’re doing in the community.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj20D7WBD7809wrJ-Z2q9aQaM3Swo3zKALpA6ZAeXorgDylqbnMH-j7TpMQq3cCzUqDeGYasXE-gJdTt5W2I8Up08P9uYRxhDaYG7y8VinlVSZA5XS0uhxRPbMPA_sqhhbOJYu1agHeXDw/s1600/Van+Tour+2012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj20D7WBD7809wrJ-Z2q9aQaM3Swo3zKALpA6ZAeXorgDylqbnMH-j7TpMQq3cCzUqDeGYasXE-gJdTt5W2I8Up08P9uYRxhDaYG7y8VinlVSZA5XS0uhxRPbMPA_sqhhbOJYu1agHeXDw/s320/Van+Tour+2012.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On the Van!</td></tr>
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<b>1st Stop: <a href="http://qafb.org/" target="_blank">Queen Anne Food Bank</a></b><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7X4mtLWovR6mYoVva4rbLSuuLIFqoApbDcg4RMVFtPNFVKI2aBKewgKS9V1L9Uy5Lo8ppHOV8vZjLgHdeul5gLph0_Nt84yiOFvXczcPwd7nchwFiQxD7cqwwjltmqNWZi__qdaOAkSY/s1600/Queen+Anne+FB.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7X4mtLWovR6mYoVva4rbLSuuLIFqoApbDcg4RMVFtPNFVKI2aBKewgKS9V1L9Uy5Lo8ppHOV8vZjLgHdeul5gLph0_Nt84yiOFvXczcPwd7nchwFiQxD7cqwwjltmqNWZi__qdaOAkSY/s200/Queen+Anne+FB.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Elise tells us about the QAFB</td></tr>
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The Queen Anne Food Bank operates a sack lunch program five days a week and a food bank one day a week. The food bank closed temporarily in November 2011 when St. Vincent de Paul could no longer fund it. However, in February 2012 it reopened with support from the community. Now with donated food, one paid staff member, and 50 volunteers, the Queen Anne Food Bank serves 2,400 sack lunches and 250 grocery bags a month.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkCOxZ2i_fvbmIHEtsnXdKR5H2qYA8EdX7HQ-2l7TUi6XJGCHp8MNeBcKhivgXfhY3OEgQpf7rcEvX_hgerdP7mGN1I5QZngHCSPg6UPVCFH5TInMYtwdcxSRghR1Teh8K0h5A-d6jNL4/s1600/David+Recovery+Cafe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkCOxZ2i_fvbmIHEtsnXdKR5H2qYA8EdX7HQ-2l7TUi6XJGCHp8MNeBcKhivgXfhY3OEgQpf7rcEvX_hgerdP7mGN1I5QZngHCSPg6UPVCFH5TInMYtwdcxSRghR1Teh8K0h5A-d6jNL4/s200/David+Recovery+Cafe.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">David fills us in on Recovery Cafe</td></tr>
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<b>2nd Stop: <a href="http://www.recoverycafe.org/" target="_blank">Recovery Café</a></b><br />
Recovery Café is a recovery support center that provides several services to its members; among those services are lunch and dinner provided daily Tuesday through Saturday. Meals are prepared from scratch by members who volunteer to cook. The Café also has an espresso machine that was donated by Starbucks. Café Vita donates coffee and maintains the machine. Members can be trained as baristas, and there is a latte hour most weekdays.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCUzt3ceNgjYA8rPtSnbfU1Pk6a9CBLOL2-Y_JGawu5dIqx0DVO7kFPe7pPXwMCXCm4oxiJHcy0BO8L7fM3hE3r3m3TjtWVvwiI24HHU-o-9wkG63Is22pgnQuF_xGZgT_zK3o5MrxO80/s1600/Katsu+Burger.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCUzt3ceNgjYA8rPtSnbfU1Pk6a9CBLOL2-Y_JGawu5dIqx0DVO7kFPe7pPXwMCXCm4oxiJHcy0BO8L7fM3hE3r3m3TjtWVvwiI24HHU-o-9wkG63Is22pgnQuF_xGZgT_zK3o5MrxO80/s200/Katsu+Burger.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Delicious Katsu burger!</td></tr>
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<b>3rd Stop: <a href="http://acrs.org/activities/" target="_blank">ACRS (Asian Counseling and Referral Service) – Club Bamboo</a></b><br />
Club Bamboo at ACRS provides lunch and socialization activities for seniors Tuesday through Friday. After an energizing line dancing class, people can come together and enjoy the delicious lunches served by Club Bamboo; van tour participants were lucky enough to enjoy one of these lunches. Our lunch menu was: Katsu burger, potato salad, grapes, pears, and sweet potato fries!<br />
