This remodel was designed to both serve

the increasing number of people

coming to IFCB, and to improve

the shopping experience for

customers. By expanding the

service area, customers no

longer have to slowly move

through the Food Bank in a

single file line, but can instead

shop around as if they were in a

grocery store.

The Food Bank improvements fit

with the IFCB mission of

promoting self sufficiency by

putting the shopping decisions

back in the hands of our

customers, rather than staff or

volunteers.

Spring/

Summer

2016

The Issaquah Food and Clothing

Bank has had a dramatic remodel.

The food service area has been

expanded in order to allow for a

truer “grocery shopping” model,

where people can move around

freely, choose all their items and

use IFCB Salmon Bucks to check

out at the end. Salmon Bucks will

help in the check out process, and

will be distributed based on number

of people in the household.

While the construction was a

challenge—the food bank was

moved into the clothing bank for 3

weeks—the response from

customers, volunteers and staff has

been positive.

Facelift for the Food Bank Construction expands service area, improves flow

The Food Bank service area during and after construction

Page 2 Spring/Summer 2016

Lunch for the Break distributed more than

900 boxes of food during school breaks in

the 2015-16 school year! - Brand NEW

Program Success!

IFCB now has heating and air conditioning, thanks to

Kristonis & Lindor Windermere Real Estate. Thank you!

Summer Calendar:

Remodeled Food Bank Open House: June 2, 5-7pm

Summer Lunch: June 23-August 25

Tools 4 School: August 20

Donate to IFCB: anytime!

Share your thoughts / ideas / needs with us anytime!

Check in Updates and Highlights

Executive Report: Culture of Philanthropy In the true spirit of giving

I’d like to talk about our

beliefs about the culture of

philanthropy here at the

Issaquah Food and

Clothing Bank. First of all

we love and need you all

whether you volunteer

once a week, drop off a

bag of clothing

occasionally, contribute

$10 a month or $100 a

month. We thrive because

of our diverse

contributors’ spirit of

giving and connection to

our mission. I apologize if

you have heard my mantra

before but I’m going to say

it again… The IFCB is only

“Try to be a rainbow in someone’s cloud.”

~Maya Angelou

Cori Walters, IFCB Executive

Director & Leadership Eastside

graduate

Photo by: Barbara Roser

part of the food security

solution. In order to

make profound change it

will require engagement,

partnership and support

from all areas and levels

of our community.

Our major strategic goal

for 2016 is outreach. We

want every community

member to know that

we are here in case they

have a need or know

someone who is

struggling or if they have

some time and talents to

share. One of the

greatest treasures you

can give the IFCB right

now is the gift of

sharing our message. If

you care about us, talk

about us! If you care

about us, share with us.

We want to hear your

ideas and explore your

passions for this work.

Sometimes it seems

like we never say thank

you enough.

THANK YOU!

Thank you for engaging

in our community by

supporting THE cause

YOU care about.

Maybe it’s early

childhood education,

maybe it’s senior

The members of 10U Purple baseball team from the Issaquah

Baseball Club help back 30 boxes for Lunch for the Break.

Page 2 Spring/Summer 2016

services, maybe it’s

animals or maybe it’s the

Issaquah Food and

Clothing Bank!

Page 3 Spring/Summer 2016

Customer Profile: Melisa’s Story Melisa Carey is a strong, smart, independent woman—a mother, a student and a wealth of information on things

health and nutrition related. She is also an Issaquah Food and Clothing Bank customer.

Melisa is a full time student at Ashford University, working toward her degree in integrated medicine. After she

graduates, she plans to channel her passion for healthy living into a consultant position, where she can help

people figure out ways to live and eat healthier. Melisa also works part time in her apartment complex, helping

elderly and disabled residents with cooking and cleaning. She takes this opportunity to get experience for her

future career and helps these residents live healthier lives through simple interventions like eating less processed

food and using fewer chemical products in the home.

These practices are in place in Melisa’s own home, thanks in part to the Issaquah Food and Clothing Bank.

Melisa doesn’t have a car and getting a bus to downtown and back home with groceries was a challenge. With

Groceries to Go, IFCB’s delivery program, Melisa orders her groceries online every week and they show up at

her door each Wednesday. Because she chooses the food in her order, she’s able to get the healthy food she

and her two teen boys need. She loves the

fact that she can get food from the Food

Bank that helps her teach her sons healthy

eating habits and provides good nutrition.

In addition to the food she receives, Melisa

loves the other programs IFCB offers, such as

the Holiday Gift Barn. She appreciates the

shopping model of the Holiday Gift Barn, and

that the program is offered to help ease the

burden on her and other parents during a

very stressful time of year. Lunch for the

Break, which provides food boxes during long

school breaks, is another of her favorite

programs, because it takes the burden off her

of feeding two ravenous teen boys during the

school breaks.

Melisa made the conscious decision to step

out of the work force to be home more with

her two sons. She doesn’t have the support

of a large family and keenly felt the

responsibility she has for raising her two

boys. For that reason, she had to step back

from being a donor to organizations like IFCB

and take advantage of the available services.

She knows first hand that donations and

volunteer time go to good use at IFCB—she

sees it every week in her Groceries to Go

delivery. “You never know when the tables

will turn and you’re on the other side,” she

said. With her perspective on both the giving

and receiving sides, Melisa said she is truly

grateful for the services that are available to

her. Melisa’s sons, Trey (left), 15 and Blaise, 13. Big smiles for healthy food!

“If we did all the things we are capable of, we would literally astound ourselves.”

~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Central Heat and AC come to the Food Bank Windermere Real Estate,

IFCB has central air that

keeps the building cool in

the summer and warm in

the winter.

