Food Distribution
St. Vincent de Paul Food Bank & Community Services works with Second Harvest, Northwest Harvest, Blue Mountain Action Council, Albertsons, Walmart, other grocery retailers, and local farmers to help fight hunger in Eastern Washington, most notably Franklin County, Washington.
Our Food Bank provided 4,324,030 lbs of perishable and non-perishable food to 5275 unduplicated families often coming multiple times with 42,224 boxes given between October 1, 2021 and September 30, 2022. The homeless and those without cooking facilities are given nutritious nonperishable foods that do not require cooking.
Through involvement with Second Harvest’s “Feeding America” program, our volunteers pick up food from Wal-Mart and Albertsons two times every week. We also benefit from Blue Mountain Action Council Federal commodities and deliveries from Second Harvest, and Northwest Harvest. At present we are receiving fresh produce boxes from “The We Feed WA Pilot Food Program” through Four Roots Organization and Pacific Coast Fruit Co. Our farmers are also very generous in supporting our mission to feed the hungry. These resources, along with food drives by local organizations, enable us to include canned fruits and vegetables as well as nonperishable items in food boxes that are given to struggling families living in Pasco and surrounding areas within our community.
Volunteers fill boxes with basic foods and clients add their chosen meats, dairy products and fresh produce before leaving. This enables efficient distribution of resources and minimizes waste.
In the meantime, our volunteers remain dedicated to serving our community. As a snapshot, in one month alone this Fall, volunteers spent 982 hours in the warehouse distributing food to 4,541 families (average of 908 families each Wednesday). Of these, 431 families were new registrations with 4,110 returning.
There were 513,400 pounds of food distributed at the food bank + 416 pounds in 4# packages given to the homeless on the streets for a total of 513,816 pounds in November. The food boxes averaged 113 pounds each. A total of 2,596 in supplemental pounds were given to the homeless at the food bank 18 new and 91 returning for a total of 104.
Our clothing/household department volunteers served 638 families and distributed items with an estimated value of $29,731.00. Blankets, coats, hats and gloves have been constant demand. The volunteers also spent 480 hours cleaning, repairing, and displaying donated items from our community.
Additionally, our partnership with the Seventh Day Adventist Diaper Bank has rolled out, vastly expanding our ability to meet the needs of many young children and their parents. Two hundred and fifty babes were given 3,880 diapers In November alone. Formula, wipes and baby food complimented much of that outreach.
Our Impact Last Year
(Data derived from our 2021-2022 SVDP Annual Report)
The most vital and life affirming impacts of St. Vincent de Paul and Community Services are often difficult to quantify, as they are measured in the kindness, smiles and warm regard one will see in the interactions between those who come through our ‘Open Door To Hope’, whether it is to receive assistance, donate, or volunteer. We value these qualitative elements while we also take stock on the material assistance given as well.
FOOD DISTRIBUTION: Served 4,324, 030 pounds of food valued by Washington State Emergency Food Assistance Program (EFAP) at $7,864,369.00.
NUMBER OF FAMILIES RECEIVING FOOD ASSISTANCE: 42,224 (5,275 Separate families-unduplicated and 36,949 families returning for additional assistance for a total of 42,224.
WAREHOUSE VOLUNTEER HOURS: 10,186 hours by St. Vincent de Paul volunteers and 1,247 hours by people performing mandated community service.
CLOTHING/HOUSEHOLD ITEMS: Served 11,108 households (impacting about 38,878 family members) with clothing and household items valued at $266,536.00 (estimates calculated at “garage sale” prices.)
CLOTHING/HOUSEHOLD VOLUNTEERS: 4,112 hours spent sorting, cleaning, repairing, and distributing clothing, shoes, household items, etc. Volunteer labor hours valued by Washington State EFAP at $70,298.00.
GENERAL ASSISTANCE: $88,010.00 spent on 1,519 individuals/families for Emergency Lodging, Utility assistance to prevent cutoff of water or electric services, emergency transportation including bus tickets and gasoline as well as other special needs.
HOMELESS PROGRAM: 1,764 Homeless were served (average of 35 each week – 1,027 received food, clothing, sleeping bags, hats, gloves, socks, and underwear as well as hygiene kits at the food bank and 737 found on the streets were given smaller bags of food, water, snacks and information on where to receive help (Between 5 and 7 volunteers look for those on the street to inform them of where to get additional help.
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT: Simplot, local farmers, various Tri-City Churches, Fields of Grace, Students from St. Patrick’s and Tri-City Prep, National Guard and others involved in volunteering to serve or donating products.
FOOD SOURCES: Second Harvest, Blue Mountain Action Council, Local Farmers, Fields of Grace, Special Purchases from Winco, Costco, Fiesta Foods, etc., Donations are picked up by our volunteers 3 times per week picked up at Albertsons and Walmart of food close to expiration to we can get out to the people before they would have to dispose of it.
Impact on community with over 20,000 volunteer hours by SVdP members and Community.