In addition to the meal served at Club Bamboo, ACRS also works closely with organizations in the community to provide ethnic hot meals to seniors.<br />
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<b>4th Stop: <a href="http://www.elcentrodelaraza.com/WhatWeDo/hes.htm" target="_blank">El Centro de la Raza</a></b><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQsslKHw5GS0qK5x8MPnOpmsIqxREyRaZZ9aEVMA71dDQFkCqU0phBxl-V9GVMhOhzTD643gqByO5SMPptbOeNL9Mu6jXIQcG1NI02LYrsGri79h0YQ8cdcMshuA9J6kZW-5qvZywxFmM/s1600/El+Centro+MP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQsslKHw5GS0qK5x8MPnOpmsIqxREyRaZZ9aEVMA71dDQFkCqU0phBxl-V9GVMhOhzTD643gqByO5SMPptbOeNL9Mu6jXIQcG1NI02LYrsGri79h0YQ8cdcMshuA9J6kZW-5qvZywxFmM/s200/El+Centro+MP.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">El Centro's de la Raza's Meal Program</td></tr>
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El Centro de la Raza operates a Latino hot meal program and a food bank. Their hot meal program has specific meals for youth and seniors and a lunch hot meal open to anyone Monday through Friday. Their food bank is open Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. They provide approximately 2,000 bags of food a month, and 90% of that food is donated. They serve a large Asian population, and estimate that there are about five different dialects spoken among their clients.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQHL8oHOHUX6Hu1_5RHA3TLdjd_uNgsKir61zhjOgHNEShXUpn8ICt0GHY9I8nfcpBo-Lh3zgxPkEOx8nd-LkFnsRP6dbNdUd-XU3xjHKam4Op0W3ID-YM9tRtgmu8ZT7lqWQXzukeAc4/s1600/Don+Community+Lunch+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQHL8oHOHUX6Hu1_5RHA3TLdjd_uNgsKir61zhjOgHNEShXUpn8ICt0GHY9I8nfcpBo-Lh3zgxPkEOx8nd-LkFnsRP6dbNdUd-XU3xjHKam4Op0W3ID-YM9tRtgmu8ZT7lqWQXzukeAc4/s200/Don+Community+Lunch+2.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Don tells us about Community Lunch</td></tr>
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<b>5th Stop: <a href="http://www.communitylunch.org/" target="_blank">Community Lunch on Capitol Hill at All Pilgrims Church</a></b><br />
The Community Lunch on Capitol Hill was our last stop on the van tour. They serve 40,000 hot meals every year using over 120 tons of food! Hot meals are served Tuesday and Friday at noon and Thursday at 5:00 pm. Community Lunch receives from Food Lifeline, Northwest Harvest, and grocery rescue programs.<br />
Don was especially generous and served us ice cream to celebrate Alison's time as the Food Resources Program Assistant; she will be missed!<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">More Photos from the Tour:</span></b></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixAub-T5UHxpl6z552fAxHr3FJQvPPppi4zNdH5vdvSFCuhwDuQqqH2t5H_BhBYEI3H7M_aWenaj_P6X215giZWiVnjrRzr4uFD7uwuQPe_VFW6dxib2j7VQZTk4J1VfLyi3CkmpA4XbM/s1600/ACRS+Van+Tour.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixAub-T5UHxpl6z552fAxHr3FJQvPPppi4zNdH5vdvSFCuhwDuQqqH2t5H_BhBYEI3H7M_aWenaj_P6X215giZWiVnjrRzr4uFD7uwuQPe_VFW6dxib2j7VQZTk4J1VfLyi3CkmpA4XbM/s320/ACRS+Van+Tour.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The group eats lunch at ACRS' Club Bamboo.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGOxrrEeIoX-hjYiR4ra_JkTZNIk2CCcXeD5O-M_u6efW3vOu0F20RechgvwgXjjoXt4bFCxrtrRuMm7FRmNVjvDiZ4K8-G83TYbxwrRLCvVQ_kzkgLgsiIJZ260vi5zhEiaSfFke4iV8/s1600/Club+Bamboo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGOxrrEeIoX-hjYiR4ra_JkTZNIk2CCcXeD5O-M_u6efW3vOu0F20RechgvwgXjjoXt4bFCxrtrRuMm7FRmNVjvDiZ4K8-G83TYbxwrRLCvVQ_kzkgLgsiIJZ260vi5zhEiaSfFke4iV8/s320/Club+Bamboo.