Organizations scramble to meet food shortage

For Peny Archer, the operations manager for Community Services of Moses Lake, getting food from one location to another has been her careerlong mission.

When she heard the news that some food banks in eastern Washington were going to experience a disruption in their delivery service, she made a few calls.

Archer first heard that Second Harvest, a Spokane-based nonprofit, would have to temporarily suspend deliveries to the food banks and pantries in its 26-county radius. One of those affected counties was Whitman County.

Eric Williams, community partnerships director of Second Harvest, said the decision came after the organization experienced a drop in donations following the rising cost of food in grocery stores coupled with the higher price of gas.

“We’re also frustrated with the situation,” Williams said.

On Dec. 23, Second Harvest posted on its blog that it would temporarily suspend deliveries; the email had gone out a few weeks earlier. Williams said the organization had spent an additional $500,000 to purchase additional food to be able to send out the delivery trucks, which was unsustainable in the long run.

“It’s a very serious job to take care of these folks,” Archer said.

Second Harvest distributes to food banks in 21 counties in eastern Washington and five in northern Idaho, Williams said.

In Whitman County, the affected pantries are: Albion Food Pantry, Colton/Uniontown Food Pantry, Endicott Food Pantry, Garfield Food Pantry, Lacrosse Food Pantry, Malden Food Pantry, Oakesdale Food Pantry, Palouse Food Pantry, Pullman Child Welfare, Pullman Community Action Center, Rosalia Food Commodities, Rosalia Food Pantry, St. John Food Pantry and Tekoa Food Pantry.

Paige Collins, executive director at the Council on Aging in Colfax, and Archer have been working together throughout the month to ensure the banks don’t go without.

The plan the two organizations have finalized will start Jan. 25, leaving no Whitman County pantry with a gap in service, Collins said. The food will be driven down from the distribution center in Moses Lake once a month to Colfax. From Colfax, the food will be spread across the county.

“It’s nothing big and glamorous, we’re just in a position to help,” Archer said.

Williams said they aim to bring distribution back as soon as possible. Archer said the Community Services of Moses Lake has plans for at least the next 10 months, but is unsure beyond that because of factors like the pandemic and food prices.

While Community Services of Moses Lake has yet to see any restrictions to its supply, Archer said she’s seen how the high prices have affected other organizations like Second Harvest.

Collins said the announcement also brought out a sense of community support, with people reaching out to see how they could help cover any gaps.

For those interested in donating, Collins said monetary donations marked for the pantries is best. All money donations will be used to purchase food in bulk and spread it across the county.

Nelson can be reached at knelson@dnews.com.