Holiday Food for Thought in the PNW

Holiday greetings from CFFP and Philanthropy Northwest! 
We want to bring the local food system into our homes, gatherings, and celebrations this holiday season — both by buying local and also by supporting and volunteering with food-focused nonprofits in our communities.

Eat Local for the Holidays 
Farmers Markets boast a cornucopia of great resources for holiday meals, gifts, and decorations. Hosting events from cheeseboard tastings to performing artists, local farmers markets are a great way to enjoy holiday shopping and support local producers. Browse below for locations, times, and holiday events:

• Spokane County
• Whatcom County
• Greater Portland
• Greater Seattle
• Greater Tacoma

​Local Food Nonprofits for Holiday Volunteering and Giving
Use this holiday as an opportunity to support organizations in the food space that work towards our common goals of a healthy, thriving, local food economy and community. Even better, take the New Year as a chance to become a regular supporter or volunteer to one of these groups in your area.

• Bellingham Food Bank connects those in need with nutritious food and also provides resources to connect residents in the larger region to other Whatcom County food banks.
• Blessings Under the Bridge in Spokane will provide a holiday community dinner with hot drinks, winter gear, medical supplies, presents, and other services for homeless families on December 17.
• El Centro de la Raza on Beacon Hill is a community center that houses cooking classes, meal delivery to homebound seniors, “La Cocina Popular” Latino hot meal program, and a food bank amongst its other programs.
• Fare Start equips unemployed individuals in Seattle-Tacoma with work and life skills training and provides employment at social enterprise restaurants, cafes, catering, and community meals programs.
• Feed Spokane partners with local food businesses in order to divert food waste from their commercial operations and redistribute to families in need.
• Food Lifeline in Washington state partners with manufacturers, farmers, and retailers to divert food waste to those in need, and provide resources to connect those in need with nutritious food.
• Growing Gardens works across Oregon to provide hands on training in horticulture and home gardening, providing improved access to both jobs and food at home. Last year, Growing Gardens awarded 189 horticulture certificates to inmates in Oregon prisons.
• Meals on Wheels People provide a hot meal and social support to seniors without a waiting list. Last year, the organization delivered 1.3 million meals to over 17,000 senior adults in the Portland community.
• Northwest Harvest is a Washington-wide food bank distributor serving 375 food banks and providing upwards of 2 million meals per month, with a focus on fresh fruits and vegetables.
• Oregon Food Bank is a statewide organization that distributes 1.9 million pounds of food each month in metro areas in addition to providing kitchen and garden training, as well as policy advocacy around poverty and hunger.
• Portland Fruit Tree Project empowers communities to steward, care for, and share the harvest of neighborhood fruit trees and orchards in order to increase equitable access to healthy food from a local source.
• Project Feast provides training classes for immigrants in and pathways to sustainable employment in the food industry in Seattle-Tacoma.
• Recovery Café in downtown Seattle provides a safe space for individuals recovering from homelessness and addiction crises through nutritious meals, Recovery Circle accountability groups, School for Recovery classes, 12-step meetings, and referral services.
• Teen Feed in the University District of Seattle uses food as a means to build relationships, support networks, and ally with homeless youth while providing for their basic needs.