For 5-year-old Henry, all he knew was that "it hurts to be hungry." Last winter, Henry and his mother, Karen, arrived at Volunteers of America Everett Food Bank, hungry, tired and hopeless.

Between sobs, Karen explained to a staff member that she had been spreading peanut butter on paper to keep her small son’s stomach full. During these most desperate moments, Karen knew that there must be a better way to feed her child and retain her dignity.

Hunger hurts, literally, right here in Western Washington

We might not like to admit it, but hunger is not something that only happens in far away places. Even in our local communities people struggle with hunger every day. Just getting to the food bank takes an enormous physical and emotional effort for families like Karen and Henry.  They tried not to stare longingly into restaurants teeming with happy kids and supermarkets with fully stocked shelves.

Volunteers of America shifted focus from hunger to self-sufficiency

Once Karen and little Henry arrived at the food bank, she discovered sustenance not only for her family’s physical needs, but for their spirits as well. While Henry gobbled down a breakfast bar and Karen received a box of food, one of our staff members explained how the food bank operates, and assured her that her son needn’t go hungry. Without having to worry about whether or not she could feed her son, Karen could begin to focus her attention on other needs like finding work or furthering her education. Karen and Henry left with a few days’ supply of food and a lot more hope.

With the help of generous donations, caring volunteers, and community support, Volunteers of America’s Everett Food Bank is able to leverage available resources and maximize the amount of food we can provide to people in need in our community.

1 in 9 people will visit a food bank in Snohomish County this year

Volunteers of America operates the Everett and Greenwood (NW Seattle) food banks.  In Everett alone, we serve 2600 households a month - most of them seniors and children from working families.  These vulnerable households are truly struggling to stretch monthly budgets and often reduce meal portions or skip meals to make ends meet. 

Year-round private support is not only critical, but also the ONLY WAY we can consistently provide for the families coming to our food banks. 

Find out how you can help us feed hungry people.