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Information on Club Bamboo</td></tr>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEiNA6vSeFwh6ZLpoE4inAHr0IaKkyZA7O3x2GXiiWSVgUlrbGrwNi4nnf2NRW9wtjWLXZMBLrYcxPoZ-yhTmQbRkNVvGK7wzjLus23WuGl_BpJ9NnvSX0omXdZu4_wf_Nly99KXMVwNo/s1600/Denise+El+Centro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEiNA6vSeFwh6ZLpoE4inAHr0IaKkyZA7O3x2GXiiWSVgUlrbGrwNi4nnf2NRW9wtjWLXZMBLrYcxPoZ-yhTmQbRkNVvGK7wzjLus23WuGl_BpJ9NnvSX0omXdZu4_wf_Nly99KXMVwNo/s320/Denise+El+Centro.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Denise tells the group about El Centro's history.</td></tr>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCRTo1CpSRy6dfSCdTM4oV7-u99zEHruMSZf7LXl8QgsEMsCizARe-I6GNaAaY3YgGFzpSjl8ILWKjP8DcZUxp2vmTZ8MHnDrBtQ1jXaYIEjADTxrHmCtVq8iIKU4O1Yhoahbk2Ol_auk/s1600/Community+Lunch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCRTo1CpSRy6dfSCdTM4oV7-u99zEHruMSZf7LXl8QgsEMsCizARe-I6GNaAaY3YgGFzpSjl8ILWKjP8DcZUxp2vmTZ8MHnDrBtQ1jXaYIEjADTxrHmCtVq8iIKU4O1Yhoahbk2Ol_auk/s320/Community+Lunch.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">David shows off Community Lunch's kitchen.</td></tr>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_HkwyKQecVYvmmdhnPcUozAQNBDP_sa7cLJjaGcdTiZBVMDyPrh4oKbFlzLp2wnGcK4zEaGPeXCHAzOON86Uynh_nFu2E3tXgXP47SUXdeKUPzd0FCrIIOP-LonQhY1dOTjkYGFlqZCE/s1600/El+Centro+FB+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_HkwyKQecVYvmmdhnPcUozAQNBDP_sa7cLJjaGcdTiZBVMDyPrh4oKbFlzLp2wnGcK4zEaGPeXCHAzOON86Uynh_nFu2E3tXgXP47SUXdeKUPzd0FCrIIOP-LonQhY1dOTjkYGFlqZCE/s320/El+Centro+FB+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The group in El Centro de la Raza's Food Bank.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB69TGDrZK8tkAdrbSLNsp8dTygGY_4zg-LHuJNNFNfY0-l3yIhourwnOa6khZlf7gmeW39ll59WD44GEi8bD56Dn14V94nGUVwdSfrROZ38f_gW271R-lcg_GAKp4n-lONl3eHZ09THg/s1600/Lester+with+Food.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB69TGDrZK8tkAdrbSLNsp8dTygGY_4zg-LHuJNNFNfY0-l3yIhourwnOa6khZlf7gmeW39ll59WD44GEi8bD56Dn14V94nGUVwdSfrROZ38f_gW271R-lcg_GAKp4n-lONl3eHZ09THg/s320/Lester+with+Food.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lester picks up his delicious lunch.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7hpbOHHfVmX9_nSd3RNOYF2l5J0k3KGNalEKucZ7yoTZLrLrdJyO-6zjAtuksNdo2m-Jz37aEvlukemzxzNe53NG29p7Ta-mikDASq9yCq9wN56itQ0nKQOeSFBt4cnVFdOMRdymOxoU/s1600/Gary+ACRS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7hpbOHHfVmX9_nSd3RNOYF2l5J0k3KGNalEKucZ7yoTZLrLrdJyO-6zjAtuksNdo2m-Jz37aEvlukemzxzNe53NG29p7Ta-mikDASq9yCq9wN56itQ0nKQOeSFBt4cnVFdOMRdymOxoU/s320/Gary+ACRS.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gary Tang tells the group about ACRS.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjStSYMG7AB2kHZl8OrEZW0-Y6l6ElRABf5DRJVkwPyqGr37cQDHmdMZzG_B3RrxmvO_Vbz9rr62vKQc7IN6UU3bCdsDWNSORAHZ85LMmIOnquFyIaWr7xf0BCiKiFCR46HNYnXU-r35jc/s1600/Recovery+Cafe+Espresso+Machine.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjStSYMG7AB2kHZl8OrEZW0-Y6l6ElRABf5DRJVkwPyqGr37cQDHmdMZzG_B3RrxmvO_Vbz9rr62vKQc7IN6UU3bCdsDWNSORAHZ85LMmIOnquFyIaWr7xf0BCiKiFCR46HNYnXU-r35jc/s320/Recovery+Cafe+Espresso+Machine.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Recovery Cafe's espresso machine, donated by Starbucks.</td></tr>
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Seattle Food Committeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15737796565326121858noreply@blogger.com1Seattle, WA, USA47.6062095 -122.332070847.43492 -122.64792779999999 47.777499 -122.0162138tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5675781401181523940.post-45878494723527164002012-08-08T09:35:00.000-07:002012-08-08T09:35:21.235-07:00Review of De-Escalation Training Techniques<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<i>Annaliese Stelzer-Terminello, Food Bank Coordinator at SFC Member <a href="http://www.icsseattle.org/food-bank.html" target="_blank">Immanuel Community Services</a>, shares her experience from a de-escalation training that was held for SFC and MPC members on Monday, July 30, 2012.</i><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiFK-B0hxnQJ8D_w4qwgFPhOVLweGaNMylvUaVJsiE5ZBcRKu7Cu_wjiWkbBNTEtWj-hWWEErE1R9Yxu4wfi28MvgZpt43RWGmBFi7G5lEx5uPY7ADIw_QKVj_wBBVxQRLLpk2XjVTmo8/s1600/20120730_124843.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiFK-B0hxnQJ8D_w4qwgFPhOVLweGaNMylvUaVJsiE5ZBcRKu7Cu_wjiWkbBNTEtWj-hWWEErE1R9Yxu4wfi28MvgZpt43RWGmBFi7G5lEx5uPY7ADIw_QKVj_wBBVxQRLLpk2XjVTmo8/s320/20120730_124843.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
