One out of every eight people in the Inland Northwest struggles with hunger. For the region’s children, the number is one out of every five. Especially in rural areas – where hunger-relief services are scarcer – many low-income families simply do not have the food they need to live healthy and happy lives.
Each day, nonprofit Second Harvest provides the equivalent of 69,000 meals for hungry people across the region, with the donated food the organization distributes feeding around 55,000 people per week. A Rural Strong grant from Innovia Foundation will aid Second Harvest in relieving hunger in Eastern Washington, with every donated dollar transformed into six pounds of food – or about five meals.
Second Harvest works through its Mobile Market and with partner food pantries to reach neighborhoods, schools, churches and community centers. Their core belief? “Every person deserves healthy food every day.” Second Harvest’s efforts may be large-scale, but their programs make deep individual impacts, giving hungry people the energy needed to live fulfilling lives.
“To be able to go to Second Harvest and have access to fruits and vegetables and bread – the kind of things we wouldn’t be able to afford – makes a huge difference for our family,” said Andrew, one of many served by the nonprofit. “It takes a lot of stress off of us. Those extra dollars really matter.”