Foundation Grants Will Help Ease Food Crisis in Pacific Northwest - Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

SEATTLE -- In response to increased need, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation today announced $1.4 million in grants that will result in both immediate aid for three Pacific Northwest emergency food relief agencies and long-term improvement of the region’s food assistance infrastructure.

Funds distributed to Food Lifeline, the Oregon Food Bank, and Second Harvest Food Bank of the Inland Northwest will be used to increase the amount of emergency food distributed throughout Western and Eastern Washington, and the Portland, Oregon metropolitan area by more than 23 million pounds over the next several years, which will provide more than 18 million meals to people in need.

“We have a shared responsibility – especially in such tough economic times – to ensure that the most vulnerable among us are able to provide food for their families,” said David Bley, director of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation’s Pacific Northwest Initiative. “By expanding important emergency food relief services, our partners at Food Lifeline, the Oregon Food Bank, and Second Harvest will be able to help more at-risk families weather hardships that otherwise might lead to deeper economic or housing instability.”

Food Lifeline will receive $900,000 to develop a revolving food purchase program, mobile food pantries, and a free shopping center for perishable food items that will serve more than 300 food banks in 17 counties across western Washington.

Second Harvest Food Bank of the Inland Northwest will receive $300,000 to expand the staple items (peanut butter, soups, pasta) in its food purchase program and establish a new food donation program with local farmers.

Oregon Food Bank will receive $200,000:  $100,000 to grow its emergency food purchases in Multnomah, Clackamas, Washington and Clark counties, and $100,000 to increase its capacity to serve limited-income families by moving its regional Washington County distribution center to a larger facility.

Across the Pacific Northwest, food banks are reporting increased demand as thousands of at-risk families seek assistance to address an immediate crisis or preserve enough of their monthly budget to pay for basics like rent, utilities, or medical bills.

The Washington state food distribution system experienced a 15 percent increase in new clients during the first quarter of 2008 and a 28 percent increase in new clients during the second quarter (Washington State Emergency Food Assistance Program, October 2008). In Spokane County, the Second Harvest Food Bank of the Inland Northwest reported a 17 percent increase in food assistance demand since July.  In the same time frame, the Oregon Food Bank experienced a 13 percent increase.

Through its Pacific Northwest initiative, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is committed to supporting local nonprofits that are working to end family homelessness and respond to the emerging needs of at-risk youth and families in our region, and had provided nearly $700 million in funding to date.

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Food Lifeline
Food Lifeline is a non-profit food bank distribution agency working to provide nutritious food to hungry people throughout Western Washington. Each year Food Lifeline rescues and distributes nearly 22 million pounds of food to its network of over 300 food banks, meal programs and shelters, feeding nearly 600,000 hungry people. Food Lifeline is a proud member of Feeding America (formerly known as America's Second Harvest). For more information about Food Lifeline or to make a tax-deductible donation, log onto visit their web site or call 206-545-6600.

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Second Harvest Food Bank of the Inland Northwest
Founded in 1971 as a central warehouse for 13 emergency food pantries in Spokane, Second Harvest is the pioneering organization that leads the fight against hunger in the Inland Northwest. Today, partnerships with more than 300 neighborhood food banks and meal centers make it possible for Second Harvest to provide food to more than 48,000 hungry people each week. Second Harvest's food bank network spans 21 counties in Eastern Washington and five counties in North Idaho – just over 51,000 square miles. Last year, Second Harvest distributed 12.8 million pounds of food throughout its vast service area. Second Harvest’s food helps fill the nutritional gap for people in poverty, the working poor, elderly and disabled people on very low fixed incomes, and children and families in temporary crisis.

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Oregon Food Bank
The Oregon Food Bank Network is the hub of a statewide network of 20 regional food banks working to eliminate hunger and its root causes. Oregon Food Bank equitably distributes food from corporate, community and government sources throughout this network. Regional food banks distribute this food and additional resources from local donations to more than 915 programs serving low-income people in their communities. Sixteen of these regional food banks are independent nonprofit organizations. The other four are operated directly by Oregon Food Bank.