Food distribution nearly doubles in 2020 for Sequim Food Bank

Leaders approaching 2021 quarter by quarter

By Matthew Nash • March 10, 2021 1:30 am
Sequim Sunrise Rotary members Ann Flack and Russ Mellon help load a car at the Sequim Food Bank on March 8. Last year, visitations and food served has nearly doubled compared to 2019 due to the pandemic while demand remains high so far in 2021, food bank leaders report. Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash
Sequim Sunrise Rotary members Ann Flack and Russ Mellon help load a car at the Sequim Food Bank on March 8. Last year, visitations and food served has nearly doubled compared to 2019 due to the pandemic while demand remains high so far in 2021, food bank leaders report. Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash

With the pandemic disrupting life for most of last year and into 2021, the Sequim Food Bank and its community partners saw record numbers for those in need of food.

According to the food bank’s 2020 annual report, volunteers and staff provided 1.176 million meals last year.

In almost every aspect of the organization, need was up.

Food bank leaders reported more than 20,000 visits were recorded last year at the facility on Alder Street and its Family Holiday Meal program and COVID Relief Food Care Package program — both held at Carrie Blake Community Park.

That’s an increase in more than 8,500 visits compared to 2019. Three months into 2021, Sequim Food Bank executive director Andra Smith said she doesn’t foresee much of a slowdown.

“When the crisis came, we got ready quickly,” she said. “But the (pandemic’s) effects will be with us a long time and take some families some time to recover.”

The COVID Relief Food Care Package program continues through the end of the month from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. March 10 and 24 at Trinity United Methodist Church, 100 S. Blake Ave.

Plans for April distribution and beyond are still being planned with an announcement coming soon, Smith said.

The food bank, 144 W. Alder St., continues its regular service days from 1-4 p.m. Mondays, and 9 a.m.-noon Fridays and Saturdays.

Larger than expected

As demand grew, so did expenses.

Smith reports that about $2.17 million, about 92.3 percent of the food bank’s of expenses, went to operations last year, compared to about $826,000 in 2019. New costs included large storage freight containers, a cargo van and an electric pallet.

Each of the COVID Relief Food Care Package programs use more than 25 pallets of food each time, Smith reports.

To help with the effort, volunteers — such as those with the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) — provided 13,835 hours of service.

While COVID-19 support such as the CARES Act made up nearly 4 percent of 2020’s financial support, in-kind (50 percent) and community support (42 percent) remained consistent, she said.

Moving the Family Holiday Meal program from the food bank to the park helped meet a greater need, too, as numbers increased from 1,268 people served in 2019 to 1,985 in 2020.

The Weekend Meal Bag program, a bag of food provided to Sequim students on Fridays, was the lone program to see a slight decline, going from 5,302 bags served in 2019 to 5,112 in 2020.

Smith said it’s hard to pinpoint the change as it could relate to schools being closed for in-person learning and/or extra options becoming available, such as the COVID Relief Food Care Package program.

Quarters

Smith said that earlier this year she told the food bank’s board of directors that their budget projection would be a “shot in the dark.”

“I think the biggest part is looking at as quarters instead of a whole year,” she said.

Need for the food bank depends on the percentage of people being vaccinated and how open the community is between the phases, Smith said.

Currently, the food bank board is considering how it operates as Sequim and Clallam County moves along in state re-opening phases.

“There’s a lot of uncertainty, and we want to know how we can continue to safely serve people in the future,” Smith said.

Early in the pandemic, the food bank shifted to a drive-through with food boxes. Leaders say that service will continue for the foreseeable future in a similar fashion to an open air market.

In the food bank’s annual report, Smith noted that prior to the pandemic, community food donations and grocery store food rescue made up more than half of all donated food. However, grocery stores struggled early on to stock shelves, so Smith reported they turned to ordering in bulk and working with community partners to ensure needed food supplies.

The food bank also ceased accepting food donations at the advice of emergency food partners because of space, health concerns for handling and staff time.

However, Smith said, they’re still assessing how to accept donations and distribute them in the upcoming phases.

Those looking to help can donate at www.sequimfoodbank.org or call 360-683-1205 or email to sequimfoodbank@olypen.com.