Program areas at North Helpline
Food Access: North Helpline operates two food bank sites. The Food Bank in Lake City distributes food every Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday. The Food Bank in Bitter Lake opened in July of 2017 and distributes food every Saturday. In the year that ended June 30, 2023, there were a total of 36,608 visits by neighbors at the food banks. The home delivery program grew to serve 374 families.
Client Services: The Community Connector, a part of the Client Services team, enrolls and connects our neighbors in services such as the utility discount program, free cell phone programs, and referrals to other resources. Outside organizations partner with Client Services to table during distribution days at both locations. While tabling partners vary by location and availability, some examples are voter registration, Orca Lift cards, and low-income insurance options. In addition, North Helpline owns a clinic space at our Lake City location.
Homelessness Prevention: We prevent evictions and utility shut-offs for families each month. In the year ended June 30, 2023, we served 689 individuals with Homeless Prevention Services.