Microsoft, Second Harvest distribute food in Mattawa

MATTAWA — Volunteers packed and distributed more than 9,200 pounds of fresh and frozen food to families in Mattawa during a one-day food bank sponsored by Microsoft and Second Harvest.

The 28 volunteers packed 9,274 pounds of food, which was distributed to 251 families, said Jack Eaton, project manager of the Columbia Data Center in Quincy. “About half the volunteers were ‘first timers’ with Second Harvest and Microsoft; the other half were seasoned veteran volunteers,” Eaton wrote.

Volunteers came from Mattawa Community Medical Center, Our Lady of the Desert Catholic Church, the Wahluke Ward of the LDS church, the Quincy Microsoft data center, NTTdata data center and Schneider Electric Mission Critical Systems in Quincy, OIC from Moses Lake and Yakima and AmeriCorps from Spokane.

Items delivered included fresh fruit and vegetables (including fresh mushrooms), bread, muffins and cereal, yogurt, frozen French fries, frozen ground beef and powdered milk. “The food was donated by farmers, ranchers, orchardists, industry associations, packers, wholesalers, brokers and retailers to Second Harvest of the Inland Northwest,” Eaton wrote. Second Harvest transports the food to the site, and the volunteers repackage for distribution to individual families.

Eaton expressed appreciation to “all who generously donated, all who hosted and all who volunteered.”

This is the third year Microsoft and Second Harvest have partnered to sponsor food distributions throughout Grant County. Sixteen are planned for 2018, with the next scheduled for June 20 in Quincy.