On a Monday afternoon, a group of Food Bank and Meal Program managers, coordinators, and volunteers gathered at the Mt. Baker Community Club to learn about methods of de-escalation. The Seattle Food Committee and the <a href="http://www.mealspartnership.org/" target="_blank">Meals Partnership Coalition</a> have recently started engaging in various trainings and meetings together to build partnership between programs concentrating on food justice in our area. We sat in folding chairs, eating fresh cherries and popcorn, and listened to our presenter, <a href="http://www.edgework.info/" target="_blank">Ellis Amdur</a>, speak about his experiences in de-escalation and share tactics for use in our own programs. Ellis was entertaining as well as knowledgeable. He taught us through stories instead of slides, using his natural theatrics to keep a large audience engaged. We learned about crowd control, behaviors of an angered person vs. an enraged person, how to protect yourself and your volunteers in a crisis situation, and more. Audience participation and testimony were encouraged. My partner and volunteer, Dante John Terminello, and I were both chosen to help demonstrate de-escalation tactics. I expected that we would address most of these issues and had heard or used a number of his tactics before, but repetition of good information is always helpful. I was surprised when Ellis spent a portion of time talking about deep-breathing. We all practiced a method of circular breathing that Ellis had learned while studying martial arts in Japan. The purpose of this practice is to stay calm in tense situations and make quick decisions with a clear head. Each agency was given a free copy of <a href="http://www.edgework.info/buy-books-for-mental-health-professionals.html" target="_blank">Ellis’ book</a>, which details the information he presented and is meant to be shared with interested partners in each program. Both Food Banks and Meal Programs serve a diverse and sometimes unpredictable population. De-escalation is an important skill to have when working in social service arenas, as well as in the home, at school, and throughout daily life. As the Food Bank Coordinator of Immanuel Community Services, I highly value these types of trainings and greatly appreciate the chance to join with other food bank and meal program leaders and volunteers to discuss new tactics, best practices, and interesting stories about nonviolence and de-escalation.<br />
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Annaliese Stelzer-Terminello<br />
Immanuel Community Services<br />
Food Bank Coordinator<br />
</div>Seattle Food Committeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15737796565326121858noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5675781401181523940.post-87018223723366596622012-08-03T12:51:00.001-07:002012-08-06T10:29:41.690-07:00Culturally Competent Food<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><i>Micah Phillips, Food Bank Specialist at SFC Member <a href="http://www.jfsseattle.org/foodbank.html" target="_blank">Jewish Family Service Food Bank</a>, describes how Jewish Family Service implemented knowledge learned from a SFC Cultural Competency training. </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">At the Cultural Competency
