The Whatcom County Food Bank Network is requesting $2 million in annual funding from the county to meet growing demands on food banks.
Food bank visits in Whatcom County increased 127% since 2021, with 800,000 client visits in 2023, said Bellingham Food Bank Executive Director Mike Cohen, speaking on behalf of the Food Bank Network at a Tuesday, July 9 county council committee meeting.
The network, which includes food banks across the county, has received $138,000 in annual funding from the county over the last several years, but has only met the growing need in the last three years due to the addition of federal COVID-19-related funding.
For 2023 and 2024, the network received $1.5 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds from the county and the City of Bellingham. But with the ARPA funds now used up, the network is looking for help from the county to continue meeting the need.
Cohen acknowledged that the request is a big ask.
“What we’re looking for is a significant amount of money from Whatcom County because we’re experiencing a really challenging situation,” Cohen said.
Every week, 9,000 households visit Whatcom County food banks, Cohen said.
The Whatcom County Food Network includes the Point Roberts Food Bank, Blaine Food Bank, Lummi Commods, Lummi Health Services, Ferndale Food Bank, Salvation Army Food Bank, Bellingham Food Bank, Lynden Project Hope, Agape Food Bank, Nooksack Valley Food Bank, Nooksack Tribal Food Bank and Foothills Food Bank.
Of the current clients, 30% are children and infants, while 20% are seniors. Cohen said they also see a significant number of single-parent households and people of color, and the need stretches across the county.
The network will spend $5 million on food purchasing this year, as Cohen said food purchasing is the main way food banks keep their shelves stocked. At Bellingham Food Bank, 70% of inventory is purchased, Cohen said.
“Food drives and local efforts like that are helpful and useful and involve the community, but unfortunately, we can’t food-drive our way out of this crisis,” he said.
Cohen called food insecurity a public health issue and said the network intends to make funding asks to cities as well.
“This is a huge need and to try and find $2 million in our budget is a huge ask,” county council member Todd Donovan said.
County council member Jon Scanlon said the county is in the midst of “sobering” budget conversations, and suggested setting up meetings with the network and some of the cities to see how they could work together for the funding request.
Mobile market also asks for more funding
The Twin Sisters Mobile Market, which serves three “food desert” locations — Kendall Market, Deming Market and Birchwood Market — is also asking the county for funds: $200,000 from 2024-27.
Cat Sieh, executive director of the market, said the mobile market is looking for financial support after Whatcom Community Foundation’s Sustainable Whatcom Fund issued its last grants in 2023.
“We’re seeking financial support from the county to continue to offer critical local food access programming for underserved Whatcom County communities and to continue to provide a profitable market outlet that our 18 local farmers have come to depend on,” Sieh said.
The additional funding would go toward three programs: a produce buyback program which allows the market to send fresh, unsold produce to Foothills Food Bank, and Bellingham Technical College’s student food pantry; unlimited SNAP market match so there is no cap on the transaction amount the market will match; and a senior voucher program which provides $40 market gift cards to low-income seniors in underserved Whatcom County communities.
Scanlon asked Sieh if the market had gone to cities for funding, but she said the program primarily works in unincorporated areas.
“We continue to seek state and federal funds,” she said. “But as far as the local level, the reason that we are here today is that we feel we’ve exhausted most of our other options.”
No decisions were made at county council Tuesday on whether the funds would be allocated.
Whatcom County’s Food Systems Committee recommended the county council commit yearly funding to the Food Bank Network and “other critical food access organizations” in its annual report in June.
Charlotte Alden is CDN’s general assignment/enterprise reporter; reach her at charlottealden@cascadiadaily.com; 360-922-3090 ext. 123.
