Feed Washington Distributes 71,788 Ounces of Formula to the Snohomish Community Food Bank!

Posted on January 25, 2012 by admin

When I started Feed Washington in 2003, a driving force was my desire to feed those who cannot feed themselves. Our most recent distribution of baby formula to the Snohomish Community Food Bank (SCFB), and its Food 2 Go program, is a perfect example of Feed Washington’s mission. Food 2 Go provides food to homeless teens and their babies.

While it can be easy to judge these teen mothers and fathers for their reckless behavior, it is impossible for most of us to understand the circumstances that have brought them to their current situation. Regardless, we can’t turn our backs on them or their babies. These babies didn’t choose their lot and, of course, can’t feed themselves. Without proper nourishment, their brains and bodies may not develop properly, thereby putting even more strain on themselves, their parents, and society in the future.

Elizabeth Grant, Executive Director of SCFB, describes the lives of these teens in this way: “Many of the students will live outside when the weather permits, but when it doesn’t, these kids will couch surf to and from friends’ houses. One left home because his parents are drug abusers and he chooses not to live that life. Impressive. Seven young ladies were kicked out when they became pregnant, so we feed the child and the child’s child. It is a heart-breaking problem, and I am so fortunate to be able to be a part of the solution.”

Feed Washington’s delivery of over 70,000 fluid ounces of formula to SCFB will ensure the babies of these homeless teens will, for many months to come, be properly fed. By providing an abundant supply of baby formula we eliminate the risk that the teens will make poor choices such as thinning the formula to save money, or simply not buying formula at all.

Feed Washington, with your help, is fulfilling its mission of providing nourishing food to the most helpless in our State. Please consider sharing this story with your friends and family. One person at a time, and one dollar at a time, we are making a difference.

Thanks again for your continued support!

Eirik Olsen, President/Founder

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Make a Resolution to Help End Childhood Hunger

Posted on January 16, 2012 by admin

While most people commit to making a fresh start in the New Year, too many hungry children in Washington will still go to bed with an empty stomach.

Economic uncertainty and the rising cost of living have more and more families facing food insecurity. Many of these families are just barely ineligible for Washington State’s Basic Food Program (food stamps), yet they still struggle to put food on the table.  And of those that do qualify, approximately 1/3 won’t take advantage of it, often because they either don’t know they qualify or because the assistance amount itself is so low (the average is only $1.04 per person per meal), they don’t see it being worth the social stigma.

The result?

* More than 400,000 of Washington’s children will go hungry on a regular basis
* Our local food banks are increasingly overwhelmed and undersupplied
* Families often have to choose critical necessities (rent or mortgage) over buying food
* The food that is available typically lacks the nutritional value necessary for healthy childhood development

Yes, childhood hunger is a growing problem – but it’s an easy problem to solve.  And, helping to end childhood hunger in Washington is one of the easiest resolutions you can make.  All it takes is a simple, recurring monthly donation of $10, $5 or even $1. Any amount will help.

Feed Washington is a true non-profit that works with other non-profits, community programs and emergency food providers to put every penny of every donation to work feeding hungry children in Washington.  You probably won’t even notice the difference on your credit card, but it will make a difference to a hungry child.  Help end childhood hunger in the New Year. Donate today.

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Join the Fight to End Childhood Hunger this Holiday Season

Posted on December 20, 2011 by admin

Childhood hunger is a growing problem and over 400,000 children in Washington State go hungry every day. The recession has made a deep mark on Washington families and the number of hungry households has grown nearly 100 percent from 2008. We now rank the 11th hungriest state in the nation.

Feed Washington is committed to fighting hunger in our state. We have successfully provided 12,000 meals and 140,114 fluid ounces of baby formula to families in need this year. We couldn’t do this without our generous donors.

This holiday season give a gift that gives back. Nutritious food is the best Christmas gift many Americans could ever hope for. We ask that you get involved and set up a small recurring donation and contribute to the successes of Feed Washington donors.

Let’s help our state’s kids start the New Year off with their basic necessities taken care of. Eradicating childhood hunger doesn’t require finding a cure. The solution, as we all know, lies simply in applying money to the purchase and distribution of food. Since our State’s hungry kids can’t feed themselves, it is our responsibility to help them until they can. Please join us in ending childhood hunger.

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Feed Washington Distributes 83,840 Fluid Ounces of Formula to St. Leo’s Food Bank!

Posted on November 18, 2011 by admin

Hungry children in Washington come in all ages, and the most vulnerable are infants and babies. Your generosity has just made it possible for Feed Washington to donate 320 cans (83,840 fluid ounces) of infant formula to St. Leo’s Food Connection Food Bank in Tacoma.

