Food banks struggle to meet the demand as volunteers drop
Food banks in Washington state are facing a critical shortage of volunteers as the pandemic continues to affect the lives of many people. According to the Washington Food Coalition, a network of more than 300 food banks and meal programs, volunteer rates have declined by 50% to 80% since the start of the pandemic. This has made it harder for food banks to distribute food to the growing number of people who need it.
The volunteer crisis comes at a time when food insecurity is on the rise in Washington. According to Feeding America, a national hunger-relief organization, more than 1.1 million people in the state are projected to face hunger in 2023, up from 850,000 in 2022. The increase in food insecurity is driven by factors such as unemployment, inflation, and the expiration of some federal benefits.
Joe Gruber, executive director of the University District Food Bank in Seattle, said they have about 300 weekly volunteers who make their operations possible. But with COVID-19 worries subsiding this summer, their usual volunteer base has been getting out and traveling more than past years. Gruber pointed out the shortage comes at an unfortunate time because they are busier than at any point during the pandemic, seeing 50% more people in 2023 than 2022.
Food banks need volunteers for various tasks
Food banks rely on volunteers for various tasks, such as repackaging bulk donations, sorting and storing food, providing translation services, staffing call centers, and distributing food to clients. Without enough volunteers, food banks have to reduce their hours, limit their services, or turn away people in need.
Gruber said the lack of volunteers is hurting not just inside the food bank but in other operations, such as their home delivery program. He added they have also seen a 10% to 15% decline in food donations, which means they have to buy more food.
“We’re needing to fundraise more money to make sure that we’ve got those resources available, and that’s another way that volunteers have helped us in the past,” Gruber said. “We have an annual fundraising auction where we’ll hope to raise $250,000 or $300,000, and it happens because volunteers commit.”
Back To Action campaign aims to boost volunteerism
To address the volunteer shortage, a unique partnership has formed with the goal of boosting the number of people volunteering at local food banks. Under the campaign “Back To Action,” Northwest Harvest, Safeway, Washington Food Coalition, Vault89 Strategies, the Seattle Seahawks, and KING 5 have banded together to support the vital work of food banks throughout the state of Washington by sponsoring a drive to bring volunteers back to help in this crucial effort.
“The ongoing effects of the pandemic have created a crisis of food insecurity across the state,” said Josette Gonzales, volunteer program manager at Northwest Harvest. “While the need for food remains high, we are struggling to find volunteers to help distribute the food. We can supply enough food, but it will go to waste without the critical volunteer help we depend on to get it into the hands of those who need it most.
This is a state with a tradition of community involvement, and I’m thrilled that organizations, private companies, and our iconic NFL team have joined with us to alert people to the need for volunteers. With their help, and the help of our communities around the state, we can end this volunteer shortage and work to end food insecurity.”
The drive for more volunteers will kick off with a Back To Action Day of Service on September 23, 2023 and will run through December 31, 2023. People can sign up to volunteer at their local food bank by visiting [backtoaction.co].
