Our community resoundingly prioritizes access to quality food, from conserving farmlands that produce fresh, local produce, to investing in a regional food bank serving folks across Clallam County.
The Port Angeles Food Bank’s headquarters – the hub for food banks across Clallam County, in addition to being the city’s food bank – is in need of major renovations. They have already secured $4.25 million of their $5 million dollar funding need, and they’re looking to the community for support.
According to the food bank, Clallam County experienced a 250% increase in food insecurity in 2020 and 54.7% of students qualified for federal free and reduced meal programs. It’s no wonder 1 in 4 community members visited the food bank in 2020. On a monthly basis the Port Angeles Food Bank provides our neighbors and friends with food for 200,000 meals, and we couldn’t be more grateful!
Why are we (the Land Trust) telling you this? For three reasons:
- As a community conservation group that protects working farmlands, the Land Trust stands behind community led and supported food security for all.
- The Port Angeles Food bank work with local farmers – including farmers on conserved land – to share locally grown food with neighbors most in need; and, the Food Bank cuts back on waste by providing feed and compost to farmers for free.
- The Land Trust rented the Food Bank to assemble our 2021 Farm Shares. Though this started as a business transaction, we now know the Land Trust has shared goals with the Food Bank that warrant stronger support for one another.
Of course we hope you’ll continue to support the Land Trust’s conservation work. We also know that many folks donate to and volunteer with a number of local organizations (hint: we personally do, too!). We hope you’ll support the Port Angeles Food Bank, a pillar in Clallam County, that ensures everyone has access to food, including local food grown on conserved lands.
Donations to the Food Bank Capital Campaign should be directly here: DONATE TO THE CAPITAL CAMPAIGN
Want to know more about the Food Bank’s Campaign, Forever Home? Visit: portangelesfoodbank.org/forever-home
Before we close out this article, we’d like to thank the farmers who support the local Food Bank by providing fresh local produce for distribution throughout our community. Thank you!
