Giving in Tougher Times
Published in Pike Place Market News, Oct 2009
It's a bright and early-ish Tuesday morning, and a line has already formed. About 325 people walk through the doors of the Pike Market Senior Center's Downtown Food Bank each Tuesday and Thursday, and within hours each of those visitors leaves with a bag of groceries with three-days worth of food and miscellaneous supplies. Between twelve and twenty volunteers work these days alongside Matt Brouwer, the full-time Food Bank manager, and part-time workers, Lynne and Rudy, to ensure that donated goods are sorted, labeled, and distributed to clients of the program. 5,000 to 10,000 pounds of food are received and distributed each week, and donations come from organizations and businesses from all over the city, including the merchants at the Pike Market. Some 400-700 households benefit from the services of this Food Bank, and volunteers and clients are able to give and receive encouragement and food supplies.
Mr. Brouwer is the new director of the Downtown Food bank, and he has designed it to resemble a grocery warehouse to provide clients the ability to make choices about the items they select to take home and to create a more welcoming environment. He emphasizes the ability for the clients to choose, and he wants to develop the Food Bank into being the best in the area by offering the best selection of food. “There can be a shame factor in standing in a Food Bank line,” he comments, “and we want to remove that barrier and others” to encourage clients to feel more comfortable and continue coming back as needed. Clients come from a variety of backgrounds, including socio-economic, racial, and occupational. No questions are asked, and no one is turned away from the Food Bank.
The close connectedness to the farmer stands and businesses in the Food Bank is obvious in the items that have been provided. Greek-style yogurt, frozen fish, vegetables, and other food staples are stacked in boxes. Since this is the peak of the harvest right now, a section of the miniature grocery store is dedicated to fresh produce, most of which is donated from the farmer stands that occupy booths just a few hundred feet away from the Food Bank. Not only are food items given out, but personal items and special dietary items can also be provided upon request. Most of the items donated are turned around and given out as quickly as possible. Although a good variety of items are consistently given out, more items and more variety would always be welcome and gladly received.
The financial support and food donations are what allow the Food Bank to continue giving food to neighbors in need. Organizations such as the Market Foundation, Food Lifeline, and the Northwest Harvest keep the Food Bank stocked with supplies. City funding on several levels has also helped to keep the Food Bank thriving and available for clients. In addition to donations, men and women donate their time to serve their community and their neighbors. Some of the volunteers, like a fellow named “T” and another named John, are both volunteers and clients themselves. “T” collects several packages of food and delivers it to some of his neighbors who aren't able to make it to the Food Bank during distribution days. John had been strictly a client of the Food Bank and had recently found himself with some extra time on his hands, so he began donating his time. Now these men and several other volunteers come to sort food and assist clients with their food selections. That so few men and women can impact so many households is a testament to the support provided by the Food Bank and the secondary support provided by the city and the Market businesses.
These more challenging economic times have signaled changes for many people, and for some, that has meant transitioning from donating time and money to the Food Bank to standing in the lines as clients. Although the Food Banks nationwide have seen an increase of clients over the past few years, Mr. Brouwer hesitates to give a recessed economy too much credit. “Cost of living has increased, but wages and work have not been enough for some people to support themselves,” he explains. The economic boom we all enjoyed in the past decade has “not made a dent on hunger in twenty-five years,” and he doesn't expect that Food Banks will ever find themselves empty of clients.
If you would like to donate money, products, or service to the Food Bank, contact Matt Brower by email at matthew.brouwer@pmsc-dtfb.org or by calling 206-626-6462. You can also visit the website at www.figgypuddingpmsc.org. Donations in good condition and meeting specific standards are accepted continually. Please contact a representative at the Pike Market Senior Center and Downtown Food Bank for details.
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