session in July, we heard from five panelists about how each of their cultures
approaches food and hunger issues. We heard from Yuriy Martyn about the Ukranian community, Munira Mohamed about the Somali community, Kim Long Nguyen abou tthe Vietnamese community, Gary Tang about the Chinese community, and Perla Perez Ramos about the Latino community. </span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"> As a former Peace Corps Volunteer to China, I
was particularly interested in what Gary had to say. Having lived in Sichuan
Province in southwest China for two years, I am familiar with the food eaten in
the southwest, west, central and north regions of the country. Southeast
China, on the other hand—Shanghai, Hong Kong, Taiwan and the provinces around
Guangdong (Canton)—the area where most of our Chinese clients come from, is an
area with which I am much less familiar. I am aware, of course, of the
Southeastern Chinese fare that is found in most American Chinese restaurants: dim
sum, congee, etc. I am less aware of
what Southeastern Chinese people actually eat.
Thankfully, Gary confirmed what I already assumed: Chinese clients are
less interested in wheat flour products, creamy sauces and root vegetables like
potatoes and carrots. They tend to be
more interested in fresh greens, tofu, meat and rice. They are also
particularly fond of “Asian” vegetables, like lotus root, bitter melon, kabocha
and taro. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="http://a5.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/170438_259156750864582_1278935201_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://a5.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/170438_259156750864582_1278935201_o.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">After the session, we at the </span><a href="http://www.jfsseattle.org/foodbank.html"><i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">JFS Food Bank</span></i></a><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"> began a project catering specifically to our Chinese
Home Delivery clients. At Leschi House in the International District, all
of our clients receiving food deliveries are of Asian descent. About
one-third of the clients are Vietnamese or from some other Southeast Asian country
and almost two-thirds are from China. Taking into account all that we
learned from the Cultural Competency session, we began tailoring our basic food
bags to account for these Asian clients’ specific dietary preferences. We
modified, for example, the staple food items we normally put into our
bags—typically “Western” items like oatmeal, flour pasta, tomato sauce, bread,
canned soups and canned beans—and instead added more Asian staples like rice
noodles, jasmine rice, tofu and dried red or black beans. For the fresh
produce, we made similar changes, so instead of having vegetables usually found
in the Western diet—leaf lettuce, potatoes, cauliflower and carrots—we
substituted more traditionally Asian vegetables, like bok choy, rapeseed
greens, lotus root and Siamese ginger. We also made an effort to buy our
ingredients from the local grocery stores at which our clients might actually
shop. We bought last month’s fresh produce from a Vietnamese-owned
grocery store at 10<sup>th</sup> and Jackson.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">For someone outside the food
community looking in, the act of providing a different kind of noodle or leafy
green vegetable might not seem important. At the </span><a href="http://www.jfsseattle.org/foodbank.html"><i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">JFS Food Bank</span></i></a><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">, however, we believe that difference matters.
Sure, a hungry person will put anything into the pan and call it dinner.
