Food pantry expands to meet growing needs in Bellingham
When an Albertsons grocery store in the Birchwood neighborhood of Bellingham, Washington, closed in 2016, residents found themselves in a food desert with limited access to fresh vegetables, meat and dairy products.
Today, the challenge of accessing groceries persists in the Bellingham neighborhood, located 21 miles south of the U.S.-Canadian border. The nearest grocery store is more than a 20-minute walk away for most residents.
In response to the food insecurity affecting some 30,000 residents in Bellingham, The Salvation Army Bellingham Corps food pantry underwent renovation and switched to a grocery-store model that opened on March 11. The transition and expansion will now provide an array of fresh groceries with more options to support dietary and cultural needs.
On Tuesdays and Thursdays, clients can walk down the aisles of the food pantry with a shopping cart and personally select food items, hygiene products and pet food. Additionally, clients will receive complimentary recipe cards featuring meal ideas using the available food items.
“Giving clients the chance to select what they need empowers them and provides an opportunity for connection so we can better understand their needs,” said Elizabeth Hicks, Bellingham Corps Social Services Director.
Hicks said that engaging with residents at the facility enables them to build relationships with the local community and provide additional services when needed.
"By ensuring locals are fed first, we can move onto addressing other needs like housing or financial assistance," she said.
The renovation includes new training rooms and offices, facilitating the operation of The Salvation Army social services program, Pathway of Hope, at the food pantry.
Once a Salvation Army Thrift Store, the expanded location and training rooms will hold classes on healthy eating and financial literacy while serving as a meeting space for community partners and collaborations.
"It's really just a great way to support the community. The method reduces shame and brings a level of self-sufficiency that can break the stigma of visiting a food bank."
Elizabeth Hicks, Bellingham Corps Social Services Director
According to Major Shevaun Malone, Bellingham Corps Officer, adding classes and Pathway of Hope services can help set residents up for long-term stability.
"We will begin networking and facilitating relationships with community members and stakeholders to really boost the possibilities of the food pantry with classes," Malone said. "It's a powerful thing to be able to help people in this way."
The food pantry has served an average of 3,500 families a month over the past three years, reflecting a nationwide concern surrounding food insecurity. According to Feeding America’s 2023 annual report, in 2022 alone, 49 million people in the United States sought food assistance for additional support.
"A large percentage of our clients are low-income,” Hicks said. “That, combined with rising food costs and transportation concerns, creates a major need for our food pantry. People know they can come here for a healthy meal and don't need to choose between buying groceries or paying bills."
Just one day after the renovated pantry opened, Hicks stated that they served 300 families within four hours, marking a 40 percent increase compared to the number of families served during the COVID-19 pandemic.
"It's essentially a small-scale grocery store that so many locals can now rely on," said Lt. Col. Cindy Foley, Divisional Commander of The Salvation Army Northwest Division. "If clients don't have access to a full kitchen, there are frozen and ready-made meals that they can enjoy almost instantly."
Foley said that the renovation coincides with The Salvation Army’s commitment to transitioning all Salvation Army food pantries in the Northwest Division to the client-choice model.
"Client-choice provides a unique level of care that goes beyond handing someone a food box," Foley said. "By having our clients walk alongside staff there's a chance for longer conversations where we can learn if someone lost their job or is facing extreme medical bills."
According to Foley, the store will be stocked with donations and surplus food from local restaurants, creating the added benefit of reducing local food waste.
“We partner with local growers for fresh produce,” Foley said. “We will also receive fresh, unopened meals that didn’t sell from restaurants such as Olive Garden, Starbucks, Chipotle, or rotisserie chickens from Walmart.”
The client-choice model will also reduce waste directly, as clients select only what they need.
"With the standard food box method, clients will take a pre-picked food box because they need it," Hicks said. "But we've learned that some clients end up with items they don't like or can't eat."
Hicks recalled a client who admitted that she had felt too embarrassed in the past to share her inability to consume certain items provided to her. However, she now expresses gratitude for the new model, as it has brought a sense of independence.
"It's really just a great way to support the community," Hicks said. "The method reduces shame and brings a level of self-sufficiency that can break the stigma of visiting a food bank."
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