The Skagit County Food Bank Distribution
Center
“Working together to end hunger and malnutrition in Skagit County”
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In 2007, Skagit County, in partnership with Skagit County
Community Action, is establishing our county’s first ever centralized Food
Bank Distribution Center. With much needed improvements, this facility will
allow the county’s food banks to work as partners, streamline services, save
time and money – and promises to yield more food for our county’s hungriest
families.
What is the Skagit Food Distribution Center?
It is a former meat packing facility that is centrally
located in Sedro Woolley. The facility includes: 24 x 40 foot refrigerated
space, 40 x 40 foot freezer space, loading dock, truck access and wheel
chair accessibility. The facility also supports an onsite food pantry.
Why is it needed?
Simply put, we’ve been missing out on millions of pounds of
food per year. Though local food banks work tremendously hard, the lack of a
centralized facility means individual food banks are on their own to
collect, transport and store food.
The centralized facility fosters cooperation, and also makes
it easier for those interested in doing food drives or otherwise supporting
anti-hunger work to benefit all food banks.
Hunger and malnutrition are serious problems in our
community
24% of our low-income citizens report going hungry from lack
of food, and 20% of all Skagit households rely on area food banks. A
disjointed food system only exacerbates this problem.
Beside central food bank storage and distribution, how
else might this facility be used?
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As a central location to hold food and fund drives.
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As a gathering point to create a broader Skagit Anti-hunger
Coalition, linking food banks and school districts, hospitals, nutrition
programs, gleaners, farmers and others interested in ending hunger.
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As storage for local agricultural produce. We are pursuing
connections to local growers interested in inexpensive produce storage,
with a portion of their “rent” donated produce to food banks. |
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·To help support local agriculture. Our new Skagit Food
Share Alliance will access the Distribution Center for centralized storage
and transportation to bring fresh, locally grown produce and other items
from local farmers to food banks, meal programs, senior centers etc. |
