Contact
Catherine Espel-LoganPacific Northwest CPCU Society Chapter
pacificnorthwestchapter@cpcusociety.org
Upcoming Events
January 9th Luncheon: Seattle
January, 18th Good Works, South Sound, Emergency Food Network 9:00am - 11:30am. Click Here for more details
2019 Holiday Happy Hour - South Sound
About Emergency Food Network:
The mission of Emergency Food Network (EFN) is “to provide Pierce County with a consistent, diverse and nutritious food supply so that no person goes hungry.”
Background
EFN began as a program in 1982 when the leadership of FISH Food Banks, Tacoma Rescue Mission, Salvation Army, and Associated Ministries recognized a great need in our community to resource emergency food collectively. With guidance from Paul Bender, the Executive Director of the newly formed Greater Tacoma Community Foundation, and through the organizing efforts of Dennis Flannigan, EFN’s first Executive Director, the organization was created to serve as Pierce County’s central storage and distribution center for emergency food programs. In 1985, EFN was transferred as a program to Associated Ministries. Originally designed to meet a temporary need caused by the economic recession of the 1980’s, it became apparent in the early 1990’s that the need for such a community service had grown. In response, EFN became an independent 501(c)(3) non-profit organization in 1991.
Clients Served
The Emergency Food Network serves 71 food programs in Pierce County who in turn serve a diverse population of low-income clients. Of the more than 113,000 visits from individuals seeking emergency food assistance each month in the county, 99% fall below national poverty guidelines. More than half are children and seniors and almost half are families with at least one adult working. Hunger is rarely an isolated issue and usually is a symptom of a larger problem impacting an individual’s ability to gain and maintain an adequate level of economic security. Since 1996, EFN has made a commitment to developing programs that not only provide wholesome food to those in need, but also offer opportunities to develop basic work skills in a supportive environment.
Impact
Designed and developed as an independent, local response to hunger, EFN and its programs maintain strong working relationships with the local community, statewide organizations and state affiliates of national food bank organizations with an emphasis on food resourcing, trucking, and other issues that impact food banking in our state and region. Additionally, EFN has been active in local and statewide anti-hunger, nutrition, and human service coalitions. EFN was active in the formation of, and remains a participating member in, numerous coalitions including the Washington State Food Coalition, the Washington State Anti-Hunger and Child Nutrition Coalition of Children’s Alliance, and the Pierce County Human Service Coalition.
With its combination of working farm, Repack Project, and distribution warehouse, Emergency Food Network is unique. It is one of the only non-profit emergency food distribution centers in the country capable of growing, purchasing, storing and distributing food—taking food straight from the land to the tables of those in need.