This improvement, along

with the expansion of the

Food Bank service area,

is designed to make

IFCB’s space more

comfortable, gracious and

accessible to all

customers and

volunteers.

The Food Bank is a place

that should feel inviting

and welcoming—a place

people want to shop,

rather than need to shop.

Partner Highlight: Kristonis & Lindor Windermere Real Estate Fired Firework Show

The heat and air conditioning from the article above wouldn’t have been possible without the help of John Kritsonis & Karl Lindor

of Windermere Real Estate. For their annual 4th of July Lake Sammamish Fireworks show they asked for donations to IFCB in lieu

of donating to the cost of the fireworks, which totaled $22,000! This was enough to pay for a heating and air conditioning system

for IFCB. For the 2016 Fireworks show their goal is to raise $30,000 in support of IFCB’s Summer Lunch Program. Thank you!

In the past, the Issaquah

Food and Clothing Bank

has been...unpleasant

during any kind of cold

or hot weather.

Due to an old building

and no central heating

or air conditioning, it

was cold in the winter

and hot in the summer.

This made our space

less welcoming and

accessible to customers

and volunteers,

particularly the elderly

or very young.

But no more! Thanks to

a generous donation

from Kristonis & Lindor

Fast Facts Stats and more to keep you informed

Page 4 Spring/Summer 2016

In March 2016, the American Academy of Pediatrics released their first statement ever on the negative

effects of poverty on children. Read the full article here, or access it via communitiescount.org.

The number of homeless students in King County increased 10.4% from the 2013-14 to the 2014-

15 school year. The highest percentage is in Tukwila, where 1 in 9 students is homeless.

King County is the 2nd wealthiest county in Washington, but that hides deep disparities. 5% of

Sammamish residents report their health as being poor, while 23% of Burien residents do.

*All data from communitiescount.org

IFCB staff (l-r) Megan Edwin, Mike Hatada, John Rittenhouse and Cori

Walters show off the new construction behind and the new heat/AC

above. Both projects are part of ongoing improvements at IFCB and

show ongoing commitment to improving operations.

MEET A VOLUNTEER: Sonia

“We can’t help

everyone, but

everyone can help

someone.”

~Ronald Reagan

Page 5 Spring/Summer 2016

ABAWD does not meet these

requirements, they are eligible to

receive SNAP for 3 months in a 36

month period before being cut off.

They will regain eligibility if they

start working, volunteering or are

no longer an ABAWD (if they have

a child, for example).

This waiver expiration is affecting

people across the county as well.

An estimated 500,000 to a million

people could lose food benefits in

2016. Requiring work or volunteer

service in return for food

benefits was a response to the

assumption that ABAWDs must

be taking advantage of the

system if they aren’t

working.

However, as many

IFCB volunteers and

donors know, that

often is not the case.

The ABAWD

requirements don’t

take into account that

people may be

unemployed and

looking for work, or

may have other

barriers such as being

homeless.

The requirements

can be waived for people who

are chronically homeless, but

that involves frequent bouts of

homelessness that not everyone

experiences.

*This article uses information from

dshs.wa.gov and nytimes.com

Starting in 2016, thousands of

people in King County may find

their SNAP benefits (food stamps)

suddenly cut off.

This is due to a 1996

welfare law that requires

able bodied adults without

dependents (ABAWD) to

meet work or volunteer

requirements.

Washington, along with

many other states, had

received a waiver from

this law during the

recession that was based

on unemployment rates.

As the unemployment

rate decreases, the

waivers are expiring The

waivers are determined by

county, so not all counties in

Washington will be affected.

This rule requires ABAWDs to

work 20 hours per week or

volunteer 16 hours per week or

participate in an approved school

or job training program. If an

Work Requirements Affect Food Stamps

Sonia Lam started volunteering with IFCB in March 2016.

She volunteers twice a week and has already volunteered

more than 100 hours since joining the team. She comes

from the corporate world and when asked why she

volunteers she explained that, "I want be able to give back

and find myself and what's important...life is about humans

and not a product, or selling a product." Sonia’s favorite volunteer story is about a boy who came

to the food bank with his mom. It was his birthday and his

mom asked if there were any birthday cakes. Before she

could get the cooler door open, she heard him wishing

aloud, “please let it be the hamburger cake.” She came out

of the cooler with cake in hand, and said, “you mean this

one?!” His face lit up with joy at the sight of the

hamburger cake. Thanks, Sonia!

Single adults without dependents have requirements reinstated for working or volunteering

Volunteer Sonia Lam in the

Food Bank

ISSAQUAH FOOD &

CLOTHING BANK

179 1st Ave. SE

Issaquah, WA 98027

Phone: 425-392-4123

Fax: 425-392-5836

www.issaquahfoodbank.org

THANK YOU to all our wonderful donors and

volunteers!

Our Mission

The Issaquah

Food and Clothing

Bank provides

basic needs to our

community members to

promote

self-sufficiency.

1. Volunteer We are in need of dedicated volunteers for the

Food and Clothing Bank. Register online at

issaquahfoodbank.org.

2. Donate Here’s how to deliver your wonderful donations:

Food: Monday-Friday, 8am-4pm

Clothing: 24-hour drop box on 1st Ave SE

Money: donate online at issaquahfoodbank.org

3. Hold a Drive Is there something you are particularly passionate about? Hold a

drive! You can collect clothing, baby formula, toiletries, food, and

more. For more ideas, email cori@issaquahfoodbank.org.

GET CONNECTED!

Non Profit Org.

US Postage Paid

Permit #652

Issaquah, WA

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