But if that person can look at their food and experience nostalgia for the
place they came from, perhaps it makes their meal that much more
satisfying. That’s what we at the </span><a href="http://www.jfsseattle.org/foodbank.html"><i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">JFS Food Bank</span></i></a><i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">are striving for, and what Solid Ground’s session inspired
us to provide. Culturally competent food
that our clients appreciate. <b><span style="color: #009900;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
</div>Seattle Food Committeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15737796565326121858noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5675781401181523940.post-82891714543558183682012-08-01T16:44:00.004-07:002012-08-02T13:22:20.462-07:00Lettuce Link: Sharing your backyard bounty<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<i>This post, written by Jessica Sherrow, a Harvest Against Hunger Summer VISTA with <a href="http://www.solid-ground.org/Programs/Nutrition/Lettuce/Pages/default.aspx" target="_blank">Lettuce Link</a>, originally appeared on the <a href="http://lettucelink.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Lettuce Link blog</a>. Jessica has been working with the <a href="http://www.solid-ground.org/Programs/Nutrition/P-Patch/Pages/default.aspx" target="_blank">P-Patch Giving Gardens </a>this summer to support the growing and giving efforts. </i><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3-VL8hLNhgkb_fwHHG1ZI9pyl4WFxP6HVa520LhTVjbPSEuC35rbkOo9jpn7kps8PoXHIaSFJtO7dBaOuS1VQggReg_LDqXeSnryj5CUV10nmfL1h9U4ILy2JP3bFYetMJ2jAkFaqEzc/s320/Squash_8-2010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3-VL8hLNhgkb_fwHHG1ZI9pyl4WFxP6HVa520LhTVjbPSEuC35rbkOo9jpn7kps8PoXHIaSFJtO7dBaOuS1VQggReg_LDqXeSnryj5CUV10nmfL1h9U4ILy2JP3bFYetMJ2jAkFaqEzc/s320/Squash_8-2010.jpg" /></a>The sun is shining, the rain is (almost) gone, and plants are finally growing at an alarmingly fast rate. This time of year, we know exactly what all you gardeners are wondering:<br />
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<b>What in the world am I going to do with all this zucchini??</b><br />
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We at Lettuce Link are excited to remind you of the perfect solution:<br />
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<b>DONATE IT!</b><br />
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Food banks across Seattle have a continual need for fresh, nutritious produce, so what better way to cull your garden of those delicious but over-producing squash, greens, beans, and tomatoes than to share them with families who need it most?<br />
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And if your garden is not yet overflowing with excess veggies, consider growing an extra row for your local food bank as you plant your fall crops! It can be as small as a row of greens, or as big as a backyard committed entirely to giving (à la the <a href="http://seattleseedling.com/2012/01/giving-garden-revealed/" target="_blank">Seattle Seedling</a>). Big or small, every donation is appreciated!<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6xACuDCxllh0a5YT_ppbNVFO9tQACiTbYsINq9ontUKbaTnVvRYd_7PZKnipmLAEMdcKbnWf4vRKgIsSmzgvWHThZNu8qaEVxaOWKHz3QaM0aD2Y9PAoP3rZ0W4Z4Mrxa7kMEShwggrc/s200/par_10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6xACuDCxllh0a5YT_ppbNVFO9tQACiTbYsINq9ontUKbaTnVvRYd_7PZKnipmLAEMdcKbnWf4vRKgIsSmzgvWHThZNu8qaEVxaOWKHz3QaM0aD2Y9PAoP3rZ0W4Z4Mrxa7kMEShwggrc/s200/par_10.jpg" /></a>To help you, here are <a href="http://www.solid-ground.org/Programs/Nutrition/Lettuce/P-Patch/Documents/GivingGardenTips2009.pdf" target="_blank">a few pointers we've developed on growing and giving, </a>and a list we've compiled on <a href="http://www.solid-ground.org/Programs/Nutrition/P-Patch/Documents/WhereToDonate.pdf" target="_blank">where to donate your veggies</a> as well as the types of produce most popular at local food banks and meal programs. Thank you in advance for your time, work, and veggies, and believe us, there’s no such thing as too much zucchini...<br />
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<b><i>If you need help, let us know!</i></b><br />
<i>Contact Jessica Sherrow, the Lettuce Link Summer VISTA with any questions, concerns, or requests for help with harvesting and/or donating! <a href="mailto:jessicas@solid-ground.org">jessicas@solid-ground.org</a> 206.694.6746 x2</i><br />
</div>Seattle Food Committeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15737796565326121858noreply@blogger.com0