Shop Ballard Food Bank

Ballard Food Bank works the same as a grocery store, but free.

Browse the shelves and choose items you need and want – whether it’s staples like meat and vegetables, hygiene items like toothpaste and tampons, or dog and cat food for your pets.

People from all neighborhoods in Seattle are invited to shop with us on site. To shop, first register at the front desk. It’s helpful if you have an ID/piece of mail, though it is not required.

Masking is now optional, but recommended while on the premises. We appreciate your patience and support!

check-in process

The line forms outside and numbers are given out at 10:00 AM Monday through Thursday. Once numbers are given out, clients can wait inside, or go to the Resource Hub or Café.

We start calling numbers at 10:00 AM when the market opens. You must be present when your number is called or you’ll receive a new one.

Registration process

Registration is in-person only. View the intake form here.

Note: The information collected will not be used to share an individual's status with outside organizations. We use this information to report statistics of our guests as a collective to funders and to understand who is coming to Ballard Food Bank so we can best serve guests' cultural and dietary needs.

Information that is required on the form:

• Full name

• Birthdate

• Zipcode

• Full name of additional household members

• Birthdate of all additional household members

The rest may be optional, but they do help us understand our guests better. We do not ask for proof of citizenship or residency. All are welcome at Ballard Food Bank.

Policy change

Guests are now only allowed to shop for one extra household. We still require permission from the other family in order to do this. We will also require you to shop for one household at a time. You will sign in at the front desk and get your first set of tickets, shop and checkout fully, then go back to the front desk for your second set of tickets without taking a new number to begin your second round of shopping for the other household.

All clients will receive a Meat Ticket that they must turn in at the meat section when shopping. Once that ticket is turned in, you cannot return to that section. This means you will now receive your blue or orange ticket, meat ticket, and any other dietary tickets if applicable.