Moving food and nourishing lives, one pound at a time. Quarterly Newsletter, Volume 1 Issue 1
We have accomplished a lot over the last quarter, and we are pleased to share some of our highlights with you. With the publication of our first quarterly EastWest Food Rescue newsletter, By the Pound, we invite you to read the stories that are shaping our work. In this issue, we cover the WSDA We Feed Washington program, celebrate Lend a Hand’s first annual food convention, highlight agricultural partner Mosby Farm and invite you to join us in virtually attending the White House Conference on Hunger Nutrition & Health. We have a lot going on this fall and we hope you continue your involvement, as an investor, volunteer, advocate, or all of the above. Your vital support keeps us moving the needle toward a more food secure Pacific Northwest.
We're Feeding Washington into 2023
Washington State Department of Agriculture works with hunger relief programs to address food insecurity in Washington including EWFR
In the last year, we participated in the We Feed WA pilot project to increase the amount of food distributed through our Last Mile Distribution Partners (LMDP). Through the existing partnership, this opportunity has enabled us to serve nine Washington counties in Western Washington and South-Central Washington, while expanding our offerings through Restoration Community Impact to Okanagan County. We were also able to engage new distribution partners to provide produce monthly or bi-monthly based on demand: Southwest Washington League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) in Clark County (Vancouver) and Feeding Feasible Feasts in Pierce County. Since carrying out the pilot successfully, we were able to enter a second, We Feed Washington contract enabling us to move fresh produce at the expanded rate of 240,000+ pounds per month through mid-2023.
EWFR's impact is now being consistently felt in eleven counties throughout the state through our LMDPs. Special thanks to the following community leaders and their teams for making sure EWFR's nutrient-dense foods are making it to those who need it most.
Meet our Last Mile Distribution Partners
You can learn more about the We Feed Washington pilot program on the WSDA’s website.
Partner Spotlight: Lend a Hand Community Outreach Conference 2022
August 19, 2022, EWFR partner agency Lend a Hand Community Outreach (LAH) held their first annual Food Convention benefitting Kitsap, Pierce, South King and Thurston counties. Fia Taito and the LAH team enlisted the support of numerous businesses and hunger relief organizations including, EWFR, Amazon, Cascadia Produce and Farmer Frog to name a few. While many generously contributed, EWFR was able to provide nearly 48,000 pounds of fresh, culturally relevant and nutrient dense foods for the event. EWFR Vice-Chairman, John Kunin, was in attendance and asked to speak before the crowd. Kunin recalls, “LAH’s food relief efforts as a last mile distributer started at about the same time as EWFR, during the pandemic crisis. It has been moving to see how much they have grown and what a consistent impact they have had in the South Puget Sound area. I was delighted to share to a large audience the story of our partnership over the last two years.”
Lend a Hand continues to be a heavy hitter when it comes to ending food insecurity in the communities they are serving. In the month of August, Lend a Hand distributed more than 127,570 pounds of bulk produce provided by EastWest Food Rescue.
Growing Together: Highlighting Mosby Farms
One of the most gratifying components of our work is supporting farmers. This quarter we are honoring our long-time agricultural partner, Mosby Farms, located in the heart of the Green River Valley, King County. Please take a moment to enjoy this video from My Fork Supports Farms highlighting Mosby, one of the many agricultural heroes behind our work at EastWest Food Rescue. As always, thank you for buying local to support farmers and producers throughout the Pacific Northwest.
Join us in helping our most vulnerable friends and neighbors receive the nutrition they deserve
As summers bounty comes to a close, and the subsequent price of produce tends to rise, we prepare for the final quarter of the year, a time that is often the most challenging for those experiencing food insecurity. Please consider making an early season gift, to help guarantee enough fresh produce for the communities who need it most.
Remember, your investment in EWFR goes far. We are able to leverage our relationships with farmers to provide food at or below cost, yielding an average of 8 meals per dollar provided. Please consider making your tax-deductible charitable contribution today.
Join us in virtually attending the White House conference on Hunger, Nutrition and Health
On Wednesday, September 28, the Biden-Harris Administration will host the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition and Health. The Administration will also release a National Strategy with actions the federal government will take to drive solutions to these challenges. Anyone interested in attending this event can click this link to register online.
Sharing Through Food: Mexican-Inspired Roasted Vegetables
