Mother Earth Farm
Cannery Project
Orchard
Statistics
Our Story
Mission and Background
The mission of the Emergency Food Network
(EFN) is “to
provide a reliable food supply so that no person in Pierce County goes hungry.” EFN began as a program of The Greater Tacoma Community Foundation in 1982 to serve as Pierce County’s central storage and distribution center for emergency food programs. In 1985 it was transferred as a program to Associated Ministries. Originally designed to meet a temporary need caused by the economic recession of the 1980’s, it became apparent in the early 1990’s that the need for such a community service had grown. In response, EFN became an independent 501(c)(3) non-profit organization in 1991.
Community Need
In 2007, the Pierce County emergency food system included more than 70 food banks and hot meal sites that provided
7.3 million meals to 694,986 clients (duplicated count). In recent years, food programs
have experienced an increase in the number of clients seeking services.
As the sole nonprofit food distributor located in Pierce County, EFN provides
85 percent of the emergency food available in the county. In 2007, EFN distributed more than
$13.3 million in food and other household essentials at no cost to the 70 food banks, hot meal sites and shelters it
served. The majority of food was donated by large corporations such as Fred Meyer,
Carolina Logistics, QFC and SuperValu, but EFN also acts as a Sub-Distributing Agency
(SDA) for the USDA Commodity Food Program and purchases over
$400,000 in food from its general operating budget and designated accounts.
Services and Programs
The Emergency Food Network (EFN) operates four distinct programs: 1)
the Distribution
Center, 2) the
Mother Earth Farm 3)
the Cannery Project
and 4) the Orchard. The 20,000 square foot Distribution Center is located in Lakewood and is the agency’s storage, distribution, and administrative center. The Cannery Project is a partnership with the LDS Church and the Bishop’s Storehouse in Kent in 1996. More than
one million cans have been produced since the inception of this program in
1996. The Mother Earth Farm is an 8-acre organic farm located in Orting that yields more than
150,000 pounds of fresh produce annually. Started in 2006, the
13-achre Orchard in Roy has 308 apple and plum trees that will
provide a sustainable supply of fresh fruit for food banks.
Clients Served
The Emergency Food Network serves more than 70 feeding programs in Pierce County who in turn serve a diverse population of low-income clients. Of the more than
130,000 individuals seeking emergency food assistance each month in the county, 98% fall below national poverty guidelines. More than half are children and seniors
and 43% are families with
at least one adult working. Hunger is rarely an isolated issue and usually is a symptom of a larger problem impacting an individual’s ability to gain and maintain an adequate level of economic security. Since 1996, EFN has made a commitment to developing programs that not only provide wholesome food to those in need, but also offer opportunities to develop basic work skills in a supportive environment.
Impact
Designed and developed as an independent, local response to hunger, EFN and its programs maintain strong working relationships with the local community, statewide organizations and state affiliates of national food bank organizations with emphasis on food
resourcing, trucking, and other issues that impact food banking in our state and region. Additionally, EFN has been active in local and statewide anti-hunger, nutrition, and human service coalitions. EFN was active in the formation of, and remains a participating
member in, numerous coalitions including the Washington State Food Coalition, the Washington State Anti-Hunger and Child Nutrition Coalition of Children’s Alliance, and the Pierce County Human Service Coalition.
With its combination of working farm, cannery project, orchard and distribution warehouse, the Emergency Food Network is unique. It is the only non-profit emergency food distribution center in the country capable of growing, canning, purchasing, storing and distributing food—taking food straight from the ground to the tables of those in need.
