Make it Your Family’s Quarterly Commitment
The statistics are devastating: 1 in 7 Americans struggle with hunger, and about a third are children.
Hunger affects nearly every aspect of life, even beyond the immediate and obvious effects on physical health. It makes it difficult for children to concentrate in school, and for adults to maintain adequate job performance. In Issaquah, where our community is viewed as seemingly affluent, the need is hidden – more than 9,700 people live in poverty and 16,500 people are food insecure.
This is where you come in!
The Issaquah Sammamish Food Project is a program that supports the Issaquah Food and Clothing Bank. It’s an easy way to give back, and it makes a significant impact to address food insecurity in our community. The Food Project is coordinated by one of the Issaquah Highlands volunteer neighborhood coordinators, Susan Super. (She also happens to be my mom, so I’m very proud to support this effort.)
Here’s how it works:
Every two months, the Issaquah Food & Clothing Bank provides a list of non-perishable food items needed for their shelves. Neighbors fill one (or more) green tote bags of the needed items (just grab an extra item or two while doing your own shopping). It’s a great way to involve your kids as well.
On the designated day, you leave the green tote bag on your front porch, and the neighborhood coordinator picks up your bag, leaving an empty green bag and list for the next pick-up (two months later). The neighborhood coordinator brings the bags to the Issaquah Food and Clothing Bank. Each filled green tote bag is estimated to provide ten meals to the community’s residents who are food insecure. It’s that easy!
The Food Project is looking for volunteers to serve as neighborhood coordinators! Simply recruit 5-10 neighbors in your community to participate with you as donors, supply them with the green tote bags and lists, and send a reminder prior to the porch pick-up.
Questions? We’ll hold an online informational session on April 23 at 6:30 p.m. with representatives from the Food Project and the Issaquah Food and Clothing Bank. Join us via the link HERE to learn more about the program and how you can get involved.
The next Food Project collection date is June 13. As a community, we can help provide what is needed! Visit issaquahsammamishfoodproject.org for more information.
We hope to see the neighborhood filled with green tote bags full of food items soon!
Urgent Needs! Find out how you can help the Issaquah Food and Clothing Bank and other local non-profits during this time of crisis on our website at issaquahhighlands.com/volunteer.
Photo: Issaquah Highlands kids participate in the Food Project.