Serving all of Pierce County for nearly 30 years, the Food Connection is a designated infant feeding site that works hard to supply families in need with infant formula and baby food.  According to Kevin Glackin-Coley, the Director of St. Leo’s Food Connection, “Baby formula is rarely donated and is expensive to purchase; we struggle to have enough on hand.”

With the holidays fast approaching, the need becomes even more poignant as the Food Connection’s stores of infant formula dwindle.  “The donation from Feed Washington is an unexpected and gratefully appreciated blessing, coming as it does at the time of year when our client numbers always increase,” says Glackin-Coley.

To everyone who made this possible – thank you. Again, your donation resulted in a massive distribution of 83,840 fluid ounces of formula that will end up in the bellies of some of our State’s most vulnerable and hungry children.

If you’re new to Feed Washington, or the fight against hunger, we’re asking you to commit to a small, recurring credit card donation in whatever amount you won’t notice on your monthly statement. Whether it’s $1, $5, or more, every dollar counts. Please join us by donating today.

Thanks again for your continued support!

Eirik Olsen, President/Founder

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Childhood Hunger Continues to Rise – Help us Feed Children

Posted on October 19, 2011 by admin

Every parent knows that a hungry child is a disadvantaged child. Without proper nutrition he can’t grow and learn like other kids. She complains of headaches, stomachaches and other ailments. He can’t seem to get along with other kids or focus in school. Children who are poorly nourished suffer up to 160 days of illness each year. Poor nutrition plays a role in at least half of the 10.9 million child deaths each year-five million deaths.

It doesn’t have to be this way. We all have a responsibility –  a responsibility to care for one another and make sure that those less fortunate get the food they need.

Nationally, 23.2 percent of American children live in households that struggle to put nutritious food on the table every day. Washington’s ranking among the states for childhood hunger continues to rise each year. In 2010, our state ranked 13th out of 50.

The issues these children face can be complex; the solution to their hunger is not: Feed children three nutritious meals each and every day. We cannot allow children in our community to go hungry – it must become a top priority for all of us to come together to solve this challenge.

Feed Washington is a true non-profit relief organization that’s dedicated to feeding hungry children in Washington.  No matter how large or small your contribution, you can help us end childhood hunger in our State and give hungry Washington children a chance at a real future.

Please donate today.

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30 Ways in 30 Days to End Hunger in Washington

Posted on September 1, 2011 by admin

Hunger Action Month is here and Feed Washington is teaming up with organizations across the country to increase awareness and help end childhood hunger. The entire nation is getting involved and participating in the 30 Ways in 30 Days to end hunger. Here are some of the ways YOU can get involved:

Sept. 1st – Organize a neighborhood food drive.  You can set bags out in your community and pick up the food later. Donate to your local Food Bank.

Sept. 2nd – “Like” Feed Washington and post a comment on our Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/FeedWashington.

Sept. 3rd – Go to the Cheesecake Factory! The Cheesecake Factory will donate $0.25 per slice of their NEW Hershey’s Chocolate Bar Cheesecake to Feeding America (our national association of food banks.) The program will run from September 1, 2011 through August 31, 2012.

Sept. 4th – Have a dinner party and invite friends.  Instead of a hostess gift or a bottle of wine, ask your friends to make a donation to Feed Washington.  You could even collect food or donations at the dinner party to donate to your local food bank.

Sept. 5th – Tweet/Blog/Post on social media about Hunger Action Month. “Like and Share” Hunger Action Month status posts on the Feed Washington Facebook page.

Sept. 6th – Share your lunch money! Encourage your employees or co-workers to bring their lunch to work on a specific day and donate the value of an average lunch to Feed Washington.

Sept. 7th – Serve a Meal!  Find out how you can help serve a meal at a local shelter or community kitchen.

Sept. 8th – Join your state legislators from north Seattle, Shoreline, and Bothell on September 8th to help Food Lifeline end hunger in our communities! Which district can repack, sort and process the most food to fill the shelves of our local food banks? They need your help! Lend a hand on the sorting line at Food Lifeline’s Volunteer Action Center from 1:30-4 p.m. at 1702 NE 150th Street in Shoreline.

Sept. 9th – Email your state lawmakers and let them know you believe everyone should have access to the food they need to reach their full potential.

Sept. 10th – Help your kids have a lemonade stand or bake sale. Donate funds to Feed Washington.

