Emergency Food

The City of Seattle started funding emergency food programs in the 1980’s. 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 18 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

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.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. Funding during funding cycles depends upon program performance and funding availability. We are completing our Request for Investment (RFI) process for 2008 contracts and next four-year cycle ends on December 31, 2011. In 2006, $1.7 was distributed; the 2007 allocation is $1.8 million.

2007 Funded Agencies and Programs

Food Banks

• Asian Counseling & Referral Service
• Ballard Food Bank
• Beacon Avenue Food Bank, 206- 722-5105
• Central Area Motivation Program
• El Centro de la Raza
• FamilyWorks
• Lake City Food Bank
• Northwest Community Services, 206-723-3528
• Operational Emergency Center
• Pike Market Senior Center - Downtown 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
• The Food Bank @ St. Mary’s
• University District Food Bank
• Volunteers of America - Greenwood Food Bank
• West Seattle Food Bank

Home Delivery

• FamilyWorks Food Bank Home Delivery
• Jewish Family Service Food Bank Delivery for Seniors
• Lifelong AIDS Alliance Chicken Soup Brigade
• Northwest Community Services Brighton Homebound Seniors Grocery Delivery, 206-723-3528
• Solid Ground Food Security for Seniors
• The Food Bank @ St. Mary’s Home Delivery Service
• Volunteers of America Greenwood Food Bank Home Delivery Program
• West Seattle Food Bank Delivery Program

Food Bank Transportation

• Food Resources Transportation—Solid Ground

Distribution

• Emergency Feeding Program
• Food Lifeline

Meal Programs

• Community House Mental Health Agency, 206-322-2387
• El Centro de la Raza—Latino Hot Meal Program
• OPERATION: Sack Lunch
• Phinney Neighborhood Association Soup Kitchen Project
• Seattle Indian Center, 206-329-8700

System Support and Advocacy Programs

• Access to Food Resources—Solid Ground
• Food Resources Project—Solid Ground
• Meals Partnership Coalition - OPERATION: Sack Lunch, 206-957-3850

For more information about Seattle's emergency food programs, click on the links below.

• A Guide to Providing Meals for Homeless and/or Hungry People in the City of Seattle
• Meal Programs Resource Directory
• Seattle-King County Food Banks Resource Directory

For more information about Seattle Human Services Department-funded emergency assistance programs, call 206-684-0266 or e-mail emergencyservices@seattle.gov.

For more information about similar services provided in Seattle, contact the 211 Community Information Line by dialing 211 or 1-800-621-4636.

Links

• Current Funding Opportunities
• News