TBT Blog

My husband, Greg, and I got more involved with food insecurity issues early in the COVID pandemic. When everyone was staying home and perfecting their sourdough recipes, an article ran in The Seattle Times about a group of home bakers in the Seattle area who saw an increased need in the local food banks. During the pandemic, collections were down but demand was up. They wanted to use their skills to bake nutritious bread and donate it to those in need. From this, Community Loaves was born. We joined the organization soon after learning about it, and later volunteered to become a neighborhood hub to collect bread and deliver it to Hopelink in Bellevue.  

Community Loaves has grown to almost 800 bakers in four states. The volunteers have donated over 140,000 loaves of our exclusive recipe for delicious nutritious homemade bread. Recently, we added two recipes for energy cookies, which are basically a meal replacement like a granola bar. Volunteers have donated over 88,000 energy cookies. We are always looking for new volunteers: baking, packing flours, and delivering baked goods.  

With the Community Loaves program, we have taken tours at local food banks that receive the bread. Last year, I arranged a tour of Hopelink Bellevue. We learned a lot about food insecurity, which  is increasing due to job insecurity and higher food costs. One in 10 Washingtonians (including here in King County and the Eastside) are food insecure. Lower income households, African Americans, Latinos, recent immigrants, and LGBTQ+ people are disproportionately affected.  

Food insecurity is not limited to people who are unhoused or unemployed. Most food insecure individuals just don’t have enough money to buy food; many have to choose between rent, medicine, and food.  

TBT has a long history of helping with food insecurity. Perhaps you have donated packaged food at the high holidays or in the bins by the office door. Arnie Goldstein leads volunteers to grow produce in the Mitzvah Garden, a welcome source of fresh food for our community. 

Unfortunately, food drives have decreased since the start of the COVID pandemic in 2020. Organizations stopped collecting food when they stopped meeting, and many didn’t resume food drives after the return to in-person events. Often, items donated don’t meet the needs of the local food banks. Expired food is a problem, and they get too many donations of canned vegetables like green beans instead of more popular items. They also cannot take fresh meat, dairy or eggs from the community because they don’t know how it is handled. During our meetings with Hopelink, we learned it is better to donate fewer items that fill the current needs than give a larger donation of the wrong food. 

In the case of Hopelink, the most pressing needs are: 

1. Canned soup 
2. Canned chili and other hearty meals 
3. Canned fruit 
4. Jars of pasta sauce 
5. Boxes of cereal, especially name-brands 
6. Ramen, Cup of Noodle, Noodle Kits, etc. 
7. Peanut butter 
8. Non-food items such as deodorant, toothpaste soap and feminine hygiene 

Household sizes are best; bulk packages from Costco or restaurant supplies are not suitable unless they contain many smaller packages. Hopelink gets its meats from grocery stores, government or whatever they can buy. When they can get meat, it is often ground pork, since it is cheap. Unfortunately, this does not work for recipients who don’t eat pork, especially Muslim and Jewish families.  

Interestingly, almost all of the milk comes from a program with the schools. The school lunch program requires a balanced meal including fruit, vegetables and milk. Previously, when a student didn’t eat an item, it was thrown away. Now, Hopelink partners with the schools to provide a collection bin. Uneaten fruit and milk are then donated to Hopelink, so all the milk they receive comes in small cartons. 

As for eggs, Hopelink gets them in bulk, which they repackage in standard dozen containers. This is why we’ve asked you to donate empty egg containers – thanks for your help! 

Free and reduced meals in the schools help children, but the documentation required means that they don’t reach all eligible children. During the pandemic, free meals were extended to all children regardless of income; the program was a huge success and showed the importance of removing barriers for kids in need. Washington state is now working to increase the reach of this program: HB 1238 was passed in 2023 to provide free lunches to all students in schools where 40% of students are below the poverty line. 

In short, food insecurity is not a distant problem. Food insecurity is here in our community. It is our neighbors. As it says in Pirke Avot, the teachings of our ancestors, “It is not for you to complete the task, but neither are you free to desist from it”. TBT has a long history of helping those in need, but this need never ends. There is always more we can do.

Want to get involved? Please email the Social Action Committee: socialaction@templebnaitorah.org