The Tukwila Food Pantry has been a lifeline for many South King County residents who have lost their jobs during the pandemic.
Like many local food banks, it saw a surge in demand. It went from serving 50 households a day, pre-Covid, to 500.
Published on October 12, 2020
The pantry is at Riverton Park Methodist Church. It started out in the church basement, but during the pandemic, the operation moved outdoors. It doesn’t usually open until 10 a.m., but the line starts to form, sometimes as early as 7.
One in 10 people in King County does not have enough food to eat, according to a recent report published by the county. Another report, by the University of Washington, shows food insecurity is highest among people of color.
And it’s not just food that people are struggling with. Pastor Bolerjack said shelter has become a big issue, too. Before the pandemic, it was common for two, or sometimes three families to live in one place.
“And now when everybody’s having to stay home, those houses feel a lot smaller. And people are getting displaced. So suddenly they don’t have that couch to sleep on,” Bolerjack said.
Many of them work low wage jobs in hotels and restaurants. And many of them are waiting to be hired again after layoffs, or struggling with the few hours they get. In the meantime, the church has become their temporary home.
“We have 20 people sleeping in cars in our parking lot because it is a safe place to park,” she said. “So their cars are sort of landlocked here. And we have about 25 people living in tents who have been displaced for one reason or another.”
Co-authors of the UW study include:
- Adam Drewnowski, Director of the Center for Public Health Nutrition and a Professor in Epidemiology
- Jennifer J. Otten, Food Systems Director and an Associate Professor in Nutritional Sciences and Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences (DEOHS)
- Laura R. Lewis, Director of the Food Systems Program and an Associate Professor in Community and Economic Development at WSU
- Sarah M. Collier, Assistant Professor in Nutritional Sciences and DEOHS
- Brinda Sivaramakrishnan, Professor of Community Health at TCC
- Chelsea M. Rose, Research Coordinator in Epidemiology
- Alan Ismach, Research Coordinator in Health Services
- Esther Nguyen, Research Assistant at the UW School of Public Health
- James Buszkiewicz, Research Scientist in Epidemiology
Continue reading at KUOW.
Originally written by Ruby de Luna for KUOW.