Sept. 11th – Color and share! Talk you’re your kids about the realities of childhood hunger for those less fortunate. Download this coloring page.

Sept. 12th – Set an empty plate at your table.  For your next family dinner (or for a week of family dinners), set an extra place at your table – and leave the plate empty. Let this be a reminder to everyone at the table that while you are fortunate to have the food you need, there are those going hungry and those who are at risk for hunger, and now is the time to take action and help others fill their empty plates.

Sept. 13th – Register for the Hunger Walk – Sunday, October 2, 1 p.m., starts at the Alki U.C.C. and continues along the water on Alki Beach.

Sept. 14th – Give a little during Hunger Action Month! For every $1 donated 1.5 meals are generated for hungry kids in Washington.

Sept. 15th – Read a book about hunger to your children. Some great books are: A Kids’ Guide to Hunger & Homelessness: How to Take Action! by Cathryn Berger Kaye; Uncle Willie and the Soup Kitchen (Reading Rainbow Book) by Dyanne Disalvo-Ryan; Beatrice’s Goat by Page McBrier;  The Peace Book by Todd Parr and Stone Soup by Marcia Brow

Sept. 16th – Give up an “indulgence” and donate what you would have spent to Feed Washington.

Sept. 17th – Host a different kind of “food fight.” Throw a party and challenge friends to build a structure of cans they furnish, and then give prizes for the “Tallest Tower,” “Most Creative,” etc. Donate the cans to a local food bank.

Sept. 18th – Volunteer with your family at a local food bank.

Sept. 19th – See if your employer will match employee donations to Feed Washington for Hunger Action Month.

Sept. 20th – Tell your friends about Feed Washington! Like and Share our Facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/FeedWashington.

Sept. 21st – Pick up some blank t-shirts, and some iron-on letters, fabric paint or other decorative materials. Use these to design your own T-shirt with facts about hunger, such as “Hunger is a reality for nearly 1 in 4 American children” or “September is Hunger Action Month” or “30 Ways in 30 Days: Fight Hunger this September.” Wear your shirts with pride to promote Hunger Action Month!

Sept. 22nd – “Like” Feed Washington and post a comment on our Facebook page.

Sept. 23rd – Sign up to be a monthly donor at Feed Washington!

Sept. 24th – Mayor’s Day of Concern For the Hungry – Saturday, September 24, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m., at the Metropolitan Market on Admiral Way. Please come support feeding your hungry neighbors in need by stopping by and donating food or funds to the West Seattle Bank. Our volunteers will be at Metropolitan market throughout the day taking donations and raising awareness about hunger in our community.

Sept. 25th – Organize a food drive at your office to donate to a local food bank

Sept. 26th – Volunteer at a local food kitchen.

Sept. 27th – Ask your favorite restaurant if they would donate a part of one day’s sales to Feed Washington.

Sept. 28th – Visit select Panera Bread stores in Western Washington and donate to Food Lifeline. As a part of “Operation Dough-Nation” Panera will match 10¢ of every $1 donated.

Sept. 29th – Open a “Feel Good Checking” Bank Account with Seattle Metropolitan Credit Union. SMCU donates $20 to Food Lifeline for each account opened, which is enough to provide food for 60 meals.

Sept. 30th – Participate in Dress Down Hunger – Food Lifeline’s Fundraiser in the Warehouse.

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Hunger Can Steal a Child’s Future

Posted on August 22, 2011 by admin

Starvation affects more than children’s immediate physical development – it impacts their future.

Research has shown that hungry children develop behavioral problems and social disorders, particularly between the ages of 6 and 16.  Yet it’s during these critical years that children develop the bulk of their social skills, emotional maturity and fundamental education.

However, while hungry children are being held to the same standard as those who benefit from regular meals, they’re not given the nutrition they need meet these even basic expectations.  Studies show that almost 20 percent of Washington children under the age of 18 live in poverty. (Food Research and Action Center).

Instead of focusing on their schoolwork, they act out. Good grades and manners take a backseat to the fact that they don’t where their next meal is coming from. And what many people perceive as behavioral problems may simply be lack of food.

Recent studies also show that hungry children are:

* More aggressive
* Hyperactive
* Less likely to get along with classmates
* At greater risk of illnesses that require hospitalization

They suffer from impaired cognitive functioning and diminished learning capacities, which means lower test scores and a limited chance of finishing their education much less going on to earn a degree.

Skip lunch one day.  The next day, skip lunch and dinner.  Then imagine going without a decent meal at all, for several days. How well should you be expected to function?

