GivingGuide2019

SUNDAY, APRIL 28, 2019 | Special Advertising Section 1 R 6 Northwest Harvest is just weeks away from opening Seattle’s newest food bank. In late spring, Northwest Harvest’s SODO Community Market will open to the public, replacing Cherry Street Food Bank. This is a monumental change for Northwest Harvest, for the city of Seattle, and for everyone in the community who has come through our food bank doors over the past 36 years looking for a safe, inviting place to pack up a cart, backpack, or shopping bag with fresh produce, grains, and proteins to take back and share with their families. Those coming to SODO Community Market will find a warm and welcoming grocery store experience that’s relentlessly focused on dignity for everyone who walks through the doors. This is the future of food banking — creating community together, while doing away with outdated stigmatizing phrases and concepts such as “feeding the needy” or “helping the hungry.” SODO Community Market includes a new, inviting marketplace experience, as well as a much-needed community meeting space. As we embark on our new phase of building community, we invite you to join us in this opportunity to deepen relationships and generate a welcomed source of nourishment for all. Though our address is changing, the heart and soul of our community continues to be our volunteers, advocates, donors, and the people we serve. Many of you have been a part of our community for decades. You volunteer your time in packing grains, handing out local produce, or making fresh sandwiches. You donate nutritious food — either by the bagful or by the truckful. You make generous financial gifts of all sizes to support our mission. You come to pick up much-needed groceries for you and your family. And we are incredibly grateful for all you do to make our community a better, kinder, and healthier place. Please consider Giving BIG to Northwest Harvest today. Your donation will make such a difference in the lives of those who suffer from food insecurity by helping stock the shelves of SODO Community Market and food banks all across the state with fresh, healthy food. Your GiveBIG gift today helps ensure Northwest Harvest can continue providing equitable access to nutritious food for all our Washington neighbors. GROWING FOOD JUSTICE ACROSS WASHINGTON Every day, this region sees the growing divide between rich and poor. The Seattle metro region now ranks third on our nation’s list of “most inequitable” urban areas. And while the face of this inequity is Seattle’s homeless population, the bigger truth goes much deeper than most know or are willing to acknowledge. People across the whole state are hurting. Each day, Northwest Harvest steps up and steps forward to stand with communities who experience discrimination and inequality. In addition to making sure that those who suffer from hunger have access to nutritious food, we aim to shift public opinion, as well as impact institutional policies and societal practices that perpetuate hunger, poverty, and disparities here at home. As an agency that serves all of Washington, Northwest Harvest has become a beacon of hope and tolerance. A place where culturally relevant food is accompanied by appreciation, respect, and warmth — where food is designated as a basic right for all our neighbors. And where everyone has a choice in the food they wish to bring home and enjoy with their families. Until this is a reality, any sense of equity or justice will be unrealized. We ask you to GiveBIG today. With your financial support, we can focus on providing food today, and eliminating hunger tomorrow. Help Northwest Harvest build our community’s newest food bank By guest author, Northwest Harvest PROVIDED BY NORTHWEST HARVEST Northwest Harvest supports Washington’s network of 375 food banks, meal programs, and schools. In addition to making sure those suffering from hunger have access to healthy food, we aim to impact policies and practices that perpetuate hunger and poverty. More information is available at Northwestharvest.org. All will be welcomed at Northwest Harvest’s SODO Community Market, housing Seattle’s newest food bank and community hub, located on 4th Avenue South and South Holgate Street. Doors open later this spring. Those coming to Northwest Harvest’s SODO Community Market will find a warm, welcoming grocery store experience — focused on dignity for everyone who walks through the doors.