UNIVERSITY DISTRICT SERVICE LEAGUE

THE FOOD BANK'S PROGRAMMING IS PRIMARILY FOCUSED ON IMPROVED FOOD ACCESS FOR OUR NEIGHBORS. WE ORIENT OUR SERVICES TO IDENTIFY AND ADDRESS BARRIERS EXPERIENCED IN OUR COMMUNITY. SINCE THE END OF ENHANCED COVID BENEFITS, THE FOOD BANK HAS SEEN A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN PARTICIPATION ACROSS ALL ITS PROGRAMS. SERVICES ARE 80% BUSIER THAN JUST TWO YEARS AGO. FOOD PURCHASING HAS MORE THAN DOUBLED IN THAT SAME TIME PERIOD. THE FOOD BANK MAINTAINS LONGER DISTRIBUTION HOURS AND EXPANDED STAFFING LEVELS TO REDUCE SOME OF THESE OPERATIONAL PRESSURES BUT AT A HIGHER MONTHLY OPERATING COST. THE PRIMARY PROGRAM, A FOOD PANTRY IN SEATTLE'S UNIVERSITY DISTRICT NEIGHBORHOOD, PROVIDES A GROCERY STORE SHOPPING EXPERIENCE FOR MORE THAN 1,500 WEEKLY CUSTOMER FAMILIES. CUSTOMERS SHOP THROUGH THE PANTRY TO SELECT THE PRODUCE, DAIRY, MEAT, AND OTHER PANTRY STAPLES THEY NEED TO PREPARE THEIR OWN HEALTHY, CULTURALLY FAMILIAR MEALS. HYGIENE ITEMS AND BABY SUPPLIES SUPPLEMENT CUSTOMER VISITS. READY TO EAT ITEMS ARE AVAILABLE FOR KITCHEN-LESS CUSTOMERS WHEN THEY VISIT. TWO WEEKLY SATELLITE PANTRIES CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THEIR SPECIFIC HOST COMMUNITIES, IMPORTANT SINCE THESE COMMUNITIES HAVE MORE LIMITED ACCESS TO HEALTHY FOOD. THE PANTRY AT MAGNUSON PARK SERVES 175 HOUSEHOLDS PER WEEK. AT NORTH SEATTLE COLLEGE, THE PANTRY SUPPORTS ABOUT 300 HOUSEHOLDS PER WEEK. IN 2025 THE FOCUS IS ON EXPANDING HEALTHY, CULTURALLY FAMILIAR FOOD CHOICES AT EACH OF THESE LOCATIONS. WHEN IN-PERSON ACCESS TO PANTRIES IS A CHALLENGE, THE FOOD BANK OFFERS HOME DELIVERY OF GROCERIES USING A RANGE OF COLLABORATIONS. MORE THAN 550 HOUSEHOLDS RECEIVE GROCERY DELIVERIES EACH WEEK; THERE IS A SIZABLE WAITING LIST FOR THIS SERVICE TOO. VOLUNTEERS PACK CUSTOMIZED GROCERY BAGS FOR EACH HOME DELIVERY CUSTOMER BASED ON THEIR EXPRESSED NEEDS AND PREFERENCES. FOOD BANK VOLUNTEERS DELIVER THE MAJORITY OF THE GROCERIES. AN ON-GOING PARTNERSHIP WITH PEDALING RELIEF PROJECT (A PROGRAM OF CASCADE BICYCLE CLUB) BRINGS ADDED DELIVERY CAPACITY ON WEDNESDAYS AND SATURDAYS. ADDITIONAL DELIVERIES ON SATURDAYS ARE PROVIDED THROUGH A COLLABORATION WITH UNITED WAY AND AMAZON. IN 2026, THE FOOD BANK WILL COORDINATE DELIVERIES WITH AMAZON DIRECTLY. THIS PARTNERSHIP WILL EXIST AT LEAST THROUGH 2028. PACKS FOR KIDS, THE WEEKLY PROGRAM TO BRING BACKPACKS OF FOOD TO STUDENTS IN NEARBY PUBLIC SCHOOLS, HAS REACHED RECORD LEVELS IN PARTICIPATION. THIS