These are not bad children – they’re hungry children in our own backyard.  And we all have the power to feed them.  Feed Washington is a true non-profit relief organization that’s dedicated to feeding hungry children in Washington.  No matter how large or small your contribution, you can help us end childhood hunger in our State and give hungry Washington children a chance at a real future.

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Teaming Up to Feed Hungry Children in Washington

Posted on August 10, 2011 by admin

Hungry ChildrenFeed Washington Donors and Friends,

Thanks to your generous support, we’ve just been able to donate more than $2,000 to the Southwest Boys & Girls Club, an organization committed to feeding the hungry children in its afterschool dinner program.

Every weekday, the Club provides a warm, well-balanced dinner to between 80 and 100 hungry children, ages 5 to 18 years.  Over 80% of the Club’s attending children are on a free or reduced lunch plan when they’re in school.  However, during the summer months when school is out, it becomes even harder to make sure these children have more than one solid meal to count on each day.

And as the Club serves one of the poorest neighborhoods in the Seattle area, the need is even greater.  That’s why the Club stretches its resources to also offer a nutritious breakfast of whole grain cereal and a fresh fruit during these leaner, more uncertain months.

Here’s the good news.  For every $1 donated, the Club can generate a meal and a half, which means they’ll be able to turn the $2,000 donation into approximately 3,000 meals for children in need who would likely otherwise go without.

Hungry Children in WashingtonJust think about it.  That’s 3,000 meals.  To those of you whose charitable donations made it possible – thank you.

To those of you just joining the fight, it’s not too late to help end hunger for Washington children in need.  There are too many hungry children in our State, and we’re asking those adults who aren’t hungry to commit to a small recurring credit card donation in an amount they won’t even notice on their monthly bill.  Whether it’s $1, $5 or $50 – the individual amount doesn’t matter. It’s the collective impact of your charitable donations that’s important.

Please join us.  Every penny goes towards feed hungry children. Donate today.

Thanks again for your continued support!

Eirik

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Join the Fight to End Hunger in Washington

Posted on August 4, 2011 by admin

September marks Hunger Action Month and national nonprofit Feeding America is calling upon individuals and communities to get involved in the fight against hunger.

During the month of September, more than 200 food banks across the nation are asking people to lend a hand. A few of our local food banks involved are Food Lifeline and Second Harvest Inland Northwest.

Local events are being planned throughout the month to help raise awareness about hunger in America and Feed Washington will be promoting local events so check back often to see how you can get involved.

How Can You Help?

- Write a letter to elected officials about hunger and the legislation that is important to you.
- Organize a food drive at your office to donate to a local food bank
- Send donations to food bank programs equipped to feed children and senior citizens

As September gets closer Feed Washington will share ideas so that you can participate in the 30 Ways in 30 Days that you can help end hunger in Washington!

Anxious to get started?

- Follow us on Facebook and Twitter

- Help your kids have a lemonade stand and donate funds to Feed Washington

- Ask your favorite restaurant to donate one day’s sales to Feed Washington

- Sign up to be a monthly donor at Feed Washington!

Feed Washington believes it is the responsibility of all non-hungry adults in Washington to eradicate childhood hunger in our State. We ask those adults who aren’t hungry to commit to a small recurring credit card donation in an amount they won’t notice on their monthly credit card bill. Maybe for you it’s $1, $5 or $50. The individual amount doesn’t matter; it’s the collective impact that is important.

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The Importance of Good Nutrition

Posted on July 14, 2011 by admin

In the first three years of a child’s life, good nutrition is essential in establishing and maintaining a foundation that has implications on a child’s future physical and mental health as well as academic achievement.

Insufficient nutrition puts children at risk for illness and weakens their immune system. The immature immune systems of young children ages 0 – 5, make them especially vulnerable to nutritional deprivation and as a result, the ability to learn, grow, and fight infections is adversely affected.

Without proper nutrition children are at risk for poor health and hospitalization. The lack of adequate nutrition affects the cognitive and behavioral development of children. These hungry children often suffer from irritability, fatigue and difficulty concentrating.

The impact this has on a child’s health is astounding. Research shows that food insecurity is associated with the following:

- grade repetition
- absenteeism
- tardiness
- anxiety
- aggression
- poor mathematics scores
- psychosocial dysfunction
- difficulty with social interaction among 6 to 12 year old children
- suicide and depressive disorders among 15 to 16 year old children

Feed Washington is a relief organization in Washington that strives to end hunger in our state. Your charitable donations benefit hungry children in Washington. For more information and to get involved please consider a small monthly donation. The individual amount doesn’t matter; it’s the collective impact that is important.

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