Emergency Food

The City of Seattle started funding emergency food programs in the 1980s. Each year, the Seattle Human Services Department invests funds in meal and food bank programs to help people who are homeless, homebound or have low incomes to meet their basic nutritional needs.

These programs include:

• Food Banks are service sites that provide food and other household supplies to low-income and homeless people. The Seattle Human Services Department funds 17 food bank sites across Seattle.
• Comprehensive list of food banks serving Seattle and King County
• Food Distribution Programs provide food and other household supplies to food banks and meal programs that serve low-income and homeless people.
• Meal Programs provide meals to low-income and homeless people to help meet minimum nutritional requirements. The sites vary in size and hours of operation. Programs that service night and day shelters are open seven days per week.
• Hot meal resource directory
• Guide to providing meals for homeless people
• Home Delivery

Systems Support and Advocacy Programs work with various partners to strengthen the capacity and/or infrastructure of the emergency food system in King County.

• The Meals Partnership Coalition is a coalition of programs who serve meals to persons in need. Call 1-866-277-9252 for more information.
• The Seattle Food Committee is a coalition of food bank providers. Call 206-694-6757 for more information.

City of Seattle General Fund and federal Community Development Block Grant allocations to nonprofit, community-based organizations are determined through a competitive process that is conducted by the Seattle Human Services Department at least once every four years.

Funded Agencies and Programs

Food Banks

• Asian Counseling & Referral Service
• Ballard Food Bank
• Beacon Avenue Food Bank, 206-722-5105
• Centerstone
• El Centro de la Raza
• FamilyWorks
• North Helpline's Northgate/Lake City Food Bank
• Rainier Valley Food Bank, 206-723-3528
• Pike Market Food Bank
• Seattle Indian Center, 206-329-8700
• Society of St. Vincent de Paul
• Solid Ground Special Projects: Lettuce Link and Food Security for Children
• Spiritual Miracles Food Bank
• The Food Bank @ St. Mary’s
• University District Food Bank
• Volunteers of America - Greenwood Food Bank
• West Seattle Food Bank
• White Center Food Bank

Home Delivery

• FamilyWorks
• Jewish Family Service Food Bank Delivery for Seniors
• Lifelong AIDS Alliance Chicken Soup Brigade
• Rainier Valley Food Bank Home Delivery
• Senior Services Meals on Wheels
• The Food Bank at St. Mary’s Home Delivery Service
• Volunteers of America Greenwood Food Bank Home Delivery Program
• West Seattle Food Bank Delivery Program

Food Bank Distribution

• Food Resources Transportation - Solid Ground

Distribution

• Emergency Feeding Program of Seattle and King County
• Food Lifeline

Meal Programs

• Asian Counseling and Referral Service
• Community House Mental Health Agency, 206-322-2387
• Community Lunch on Capitol Hill, 206-484-7247
• El Centro de la Raza - Latino Hot Meal Program
• OPERATION: Sack Lunch
• OPERATION: Sack Lunch Seattle's Outdoor Meal Site
• Phinney Neighborhood Association Soup Kitchen Project
• Seattle Indian Center, 206-329-8700
• Shalom Zone/ROOTS

System Support and Advocacy Programs

• Family Assistance Project - Solid Ground
• Food Resources Project - Solid Ground
• Resource Coordination - United Way

Information

For more information about emergency food programs, please contact the agencies listed above or the 211 Community Information Line by dialing 211 or 1-800-621-4636.

If you don't need a food program but you have questions about Seattle Human Services Department program policy, call 206-684-0266 or e-mail emergencyservices@seattle.gov.

Seattle Human Services Department
Street address: 700 5th Avenue, Suite 5800, Seattle, WA 98104
Mailing address: PO Box 34215, Seattle, WA 98124-4215

Phone: 206-386-1001
Fax: 206-233-5119
TTY/TTD: 206-233-2778

Accommodations for people with disabilities provided upon request.