From the Sequim Food Bank: Summer at food bank means local bounty, help for kids home from school

Published 1:30 am Wednesday, June 10, 2026

When I became executive director of the Sequim Food Bank in February, I made a commitment to myself: as soon as I got my feet under me, I was going to get back outside. Back to talking with visitors. Back to talking with volunteers. Back to the distribution line.

That’s partly because those conversations are one of my favorite parts of the job, but also because I’ve long understood that direct experience is better than assumptions. The best decisions don’t come from sitting behind a desk wondering what people need; they come from experiencing what’s happening in the moment.

Recently, I had a chance to catch up with a visitor whose story was featured in the Sequim Gazette’s “From Hunger to Hope” series. She told me about picking up a prescription when the pharmacist recognized her story and thanked her for sharing it. A stranger, moved enough to say something. That small moment stayed with me. “It really means a lot to me just how supportive everyone has been,” she said.

For many people, it takes courage to come to the food bank for the first time. One of the things I hope people take away from her willingness to share her story is that needing food assistance is not a personal failure. It’s simply one of the many ways we help one another through a difficult time. If we’re lucky, all of us will spend our lives doing both — giving help and receiving it.

I was reminded of that again in another recent conversation. A visitor I have known since my days as a traffic volunteer and then as Community Engagement coordinator was excitedly telling me about moving into a rental home. Raising children on a single income has not been easy, and the food bank has helped make that possible. Hearing his excitement was a lovely reminder of the impact this work has for so many in our community.

The reality is that many expenses don’t have ongoing assistance attached to them — rent, gas, school supplies, car repairs, childcare, healthcare. Families are constantly making difficult choices about where limited dollars need to go. When a family can get help with groceries, it frees up resources for all those other necessities. That’s good for the family, and it’s good for the community. It helps people stay housed, stay employed, and keep participating in the local economy.

As we head into summer, economic pressures increase. Children who receive meals at school are suddenly home for breakfast, lunch, and snacks. Grocery bills soar. That’s why we continue our Weekend Meal Bags program through the summer. Reach out to us if you’d like to learn about distribution sites during the school holidays.

We also want families to know that the Sequim Food Bank is here through the summer months. There are families who may not need us during the school year, but a little extra support in summer can make the difference in not falling behind on other bills. If that’s you, we’re here — come see us!

The season also brings beautiful local bounty. We’re receiving wonderful produce from local farms. Visitors are taking home plant starts to grow their own food. Gardeners throughout the community are sharing extra vegetables. More and more, we’re finding ways to support local farms while increasing access to fresh food.

It’s one of the things I love most about this community — people finding ways to help from every direction. A farmer donates extra produce. A volunteer gleans a field. A gardener drops off zucchini. A food bank visitor becomes a volunteer. A visitor shares a story that helps someone else feel less alone.

In a world of growing uncertainty, reaching out to connect with and assist our neighbors is how we build resilience, right here in our own community. Getting back outdoors, back into those conversations, has reminded me that the food bank is a living expression of what this community values — what happens when people decide, quietly and consistently, to show up for one another.

And from where I stand today, that’s still the most important thing happening at the Sequim Food Bank.

Here are a few ways to be part of it this summer:

• Visit QFC, Safeway, or Walmart during our Peanut Butter Drive on June 19 (Walmart only), 20, or 21 and drop an extra jar in the big blue Sequim Food Bank bin on your way out.

• Start a Full Pantry Project team and do a food drive with friends, neighbors, coworkers, or family.

• Become a monthly donor. Every dollar moves us closer to our vision that no one goes hungry in our community.

• Volunteer with us. It’s a lot of fun!

Information about all of these programs, our distribution sites and times, and much more is available at sequimfoodbank.org.

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Jen Colmore is executive director of the Sequim Food Bank.