Strategic Focus on Food
We will kick off the 2025 - 2026 United Way fundraising campaign on September 26 at our annual Celebrate United brunch event. This year, we're cutting into one of the most urgent and widespread issues facing our community today: food security. Too many of our neighbors—working families, children, and seniors—don't know where their next meal will come from.
Our focus on food comes as a result of nearly a year of work on our strategic plan, which began in the form of a survey at Celebrate United 2024. We asked both supporters and other community members to tell us what they saw as the most important issues in Clallam County, and food security was among the biggest concerns. Since that time, we have brought on both the Port Angeles and Sequim Food Banks as Impact Partners, joining Forks Community Food Bank, with whom we've partnered for many years.
This year at Celebrate United, we are thrilled to bring you a panel of food bank leaders to discuss the growing need for nutritious, free, and affordable food in our community, and how we can make it a reality together.
Tickets & Tables on Sale Now!
Friday, September 26 | 11am - 1pm
Red Lion Hotel; 221 N. Lincoln St., Port Angeles
Expert Panel
Emily Dexter, Executive Director, Port Angeles Food Bank
The Port Angeles Food Bank has a simple, yet powerful mission: Nourishing Our Community. The Food Bank's Market is set up like a small grocery store where clients can choose their own fresh produce, meat, dairy, eggs, prepared meals, household items, pet food, and more.
The Mobile Market operates Monday through Friday and brings food bank items to individuals who might not otherwise be able to access them.
The Comfort Cafe is an innovative and healthy alternative for people who are looking for time-saving meal options but want to avoid the preservatives and other unhealthy ingredients in most prepackaged meals. For every meal you purchase at Comfort Café, one meal is donated directly to a local family in need!
Andra Smith, Executive Director, Sequim Food Bank
The Sequim Food Bank's mission is to provide food and assistance to people and organizations so that “No one goes hungry in our community.” The Sequim food bank's main location is a drive thru / walk up format. They provide fresh produce, protein (including butter, milk, eggs, meat, or fish), bread and pastries, boxed food, and pantry items. They may also have baby food, formula, diapers, feminine hygiene products, pet food, and more.
The Welcome Home Food program is specifically for individuals in Port Angeles and Sequim who have recently been discharged from a hospital or medical facility. The Food Bank will deliver pre-made meals (created by a licensed registered dietician) along with fresh, ready to eat ingredients and snacks, to the client's home for the first food weeks after they have been discharged.
The Sequim Food Bank also works to connect clients with overlapping services:
"The Sequim Food Bank didn’t just provide us with groceries; they connected us with other resources we desperately needed. One of the staff members gave us contact information for organizations that could help with our utility bills and phone bill. That support was a lifeline when we didn’t know where else to turn. Their knowledge of other community services and willingness to help us access them made a huge difference in easing the overwhelming financial burden we were facing.”
Pat Soderlind, Executive Director, Forks Community Food Bank
The mission of the Forks Community Food Bank centers on the procurement, storage, and distribution of food to those facing financial hardships. They also provide supplemental food assistance to individuals with limited incomes, helping alleviate food insecurity in our community.
Executive Director Pat Soderlind, is committed to addressing the critical issue of food insecurity in our region. Pat's dedication and advocacy are vital to the Food Bank's mission. She helps oversee the operations, facility upgrades, and community engagement of the food bank, ensuring that it effectively serves those who rely on its support. Pat actively shares data about food insecurity rates in Clallam County, highlighting the ongoing need for the food bank's services.
Growing Food Insecurity
All of these three food banks have experienced increased demand over the past few years.
- In 2024, the Port Angeles Food Bank experienced an increase in demand of approximately 40 percent over the previous year, with nearly 10,000 households receiving assistance. Some 20 percent of those were first-time clients.
- In Washington state overall, some 10 percent of the population faces food insecurity, according to Feeding Washington, a statewide association of Washington food banks. That includes one in seven children. In Clallam County, where Port Angeles is the county seat, the rate is higher, with 15 percent of the population experiencing hunger, including one in four children. (source: WSU Magazine)
- In 2024, the Sequim Food Bank saw a 38% increase in demand for weekend meal bags over the year before.
- The Sequim Food Bank experienced a massive increase in the number of visits between 2023 and 2024: from over 2,000 per month to an average of 1,082 per week.
- The Sequim Food Bank has also seen a 30% increase in need from individuals served, meaning their clients have to get a higher percentage of their groceries from the food bank.