The past year has underscored the importance of planting our roots deep, where erosion won't undercut our ability to provide support for our neighbors. It comes at a time when inflation is threatening household budgets across the country, coupled with rising health care premiums, and the most significant cuts to health and human services in our country's history.

We've heard from neighbors who had to make hard choices when they didn't receive their SNAP benefits in November due to the government shutdown, and others, whose benefits have been permanently altered, or eliminated due to changes in eligibility criteria.

All of these are pressure points that build on one another. Since the end of October, we’ve seen a 30% increase in food guests coming for grocery shopping and a 50% increase in SPARK To-Go Lunch guests. Among the most startling is the increase we've seen in folks applying to our helpline—a last resort for financial assistance—which saw a 150% increase in applications in November.

In response, we've adjusted our services to better support what our neighbors are facing:

Scaling our food purchasing budget to provide support for folks who are visiting our food bank for the first time
Removing limits in our grocery store so that our neighbors can access the food support they need
Investing additional funds in our Helpline program to increase the maximum amount available to those who apply

Your support this season ensures that we stay rooted no matter what lies ahead, enabling us to better serve our neighbors and work together on creative solutions that strengthen our community support. Join us with a gift today.

Rooted in Community Care

By RAINIER VALLEY FOOD BANK

Rooted in Community Care

Team Members