2024 Hunger Heroes Fundraiser for Local Food Banks
Now through December 27, 2024
Support Your Community, Become a Hunger Hero!
During the last 6 weeks of 2024, our branches will raise funds to support community members facing food insecurity. The proceeds will be donated to food bank partners and non-profit organizations.
For over 85 years, NW Plus has served communities across Skagit and Snohomish County. We are committed to the well-being of our neighbors, and as data shows, we have more than 14,000 Skagit residents who face some level of food insecurity. In Snohomish County, that figure is 75,000 residents.
Last year, we proudly donated more than $10,000 to our community partners, and we look forward to building on that success in the year ahead. Stop by your local branch and donate today!
This year, our beneficiaries are: Helping Hands Food Bank, Stanwood Camano Food Bank, Arlington Food Bank, Keep Dreams Alive Foundation Food Pantry, Connect Casino Road, and Mill Creek Community Food Bank.
Helping Hands Food Bank
The mission of Helping Hands Food Bank is to nourish the community with kindness and respect without judgment. Their vision is to address the inequity of the food bank experience and ensure every citizen has access to high-quality food and resources to help them thrive. They are Skagit County’s largest direct food provider and require no prequalification to access their resources. In 2023, they had more than 274,000 visits across all 6 sites, 3.4 million pounds of food were given out, 4,486 mobile food deliveries were made, and they had over 83,750 volunteer hours.
Stanwood Camano Food Bank
Stanwood Camano Food Bank’s mission is to provide resources and connections to alleviate hunger and meet the basic needs of individuals & families in the community. Their vision is a community where hunger is defeated, and basic needs are satisfied. Last winter, SCFB distributed more than 1,868 coats to children and 100,000 meals. Last year, we were able to raise over $7,000 for this food bank and even made it in the local newspaper!
Arlington Food Bank
Arlington Food Bank’s mission extends beyond alleviating hunger; it’s about addressing the root causes of hunger in the community. They ensure everyone has access to nutritious food regardless of their circumstances. They champion self-reliance through educational and nutritional programs, empowering individuals to break free from the cycle of hunger. Last winter, they served over 800 families holiday meals.
Keep Dreams Alive Foundation
KDA’s mission is to empower and strengthen communities, and to make sure that families and students of diverse backgrounds have access to programs of education and well-being. They began in 2020 as a direct response to the needs of the Hispanic community during the pandemic, and they provide a variety of programs including K-12 support, socio-emotional support, access to higher education, DACA support, and social justice & equity trainings. In October of 2023, KDA opened up their food pantry in partnership with the Marysville Food Bank to expand on the reach of the food bank. The first 3 months that they were open, they helped 586 individuals with access to foods. All proceeds will help KDA continue their food pantry program into 2025.
Connect Casino Road
CCR’s mission is to identify, champion, resource, and bring to life the vision and dreams of the Casino Road community. In this community, families feel important, valued and listened to. They experience joy every day, and are empowered to advocate for what they need. Something that was shared with us is that over 40% of families who join the case management program at CCR do not feel confident that they can meet their family’s basic needs, such as healthy food. All families in the program have at least one child under the age of 8, and many of the families are struggling with serious health issues such as lupus and breast cancer, which makes access to nutritious foods more important than ever. CCR has a current partnership with VOA, and they have a food bank on-site where they provide culturally relevant foods to the community members. In the final quarter of 2023, they had more than 900 visits to their food bank. With our proceeds, they will be able to provide even more access to healthy foods for those families who are currently in the case management program and have severe health challenges.
Mill Creek Community Food Bank
MCCFB’s mission is to alleviate food insecurity among vulnerable populations while fostering community engagement and support through meaningful relationships and comprehensive services. Their vision is to foster a community where no one goes hungry, everyone feels cared for, connected, and valued. Currently, MCCFB serves an average of 2,000 individuals, or 600 families each week. They have a program called Backpacks of Hope which was designed to support students experiencing food insecurity. This program provides students with enough food to sustain them over the weekend, and currently operates in 22 schools across three school districts. This program touches more than 850 students each week.