10 years later, Mattawa Area Food Bank is a dream realized

MATTAWA – When the community food bank surfaced years ago, organizers were thinking of temporary solutions to emergency needs.

Now the food banks, in countless communities, lead the effort to eradicate hunger in America. It is a system now, operated like an industry.

It’s been nearly 10 years since the Mattawa Area Food Bank was born. December 4, 2006 was the date on which it was incorporated as a not-for-profit 501c3 corporation in the State of Washington. It was the start of the realization of a dream.

“Several concerned, thoughtful, and generous citizens, having seen the need for such an organization, had come together and conceived the idea of an area food bank,” MAFB board member and Volunteer Barbara Walters said.

The MAFB didn’t just happen. Research was done regarding how to begin and what was required in order to maximize resources and make the daunting project a reality.

“Ultimately, area businesses, farmers and local concerned citizens organized to pool financial resources, talents and hard work to put Mattawa Area Food Bank on the map,” said Walters, who resides in Desert Aire.

All of this effort resulted in an organization that serves many families in the south Grant County area. There is a steady supply of volunteers, and there is now a relatively new MAFB building in the Port of Mattawa industrial park that is adequate and free of debt.

No one in the Mattawa area need go hungry with the presence of the MAFB. It distributes food every second and fourth Saturday of the month to whomever needs it. And it makes every effort to ensure that all area families are able to enjoy traditional Thanksgiving and Christmas meals.

The definition of a food bank, according to the Oxford Dictionary is: a place where stocks of food, typically basic provisions and non-perishable items, are supplied free of charge to people in need.

A food bank is also a cadre of truly caring people who organize it, provide the administration, the labor and, sometimes, buildings and equipment.

Mostly, a food bank client, for whatever reason, is an individual or family who needs to supplement their purchased food for a varying period of time.

“This can occur on a somewhat regular basis or, quite likely, occur only once in a while,” Walters said.

A food bank is hardly ever the entire source of nutrition for a single person, an elderly couple or a family in which both parents are working full-time, Walters said. Typically, as soon as work circumstances become more stable, the food bank client does not return until the next time instability occurs.

Walters acknowledged that clients often express interest in becoming a food bank volunteer in order to “pay back” when their work situation improves.

The MAFB is fortunate to have a long list of volunteers. They make distribution days go smoothly. But there is always room for more volunteers.

The qualifications are quite simple: the desire to serve, where they live, some available time, a bit of energy and a commitment to assist in providing a needed service in the community.

“A sense of humor is a plus,” Walters said.

“Last but not least,” she added, “a willingness to be available to receive smiles and thanks in significant abundance from grateful clients. It is as an equal exchange, a win-win situation.”

Early organizers of the MAFB included Elvia Greisen and Namoe Lynes. The board members today include Greisen, President Jody Bacon, Vice President Pam Bunger, Secretary-Treasurer Barbara Walters, Mary Gotts, Mary Soto, Wil Rance, Lucille Lopez and Connie Lewis.

The MAFB is a subcontractor under Moses Lake Community Services, which is a contractor under the USDA (US Department of Agriculture). The MAFB receives commodities from Moses Lake on a monthly basis.

The MAFB is under contractual agreement with Northwest Harvest, which provides food products on a twice a month basis. This is food purchased by Northwest Harvest (based in Seattle and Spokane) through outreach to grocery stores, farmers and orchardists who sell the products to the cause at a discount.

Northwest Harvest, in turn, brings food supplies to the network of more than 350 food banks in the state of Washington.

“The food bank depends significantly on local support from businesses, farmers, growers, and individuals, and they have been very generous,” Walters said. “Local support has included the financing and building of the debt-free building that now houses the MAFB on a permanent basis.”