SEATTLE — A small, but essential, Belltown food bank has been serving their community for decades, but soon they'll have to find a new home.
“You could go down and ask many people, ‘Have you ever heard of Puget Sound Labor Agency?’ And they say, ‘What is that?’” said Sam Sim, executive director. “We're a food bank.”
Three days a week, people line up in an alley at 2800 1st Ave. in the Labor Temple Building to receive donations of fresh and frozen food.
On Wednesday evening, the Puget Sound Labor Agency distributed turkeys, chickens, green beans and stuffing.
The nonprofit, a partner of Northwest Harvest, has been providing meals for 45 years, but soon they’ll have to leave their longtime space, and they don’t yet know where they’ll go.
“The building is now being sold and we're probably going to have to move out of here by March, which is a very short time frame,” Sim said.
Sim said he's working with the city and Belltown partners to find a new location, while also planning for Christmas, and trying to meet the daily needs of a neighborhood battered by COVID-19.
“It's a big blessing to see how many people we can help in the community,” Sim said.
Without the agency's help, people like Kevin Scott might not have a proper Thanksgiving dinner.
“You see the line around the corner?” he said, gesturing toward dozens of people waiting to pick up food. “That happens on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.”
How to support Home Team Harvest
There are four ways you can help support KING 5's efforts to raise 20 million meals through Home Team Harvest.
Donate online: Give online to Northwest Harvest.
Text to donate: Text HOMETEAM to 41444 to give.
Buy a virtual hunger bag: Visit your local Safeway or Albertsons store and buy a virtual hunger bag for $5, $10 or $15.
Watch the broadcast special: On Saturday, Dec. 5 at 10 a.m., tune in to KING 5 for a one-hour special as we celebrate 20 years of Home Team Harvest.