University Commons- service with dignity!

Empowerment through service is the truest way to make an impact in a community. Creating stability is the first step to providing opportunities. The University District Food Bank and the Low Income Housing Institute are creating such opportunities right here in the U District. University Commons highlights the most innovative approaches to eradicating poverty through direct service.

The current U District Food Bank resides in the basement of University Christian Church, which is historical at this point! (the Washington Food Coalition office is upstairs). Limited space leads to a less amount of healthy options available to store and distribute. The limited space also creates a long line that often snakes around the block. Service with dignity is essential, and the University Food Bank aspires to create an inviting atmosphere for its customers.  The new food bank in University Commons will triple the space of the current location.

"We've been In this same basement for 32 years and while the space hasn't grown the need definitely has," said Joe Gruber, Executive Director of the University District Food Bank. "We're working with around 1,100 households a week in that same space. It means we're distributing 40,000 lbs. of food from an 800 square foot room."

“One of the important aspects - the U District has always had is an affordable housing mix. This is one small opportunity to preserve some of that.”

Joe Gruber, Executive Director of the University District Food Bank

It is clear that hunger is a national tragedy in a country as rich as ours. According to Feeding America research, hunger is present in every single county. Joel Berg, a keynote speaker at the WFC Conference in 2014, breaks down the economic tolls hunger has on our success as a society in this video. His platform rests on the power of basic needs being met, and necessarily not by the private sector either. Just like water and air, people have a right to food, and our government needs the ability to secure safety from hunger for all.

Studio style housing will be above the new food bank. Designed to be accessible for youth involved in job training also housed in the center. Permanent housing is shown to effectively confront homelessness, in a cost effective and humane, respectful way, also shown to be a recent success in Utah.

In all, the project is an all-around good idea that we are lucky to have in the University District. This area is definitely boundless.

Some photos From the event:

Marion West
Civil rights champion; honored through
the housing portion of the University
Commons which is named after her

Sharon Lee
ED of Low Income Housing Institute (LIHI)

Joe Gruber
ED of the University District Food Bank

Article by Dani Gilmour, danielle@wafoodcoalition.org

Photos by Trish Twomey, trish@wafoodcoalition.org