An Inside Peek
I want to give you an inside peek at the Puyallup Food Bank. You may have heard about the massive transitions we’ve been undergoing. So, if you’ve been wondering “what’s happening over there?” maybe this will give you an idea of the challenging and yet amazing changes that have been happening at the Puyallup Food Bank in the last year.
I’ll divide our glimpse behind the scenes into three sections:
Historic Context
Strategic Context
Cultural Context
1. Historic Context: A Legacy Reborn
On Christmas day 2020, we mourned the loss of our beloved Bill Franklin. If you don’t know Bill, he was the Executive Director of the Puyallup Food Bank for over 20 years and a pillar of compassion in our community. He worked with the less fortunate and hungry people of Puyallup and Pierce County for many years.
2. Strategic Context: Today’s Big Picture
2021 has been a long and trying year for everyone, including the Puyallup Food Bank. In addition to the strain caused by the continuing pandemic, we experienced turnover among staff and volunteers. Constantly adapting to the changes caused by COVID-19 takes a toll on everyone. We’ve moved locations, and adjusted our daily operations in dramatic ways. Honestly, we were an organization in crisis. And though we are not in crisis anymore, neither are we operating “normally” yet. We’re in a middle zone of rehabilitation.
One of the central ways we are rebuilding as an organization is through a new standard of professionalism. We’ve implemented new systems in payroll, HR, security, and data management that smaller nonprofits like ours often forego. These changes are essential to keeping a high standard of accountability to our funders, employees, volunteers, and others, for the time, talents, and treasures they invest to make the food bank happen.
Another critical adjustment is the establishment and re-kindling of partnerships with other food banks, food vendors, and non-food partners. Yes, we’ve been partnering with many of these other entities for decades, but we are now actively implementing new systems and standards in order to serve them better. As a result, we are receiving more food than ever and distributing more food than ever.
Finally, we’ve hit the reset button on our organizational culture, to inspire a greater spirit of generosity, and joy. Knowing we have been blessed to be a blessing, we are determined not to be stingy with our resources. As a result, we’ve become known as one of the most generous food banks in the area. Our clients regularly comment on the sheer volume of food they are inundated with during an appointment.
We are constantly tweaking our operations and inviting creative solutions so that we can be more agile and responsive to our partners and clients. This led us to create Puyallup’s only temporary cooling shelter in June 2021 when it hit 114 degrees. We built and distributed over 1,200-holiday boxes (many thanks to Puyallup Tribe of Indians), and created service opportunities for students with special needs (through Puyallup Highschool’s Gateway Transition Program, and Sumner Highschool).
3. Cultural Context: Our DNA and Ethos
Many are aware of the anxiety caused by COVID-19, the pressing issues of justice today, and the disjointed and faltering efforts of governments and non-profits to address the growing needs of our neighbors. Such a wide array of forces and ripple effects demand nimble and proven responses from both private and public institutions. When taken together, we see a theme emerging: Isolation—the fracturing of families and communities resulting from “relationships that don’t work” (Meyers 2011).
Core to the Christian idea of Shalom and to the DNA of the Puyallup Food Bank is relationships that do work. How can we contribute to relationships that work well for the good of our community—to create a community of peace? The Puyallup Food Bank has chosen extravagant generosity and a holistic approach to poverty alleviation. There is an African proverb that says, “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” We believe food is the first step toward a more hopeful future for all. But the next steps must be taken carefully, and they must be taken together.
How does a food bank “go together” with clients and partners, to help create a community of peace?
First, we practice generosity. We are a food bank after all. You’ll often see pallets of extra food in front of our building. This is for our clients, a supplement to the standard service we provide. This level of giving is vital to someone taking their first step out of crisis or poverty.
Secondly, when we expanded last year to add 11,500 sq ft, we began drastically increasing the amount of health and beauty aids (HABA) and sundries we receive from vendors. We distribute many of these important items through our partners, and some directly to our clients who need diapers, soap, and more.
Most importantly, we rely on relational approaches to help people take their next steps. Our new Navigation and Partnerships Program guides clients to address the underlying causes of hunger and other life challenges. This pilot project is rooted in our 50 years of always serving our clients with more than just food. We don’t claim to be a one-stop-shop for all the resources a person needs. Neither do we send people out into the cold with a list of phone numbers to try. Care cannot be “scaled” in this way. So, we provide a “warm hand-off” connecting them to human relationships that work, in a community that cares, because it is only in such a community that all a person’s needs can truly be met.
So there you have it—a sneak peek behind the scenes of the Puyallup Food Bank. Will you join us on the journey to a more hopeful future?
