Food as a human right: RVFB’s part in the homelessness crisis
We are making some exciting changes to our To-Go Bag Program and want you to be involved!
We are improving the way To-Go Bags are produced, with the help of volunteers. As the homeless population in Seattle increases, the demand on organizations that support them will increase in tandem. We are working to formalize our To-Go Bag production, for top quality and efficiency. Here’s how you can help:
VOLUNTEER
Volunteer Tuesday and Friday from 12pm – 1pm, to help prepare sandwiches and bags of food for the week. Making sandwiches next to your fellow community volunteer can be a fun way to connect, meet new people and soak in the rich diversity our community has to offer. A common volunteer sentiment at RVFB is “I love the people!” If you are new to volunteering at RVFB, visit our website to get started.
DONATE FOOD & FUNDS
We try our hardest to make sure we always have To-Go Bags available, but sometimes having enough food to fill them is a struggle! The following donations would be helpful for our To-Go Bags:
pre-sliced and fresh lunch meats
sliced cheese
mayonnaise
mustard
jelly
sliced bread
canned sardines
pop top chili & soup
cup noodles
lunch sized, sliced fresh fruit packs
snack-sized bags of chips
granola bars
Donations are much appreciated and can be dropped off anytime 8 – 3, Tues – Sat. And as always, monetary donations provide the greatest assistance for maintaining these programs so that we can purchase exactly what we need, when we need it!
What are To-Go Food Bags?
To-Go Food Bags (also referred to as “Lunch Sacks” or “Cold Bags”) are all names for the same thing: bags of pre-prepared foods that are ready to eat. Inside the bags we pack 1-2 sandwiches, a whole fruit, 1-2 drinks, several snacks, and quick meals such as mac & cheese or ramen that solely require warm water.
Who uses To-Go Food Bags?
RVFB distributes nearly 500 To-Go Food Bags a month. They were created for individuals without access to cooking facilities, such as unhoused individuals living outdoors or in a vehicle. As the cost of housing increases in this city, many are forced to turn to shelters, transitional housing, cars, and unsheltered public spaces for a place to rest. According to King County’s annual street count, 10,047 individuals were recorded as homeless on January 23, 2015. At least 3,772 people were without shelter during this 3 hour count, a 21% increase from last year. And it’s assumed that there are even more homeless individuals not counted, as many take care to not be seen during the night.
Not all homelessness is attributable to the lack of affordable housing in Seattle. Unemployment, untreated mental illness and addiction and domestic violence, are all attributable to Seattle’s homeless population. Poverty is a cyclical shape-shifter, which for varied yet connected reasons can slip in and out of people’s lives, or settle in as a constant barrier. But when less than 1% of King County apartments are affordable to households earning up to $12.50/hour, the housing crisis is sure not helping.
How do people access To-Go Bags at RVFB?
To-Go Bags are available every day that we are open (Tuesday – Saturday, 10 am – 2 pm). If someone does not have time to wait for groceries during our regular distribution hours (Wednesday & Saturday, 9:30 am – 2 pm) or needs food on a day when we are not distributing groceries, they can pick-up a To-Go Bag for immediate relief. These bags ensure that if anyone needs food Tuesday – Saturday, they can take something to eat from our food bank.
Nourishment and shelter are the most basic needs we all depend upon for survival. Help us ensure that no one struggling for shelter in Seattle is without the most fundamental human necessity, and moral right: FOOD.