SERVICE, THROUGH 16 NEARBY SCHOOLS, REACHES MORE THAN 975 STUDENTS EACH WEEK. AT TWO SCHOOLS, THERE ARE ALSO TWICE A MONTH FREE FARMER'S MARKETS SO THAT FAMILIES CAN COLLECT FRESH, CULTURALLY FAMILIAR FRUITS AND VEGETABLES AND OTHER PANTRY BASICS WHEN THEY ARE AT SCHOOL PICKING UP THEIR KIDS. THESE MARKETS HAVE BEEN EXTREMELY WELL RECEIVED SO THE FOOD BANK WILL LOOK TO EXPAND THIS SERVICE AT OTHER PARTNER SCHOOLS IN 2026 IF THE PARENT AND SCHOOL COMMUNITY IS INTERESTED. THIS MULTI-FACETED RESPONSE ENSURES THAT STUDENTS CONTINUE TO HAVE ACCESS TO HEALTHY AND EASY TO PREPARE MEALS AND SNACKS THROUGHOUT THE WEEKEND AND RETURN TO SCHOOL READY TO LEARN ON MONDAY MORNING. SINCE APRIL 2024 THE APPLE-A-DAY CAFE, OPERATED FROM A CORNER OF THE UNIVERSITY DISTRICT PANTRY, HAS PROVIDED HEATHY READY-TO-EAT MEALS, SALADS, AND SOUPS TO COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN NEED OF A MEAL INSTEAD OF JUST GROCERIES. ABOUT 20% OF OUR WEEKLY CUSTOMERS ARE UNSHELTERED, SO THESE MEALS PROVIDE IMPORTANT NUTRITION THREE DAYS A WEEK WHEN THE CAFE IS OPEN. CAFE MEALS ARE FREE, ARE COOKED MOSTLY FROM SCRATCH, AND LET THE FOOD BANK REPURPOSE PRODUCE THAT MIGHT NOT BE MARKET QUALITY BUT IS STILL HEALTHY TO EAT AND OTHER DONATIONS BETTER MEANT FOR A RESTAURANT. THE CAFE SERVES ABOUT 250 MEALS PER DAY WHEN OPEN. A COLLABORATION WITH MOJITO CAFE HELPS SUPPLY FOOD FOR ONE DAY OF CAFE MEALS EACH WEEK. THE FOOD BANK CONTINUES TO OPERATE ROOFTOP ROOTS, ITS ROOFTOP FARM. THROUGH A MIX OF STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS, THE FOOD BANK GROWS PRODUCE YEAR-ROUND IN 2,000 SQUARE FEET OF RAISED BED GARDENS. THE PRODUCE GROWN THROUGH ROOFTOP ROOTS IS DISTRIBUTED DIRECTLY TO THE FOOD BANK'S CUSTOMERS ACROSS ITS DIFFERENT PROGRAMS. THERE IS ALSO A SPRING AND SUMMER GARDEN INTERNSHIP PROGRAM FOR SMALL COHORTS OF MARGINALIZED YOUTH FROM PARTNER NONPROFITS. FINALLY, THE FOOD BANK WORKS TO CONNECT FOOD BANK CUSTOMERS TO OTHER IMPORTANT COMMUNITY RESOURCES. THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT TEAM PROVIDES A MAIL SERVICE FOR MORE THAN 200 CUSTOMERS, HELPS CUSTOMERS ENROLL IN SNAP AND UTILITY DISCOUNT PROGRAMS, ACCESS FREE BUS TICKETS, AND RESTORE LOST STATE IDENTIFICATION CARDS AND DRIVER'S LICENSES. THE FOOD BANK HOSTS REGULAR HEALTH INSURANCE ENROLLMENT ACTIVITIES, DISCOUNT CELL PHONE ENROLLMENT, VOTER REGISTRATION DRIVES, AND VACCINATION CLINICS FOR COVID, FLU, AND HEPATITIS. THE PROGRAM IS SUPPORTED BY TWO STAFF AND THREE SOCIAL WORK INTERNS.