Spokane-based Second Harvest hosts food giveaway amid ‘staggering’ need

Compared with 2019, Spokane-based food bank Second Harvest has hosted more than three times as many mobile food distribution events this year across the nonprofit’s 26-county service area.

The latest occurred Monday at Rogers High School, where quantities of rice, soup and other food items were prepared for approximately 200 families on a first-come, first-served basis. Second Harvest hosted 427 similar events from January to November – up from 130 over that same period last year, according to the nonprofit.

The mobile events are normally just an aspect of Second Harvest’s overall mission. Approximately 90% of Second Harvest’s food volume is typically donated to food banks across parts of Eastern Washington and Idaho, said President and CEO Jason Clark.

But with neighborhood organizations overwhelmed and understaffed during the pandemic, Clark said Second Harvest has increased efforts as needed.

“It’s staggering,” he said. “It’s hard to describe.”

The greater focus on mobile food events is just one of Second Harvest’s operational changes in response to COVID-19.

Prior to the pandemic, 90% of the organization’s food supply was donated directly. That number is now around 50%, due in part to food supply chain disruptions, Clark said. Grocery stores are seeing higher demand than restaurants, for example.

Meanwhile, Clark expects the overall need to trend upward over the next three to four months.

“In some months, we’re distributing twice as much food than we were in 2019,” he said, “so we just need more food.”

With less food coming in, Second Harvest purchases what’s needed through cash donations and grants.

The latest of those grants was announced Monday by Wells Fargo.

The $29,000 donation, provided through Wells Fargo’s nationwide “Many Hearts. One Community.” holiday campaign to furnish 82 million meals to families in need, will help Second Harvest with food and fuel costs, Clark said.

Stephanie Wall, community relations senior manager for Wells Fargo’s Pacific Mountain Desert Region, said the holiday campaign was preceded by a summer support program with Second Harvest and other Feeding America-partner food banks.

“They have done an amazing job and they have really stepped up their efforts given what has happened with the COVID crisis,” she said. “We’re just happy to be a supporter of theirs and to continue to provide that support so that they are able to actually do what they do best.”

Wells Fargo representatives surprised Clark with a ceremonial check Monday morning as a line of vehicles slowly snaked around the Rogers High School parking lot.

In front of the school, Becca Partlow and other volunteers deposited quantities of food into waiting vehicles. In some cases, one family was picking up food for several others, said Partlow, a mentor coordinator with Communities in Schools.

While the need was illustrated through Monday’s turnout, there are likely others either unaware or unable to attend these events due to other circumstances, she said.

“There’s a lot of different aspects to making sure a kid is happy and healthy. This is just one of them,” Partlow said. “Any way that we can help out and help provide that, we’re going to want to partner in.”