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Did you know: Ballard Food Bank’s Home Delivery program ensures that over 100 homebound individuals in our community have the same access to healthy, nutritious foods as our neighbors who visit our grocery-style food bank? Thanks to this program, mobility challenges or the onset of a severe illness does not prevent our neighbors from accessing foods that meet their individual dietary or cultural needs.
We recently welcomed a new partner to our Community Resource Hub! Community Psychiatric Clinic (CPC) provides outpatient mental health and substance use recovery services and sees clients weekly in the private offices available to our partners in the Hub. CPC joins our rotating list of partner providers seeing clients regularly at the food bank...
Most people assume our clients visit just for food, but in reality, food is just part of our mission. Recently I was giving a tour to a long-time donor who stopped me and said, “Wow, I had no idea. You do so much more. You help people in ways that I didn’t even know.” She wasn’t the first person to share that thought with me. The fact is the issue of poverty is complex. Which is why when we look at our mission we realize we need to dig deep and help our clients with a two-pronged approach.
It starts with the belief that food is a basic human right.
The Ballard Food Bank is a point of trust for our neighbors. Clients visit regularly, connecting with our staff and volunteers as they shop. These relationships establish the trust for clients to share other needs they face, beyond food. Offering financial assistance and hosting service providers allows a seamless transition for clients to meet multiple needs in one location.
“No matter where you are from, we’re glad you are our neighbor”
In January, a volunteer brought in a sign that shared this sentiment in English, Spanish and Arabic. We immediately hung it on the wall as I felt the statement reflected what it means to be ‘neighbors helping neighbors’. At first I thought it was a simple gesture...
Richard loves cooking community meals. It was true growing up in Alaska and just as true after he moved to Ballard in the construction boom of the late 80’s. His business was good, word of mouth was strong, and occasionally on his way to a job he would stop and lend a hand at Ballard Food Bank. A severe health diagnosis combined with a lagging construction economy, and Richard found himself homeless. “I never thought it would come to the point where I would need to visit the Food Bank myself” remembers Richard. “But all of a sudden when I needed it I was so glad these folks were here.”
