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Sunday, November 30, 2025 | Special Advertising Section 32Food banks across King County arepartnering with local couriers and volunteers to reach people who can%u2019tcome in person %u2014 especially olderadults, people with disabilities and families juggling multiple jobs.One of the organizations leading this effort is United Way of KingCounty, which has completed morethan 900,000 deliveries through partnerships with DoorDash, Amazonand dozens of King County food banks. This year, United Way is serving anaverage of 4,000 households a week, with one-third of those householdsreceiving foods that are specific to theircultures and backgrounds.Residents sign up for deliveriesthrough United Way and are matchedwith a nearby food bank. Volunteersand delivery drivers handle the lastmile, ensuring no one goes hungry because they can%u2019t leave home. Theprogram has no eligibility requirements;individuals can participate regardlessof income, participation in otherprograms, or citizenship.%u201cOur home grocery delivery work isincredible,%u201d says Elsa Young, UnitedWay Food Security Impact Manager.%u201cIt makes a world of difference for thepeople who receive the deliveries.%u201d The deliveries have made adifference for local residents like Juliet,who says that she has been using theservice for nearly five years. %u201cI have no transportation to get anywhere,%u201d Julietsays. %u201cI'm 60 years old, with a disabilityand no vehicle. All the help I can getright now is wonderful.\Crystal, a single mother with a oneyear-old son, says that this year she willuse items from the delivery program to prepare her Thanksgiving meal.%u201cI pretty much have everything now except for maybe the turkey and some pie,%u201d Crystal says. %u201cI was so excited tosee the ingredients for green bean casserole with gravy, and the cheeseand milk is super helpful for me, too.%u201dUnited Way%u2019s Home Grocery Deliveryprogram works in partnership with localcommunity advocate Nora Chan, who provides free boxes of groceries eachweek to more than 100 seniors living in Seattle%u2019s International District.%u201cMost of these seniors are over theage of 75,%u201d Chan says. %u201cThey don%u2019tspeak English, and they live alone. Most use a cane or a walker, and SPONSORED CONTENTPROVIDED BY UNITED WAY OF KING COUNTYIf you see fresh produce or hot meals being delivered in your neighborhood, don%u2019t be surprised to learn that theorder came from a local food bank,not a pizza parlor or supermarket. Nonprofits are changing the way theymake food available to people in need,delivering free items to people door-todoor in the same way that merchantscourier purchased products to theircustomers.The practice began during theCOVID-19 pandemic, when foodprices skyrocketed but shelter-inplace measures made it challengingfor folks to visit their local food banks. Today, home grocery delivery hasevolved from a crisis response into along-term solution, offering everythingfrom fruits and vegetables to meatsto nonperishables, even pet food andtoiletries.Home grocery deliveries have beena long-overdue godsend for people with disabilities, residents of so-calledfood deserts, those with transportationissues and folks who grapple with thestigma and shame of depending onfood banks to make ends meet.Neighbors helping neighbors: The door-to-door fight against hungerAt United Way, we build an equitable future, ensuringeveryone in our community has access to housing, food security,educational opportunities andfinancial stability. Unite with us! Learn more at uwkc.org.The need for home grocery deliveries is likely to grow, as cuts to federal nutritionassistance programs like SNAP and WIC will create greater need for resources provided by food banks. (Getty Images)Food banks across King County are partnering with local couriers and volunteers to reach people who can%u2019t come in person %u2014 especially older adults, people withdisabilities and families juggling multiple jobs. (Getty Images)carrying groceries is very difficult forthem. They cannot go to the food bank themselves.%u201dThe need for home grocery deliveries is likely to grow, as cuts to federalnutrition assistance programs like SNAP and WIC will create greaterneed for resources provided by foodbanks. Whether by packing boxes,volunteering as a driver, or contributingfunds, neighbors are finding new waysto ensure everyone has enough to eat, no matter where they live.%u201cWe cannot afford to let people gowithout food resources. It doesn't feellike something we can sacrifice as acommunity.%u201d Young says. %u201cAt United Way we work with King County foodbanks to make sure they have all theresources they need, whether that%u2019s food or funding or staffing.%u201d