KIRKLAND, Wash. - One of our area's leading nonprofits and its clients, are declaring their new grocery-style food bank a success. Hopelink re-launched its services in the Kirkland and Bothell areas with a food bank that allows people to actually shop for their food, rather than simply receiving what's given to them.
Brandi Addicott is a mother of three, and says she has needed her local food bank at times in the past. But she says lately the experience has improved dramatically thanks to the changes Hopelink has made.
"I actually enjoy coming here a lot more than I did before," she said. "Because I can choose what I need."
The Hopelink in Kirkland made the switch a few months ago. Now, instead of lining up to receive handouts of pre-selected food items, clients are given shopping carts and color coded cards telling them how many of each category of food they are entitled to, based on the size of their family. Then, the clients simply go shopping in the aisles that are laid out like a normal grocery store.
Clients say the process is more dignified, and that it means less waste. Since they can now select the food they really want and need, it means they can leave behind items they won't eat for someone who will.
"You don't take stuff that you're not going to use," said Addicott.
"You only take stuff that you need for your house.""It gives them a sense of dignity that the old system would not provide," said Rus Sudakov. "Even with the best volunteers and the biggest smile on your face, it still feels like you're just handing something out to people when you do it the old way."
The new Hopelink facility is also open many more days and for longer hours than their old food banks in an effort to make the experience more like a normal trip to the grocery store. A few smaller food banks in our area employ a similar system, but generally on a far smaller scale.
Addicott and Donkor said the changes make a tremendous difference, and hope other, bigger food banks will eventually follow Hopelink's lead.
Hopelink client Agnes Donkor, also a mother, agrees.
"I can go through and pick the stuff myself," she said. "Check the dates. And then the things I want and then the things I don't like."
This new style of food bank takes much more time and work to provide, and Hopelink is largely operated by volunteers. But the food bank coordinator says it is well worth the extra effort.
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