The Ballard Food Bank is one of many food banks in the state facing shortages due to COVID-19, so they’re asking for help sourcing some essential items.
“Overall with COVID it is becoming more difficult to source food whether we are recovering from a grocery store or trying to purchase on our own,” Ballard Food Bank Director of Development & Communications
Colleen Martinson tells My Ballard.Â
Typically, the Ballard Food Bank recovers food from grocery stores, receives donations from Food Lifeline and NW Harvest, and purchases food from various sources. But given the pandemic, recovering groceries from stores has been challenging, Martinson says, “especially as everyone needs to stock their pantries and stores are also figuring out how best to keep their shelves stocked. Some of those items that we all keep in our pantries have been harder to come by.”
The food bank temporarily closed their drop-off donations while they were implementing new drive-thru hours, but because they have an urgent need for specific items, they’re now accepting donations again. They have an Amazon Wishlist for donations, and here’s a list of the essentials needed:
- Soups and chili
- Peanut butter
- Mac and cheese
- Canned tuna, chicken or salmon
- Top Ramen or Cup a Noodles
- Individual oatmeal packets
- Individual cereal packets
The drive-thru pickups are operating out of the Mox parking lot, and they’re asking donors to go through the Ballard Food Bank parking lot during preferred drop-off hours (below).
- Monday: 8:00 am – 12:00 pm
- Tuesday 8:00 am – 10:30 am
- Wednesday 8:00 am – 10:30 am
- Thursday 8:00 am – 12:00 pm
To address statewide food bank shortages, Gov. Jay Inslee announced a new initiative to raise money for food-assistance programs in Washington. The WA Food Fund will provide direct financial assistance to Second Harvest, Food Lifeline, and NW Harvest, all of which supply food banks across the state. The best way to support the Ballard Food Bank right now is to donate directly to the organization, which you can do here.
To stay updated on the Ballard Food Bank’s current needs and information about donations or accessing food for your family, click here.