Meet our Members: Salvation Army Renton Food Bank

by: Paige Teeny, Member Services Director

Ask Director Beverly Storey what makes her food bank unique, and she’ll tell you her volunteers and her prayer group. Both make Salvation Army Renton Food Bank a very busy but successful food bank. The food bank sits in a quiet neighborhood under leafy, green trees. Door open for two rounds of distribution; once in the morning and in the afternoon. The distribution warehouse was built with the food bank in mind, and is large and spacious with room to grow. While there is another small food pantry in the area, most of the clients from around Renton step through the Salvation Army's doors. Salvation Army Renton has more than 6,000 clients that are allowed to come once a month for groceries.  They have seen their client base expand significantly in these last few years. If the financial support were there, Director Beverly would love to serve clients more often. In addition to the food bank, there is also Homeless Boxes. These are quick nonperishable food boxes that can be picked up on a weekly basis for those without stoves or refrigeration. Salvation Army Renton also works with the school district to provide backpack program.

Salvation Army Renton has a dual shopping/preboxed distribution method. Each client is called in from the waiting room, one at a time. They have a volunteer shopping assistant who guides them through the shopping area where they can choose from fresh fruit and vegetables, as well as dairy and bread. Canned goods and other specialty items however are placed in boxes for each client to take. For a while they used switched exclusively to the shopping model, but had extraordinary wait times for clients. They dual method approach works best for them and their clients. 

You can find out more about Salvation Army Renton and the services they provide at their facebook page here.

Clients setting up and choosing fruits and vegetables.

Large warehouse space to expand.

Speciality Items out for grabs.

Client posing with the fruits and veggies of the day!

Lots of yummy dairy and fresh veggies for all to enjoy.

An example of a box fully loaded.