VASHON FOOD BANK

New facility will serve islanders

Karen Biondo and I recently toured both the current and future Vashon Maury Community Food Bank locations with Executive Director Emily Scott and Minta Crafts, the capital campaign manager. We wanted to see how the food bank will grow to meet the critical need for food support in our community. It was an eye-opening and exciting experience.

The current Food Bank does a remarkable job serving our community, especially considering the age and generally failing state of the old buildings at Sunrise Ridge. It is a compliment to the food bank staff and volunteers that they provide a bright, well stocked space and friendly, positive experience for more than 300 households each week.

After that eyeful, we drove to the site of the new food bank facility — the Vashon Island Methodist Church. The food bank will take over the education building to provide room for offices, meeting rooms and an indoor waiting area for customers. The new structure, to be built behind the church sanctuary, will house the food bank. There will be a dock for unloading trucks, room for a small forklift to move pallets of donated and purchased food, ADA-level restrooms, and a light, bright shopping area.

I was struck by the efficient use of space, the partnership between the church and the food bank, and most importantly, the food bank’s commitment to build a facility that will ensure that they can continue to feed islanders in a safe, accessible and dignified way.

The food bank is an important island resource and a necessary part of a caring and inclusive community. Understanding the critical function the food bank serves on our island and the way this new facility will enable it to meet current and future needs is something we should all know about, be excited about and support.

We encourage every islander to take advantage of the tours that the food bank is offering. Email Minta (minta@vashonfoodbank.org) or call 206-463-6332 to reserve your spot.

Karen Biondo and Merrilee Runyan