Meet our Members: Bremerton Foodline

“Placing nutritious food on the table for those in need in our community”

The Bremerton Foodline can be found just a short ferry ride from Seattle nestled strategically between a high school and a local college. With hopes of engaging the community around them, the Foodline chose to be near students who might engage in the work being done next door. Established in 1908 the Foodline has a rich history of providing food and referral services in a caring and respectful manner. With the poverty level approaching 20% in Bremerton, the food bank works hard to feed about 17,000 families annually. Clients are able to access Foodline on a monthly basis, although emergency bags are available if extra food is necessary. Foodline strives to preserve the dignity of their clients by creating a grocery store atmosphere within the warehouse were clients can walk around with a shopping cart and select food they want. Dependent on the family’s size, they are given a guidance form that informs them of the numbers of items they qualify for. Friendly volunteers greet them at every step of the process, making each visit run smoothly. Like many other food banks today, Foodline has a small garden outside that produces about 1,000 pounds per year to distribute to clients. Kale, lettuce, carrots, and many other veggies are tended by volunteers on a weekly basis. But besides providing food, Foodline also has a Back to School drive so they can provide the necessary school supplies to their clients at the end of the summer. They also collect jackets throughout the year to be distributed during the winter months. The Foodline has a great partnership with the neighboring high school, welcoming students with special needs to develop skills while volunteering at the food bank. Students are able to help repack and organize products that are later distributed to clients. Open five days a week, the staff and volunteers of the Bremerton Foodline are working tirelessly to meet the increasing need in their community .

For more information please visit: www.bremertonfoodline.org