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Food Lifeline 

Description

Food Lifeline feeds hungry people. We stock the shelves and fill the tables of 275 food banks, meal programs and shelters throughout Western Washington. We distribute 36 million pounds of nutritious food secured from restaurants, grocery stores, farmers and manufacturers to feed 745,000 of our hungry neighbors every year. No other nonprofit organization is more efficient, effective or innovative in creating real solutions that will one day end hunger in Western Washington.

Mission Statement
To end hunger in Western Washington by engaging communities and mobilizing resources.
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Food Lifeline
1702 NE 150th St 
Shoreline 
WA
98155-7226 
(206) 432-3616 

Linda Nageotte 
President & CEO 

Programs

Food Lifeline Programs

Hunger and poor nutrition contribute to health problems and hinder the viability of people of all ages. To address this, Food Lifeline takes an entrepreneurial approach to program development, creating programs that are innovative, designed to bring more resources to people in need and help build capacity to local agencies. Our programs help feed the people standing in line at the neighborhood food bank or meal program, connect our member agencies with resources to help shorten their lines and put strategies in place that prevent people from getting into line in the first place. Over 1 in 3 people served by Food Lifeline are children (261,742) and 95% of the food we distribute is donated.

Currently, 40% of the food produced in this country is going to waste-enough to feed every hungry person in the nation twice over. Food Lifeline’s Seattle’s Table and Grocery Rescue programs rescue nutritious, unmarketable food like produce, meat, dairy items and prepared food from grocery retailers and hospitality donors that would go otherwise go to waste and use it to feed hungry people. These programs are a significant and innovative part of the solution and provide an important stream of healthy, fresh foods to our member agencies.

The solution to hunger also requires education, outreach, and the commitment of elected officials and policymakers at all levels. Food Lifeline educates the public about hunger and advocates for positive change.

Recent Successes and Current Challenges

To impact childhood hunger, we launched our Kids Café program. Kids Café is a summer and after-school meal program that delivers nutritious snacks and meals directly to children in underserved regions of our service area. The food includes a healthy variety of kid friendly items. We currently partner with Volunteers of America and the Boys & Girls Club, two nonprofits that provide direct services to kids. Last year, our summer program provided over 900 meals. Since our afterschool program began in December 2012, we have provided 2,574 snacks and 3,075 meals to children in need. Our goal for the coming year is to distribute 10,000 snacks and meals to 100 children through the summer program and distribute 63,000 snacks and meals to 300 children through our afterschool program.

We are also working to increase the fresh food supply available in rural communities. In July 2013, we will launch our Mobile Food Pantry, an innovative new program to distribute a wide variety of nutritious perishable food to underserved rural communities that do not have regular access to fresh food. The program will begin in Cowlitz County, an area with one of the highest rates of food insecurity in our service area, and then will expand to Whatcom County. We project that we will distribute over 60,000 pounds of food to 2,000 people over a 12-month period.

Your investment in Food Lifeline will support all of our programs and each $1 you invest provides a full day of meals for someone in need.

Evaluation


Food Lifeline fills the service gap in basic needs by providing thousands of hungry and vulnerable community members in Western Washington with access to nutritious food that they cannot afford on limited budgets.

Collaboration
Food Lifeline recently joined with peer organization Second Harvest to form Feeding Washington, a statewide, independent 501(c)(3) organization. Leaders from both agencies serve on the board of directors, and have hired a fourth generation farmer and advocate as the new executive director.  By establishing a statewide association, Washington will be eligible for multiple forms of new Feeding America funds and support.  This includes a full time produce solicitor, paid for by Feeding America.

Proven Success
As the largest hunger-relief food distributor in Washington State, Food Lifeline ensures more than 750,000 of our low-income community members have access to more than 27 million nutritious meals a year. They accomplish this by operating a variety of innovative food recovery programs including: recovering unmarketable but edible food from grocery stores (Grocery Rescue); collecting food from local restaurants and caterers and delivering it directly to meal programs (Seattle’s Table); collects fresh produce from local wholesalers (Produce for the People); purchasing bulk quantities of high-quality products at a significantly discounted price to offer to agencies for a minimal fee (Order Up!); and connecting food banks and meal providers with large-scale food manufacturers and wholesalers (Full Plate).

Use of Best Practices
Food Lifeline provides its member organizations with ongoing training, support, and technical assistance.  By doing so, Food Lifeline supports the professional and efficient operation of food banks and meal programs on the ground, additionally creating efficiencies across the sector.

Grant History with The Seattle Foundation:

Grants Awarded through The Seattle Foundation Grantmaking Program:

DateAmountPurpose
3/10/2013 $20,000.00provide general operating support.
3/10/2012 $25,000.00support general operating expenses.
3/10/2011 $20,000.00support general operating expenses.
6/10/2010 $50,000.00support general operating expenses.
6/26/2008 $75,000.00support general operating expenses.
6/21/2006 $75,000.00support general operating expenses, equipment purchase, and facility renovation.
12/18/2003 $25,000.00support construction of a Volunteer Training Center.

Financials

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