Thurston County Food Bank

One of our priorities is rescuing good Food from going to waste. Our dedicated Food rescue initiative operates with the aim of bolstering Food security by curbing unnecessary Food waste. Embracing a multifaceted approach, this program includes grocery rescue, salvaging surplus items from restaurants, and harvesting excess produce through gleaning efforts. Additionally, we collaborate with local livestock farmers to repurpose Food unsuitable for human consumption, thereby enriching their feed stock. This collaborative endeavor not only mitigates Food waste but also enriches the diets of livestock with a diverse array of nutrients. Underscoring the impact of our commitment, in 2023 we rescued more than 2 million pounds of Food from landfills, underscoring our dedication to sustainable Food practices.our organization is committed to prioritizing the well-being of children. Through our forkids program, we address the significant service gap experienced by children who rely on free and reduced lunch programs during weekends. Recognizing the connection between adequate nutrition, enhanced health, and academic performance, our program endeavors to ensure children have access to nourishing meals, allowing them to focus on their classes upon returning to school monday morning. This impactful outreach effort collaborates closely with the school system and dedicated volunteers to provide kid-friendly meal bags to elementary school-age children over the weekend. In the year 2023, our program extended its reach to serve approximately 1,300 students weekly across 30 elementary schools and 3 head start programs. Additionally, through our school break bags program, we provided meals to 2,000 children during school breaks.our distribution program plays an important role in facilitating both weekly Food distributions and monthly non-food distributions to our two pantries, satellite partners, and through our mobile outreach program. We employ various delivery mechanisms, including shopping models, pre-packaged Food boxes and bags, as well as walk-up and drive-up services, ensuring accessibility for all. Our Food offerings encompass a diverse range, from fresh produce to frozen proteins and shelf-stable canned and dry goods, all provided free of charge. Additionally, our non-food distributions prioritize essential health, hygiene, and household items, catering to needs that may not be covered by snap benefits. These items may include soap, shampoo, conditioner, deodorant, laundry soap, razors, toothpaste, and toothbrushes. Notably, in the year 2023, our efforts reached approximately 47,000 individuals, highlighting the significant impact of our program within the community.in our capacity as a regional distribution organization (rdo), we play an important role in enhancing Food accessibility for smaller hunger relief agencies spanning across lewis, mason, and kitsap counties. Operating from our expansive 30,000 square foot warehouse, we handle the reception, storage, processing, and distribution of Food to our partner organizations who often have limited resources, space, and capacity. Our procurement efforts extend across both regional and statewide hunger relief networks, ensuring a diverse supply of perishable, frozen, and shelf-stable foods. Noteworthy is our achievement in the year 2023, wherein we facilitated the external redistribution of over 3.5 million pounds of Food, with a total distribution of over 8 million pounds of Food.