Our mission is to provide Pierce County with a consistent, diverse and nutritious food supply so that no person goes hungry.
Statement on Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion:
At EFN we recognize and embrace the ever-changing needs of our community and are actively trying to better identify and meet those needs by ensuring equity, diversity, and inclusion in our staff, board, and partners.
Our History
EFN began as a program in 1982 when the leadership of FISH Food Banks, Tacoma Rescue Mission, Salvation Army, and Associated Ministries recognized a great need in our community to resource emergency food collectively. With guidance from Paul Bender, the Executive Director of the newly formed Greater Tacoma Community Foundation, and through the organizing efforts of Dennis Flannigan, EFN’s first Executive Director, the organization was created to serve as Pierce County’s central storage and distribution center for emergency food programs.
In 1985, EFN 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.
More than 3.7 million visits were made to our partner programs in 2025, an 18% increase from 2024. Emergency Food Network aided these visits by distributing 18.3 million pounds of food, providing millions of meals to hungry individuals in Pierce County.
1982
Emergency Food Network is established as a program by the Greater Tacoma Community Foundation
1983
Sponsorship of EFN shifts from Greater Tacoma Community Foundation to Associated Ministries
1986
David Ottey is hired as EFN’s first Executive Director
1991
EFN becomes a 501(c)3
1994
EFN purchases current warehouse in South Tacoma
1995
First National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) Food Drive
*Photo from 2014 food drive
2001
First season of growing food at Mother Earth Farm – Mother Earth Farm now grows over 100 varieties of fruits and vegetables for our Partner Programs
2007
Repack project starts – EFN volunteers repack more than 600,000 pounds of bulk food each year.
2008
David Ottey retires after two decades of leadership
2009
Helen McGovern-Pilant becomes EFN’s second Executive Director
2010
EFN becomes a Guinness World Record Holder for the largest one-day food drive, collecting 515,067 pounds of food in 24 hours
2010
EFN starts purchasing food through Co-op Food Purchasing Program
2014
EFN starts Break Bag Program in partnership with St. Leo’s Food Connection
2015
Purchase of land across the street from Lakewood Distribution Center – This property was purchased as a safeguard for the future and currently is used for trailer parking, staff parking, EFN’s community garden and a new office building that was constructed in 2021.
2017
Construction of 747 vertical storage building with support from the Employee’s Community Fund of Boeing – Puget Sound
2018
Helen McGovern-Pilant retires and Michelle Douglas is hired as CEO
2020 - March
Start of Covid-19 Pandemic – Visits to the emergency food system are 40% higher than they were in March of 2019
2020 - April
Start of Grow Your Food Program, extra starts are grown at Mother Earth Farm to support home gardening and community gardens during pandemic
2020 - May
EFN starts Home Delivery Program to serve families who cannot safely visit food pantries due to the pandemic
2021 - July
EFN builds new office building, the North 40, with support from WSDA to accommodate our growing team and allow staff members to safely return to work
2024 - April
EFN completed construction on "The Greens", a new 21,780-square-foot warehouse. This added space is vital to help meet an unprecedented demand for emergency food services.
In 2025 Emergency Food Network:
Distributed 18.3 million pounds of food through its Distribution Center to the food programs it serves.
Delivered 452,419 pounds of food through its Home Delivery Program.
Collected the equivalent of 287,008 meals through Food & Fund Drives.
Community Need
The Pierce County emergency food system includes more than 75+ food pantries and hot meal sites. 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, many food programs are dependent on EFN for food. The majority of food is donated by farms and 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 food through its Co-op Food Purchasing Program.
"Thank you for saving our lives. You all have been above and beyond, and you got us through this incredibly difficult time. Circumstances have changed and we're on the upside now, so we don't need help anymore, but I want to say thank you so much."
– Home Delivery Recipient
Financials
We appreciate every hour, can, and dollar donated to help achieve our mission of providing food for our neighbors in need.
Emergency Food Network is committed to providing food in the most efficient way possible. Our ability to procure food donations and federal commodities and to purchase healthy food in bulk allows EFN to distribute 2 meals for $1.
Emergency Food Network is a 501(c)3 charitable organization. Federal Tax ID (EIN): 943131776