How Redmond Food Box Program Delivers Hope in Times of Food Insecurity
No child should go to school hungry, right? Millions of children around the world get no choice but to experience hunger. Free school meal programs, like most government-led programs are often over-burdened or stay under-utilized. Many families struggle because of rising food costs. The hardships exacerbate during pandemic, supply chain hiccups or when school is off. Nutrition is oft overlooked when basic food is not available, expensive, or scarce. Even in economically well-off areas, some families making over salary limits for their district's school meal program struggle to put food on the table. On top of it, facing the stigma of accepting free food from strangers is real.
To solve these complex problems in their own neighborhood, Kristen Muscott, Karene Busby, Fran Wessling, Sandee Palmquist, Linda Kaczmarek, Judy Saunders, Joanne Hall, and Aaliya Osmanbhoy have been developing the Redmond School Break Food Box program since 2015.
The Volunteer Teams in Action
Their mission is to distribute food boxes with a of a variety of dairy, fruits, protein, and vegetables. Every month, their team carefully curates and delivers food box. Together with their volunteer teams, they powered through delivering these free food boxes to those in need during the pandemic. They innovated to offer touchless delivery or pick-up. They started to wear masks and gloves as they worked in a space donated by a church in Education Hill As of June 2022, the program provides a monthly food box to more than 170 families experiencing food insecurity in the city of Redmond in Washington state. Their social purpose is that children in their community should not have to worry about where their next meal is coming from. They should go to school well-fed and have ready access to nutritious and healthy food.
What started as a do-gooder mission, has grown in its impact. Over the years, Redmond School Break Food Box Program has transformed into a grassroots movement. With the help of the community, churches, schools, and non-profit networks like the Redmond Kiwanis Club and Nourishing Network Consortium, they scaled up this effort.
Kristen Muscott has been instrumental in gaining the support from Redmond area schools and bridging the gap between those who need assistance and those who can provide funds, talent, and time to grow the program. Powered by volunteers from the greater community, other non-profits and mission-driven organizations, the non-profit has been able to setup a system so that every dollar donated goes straight into feeding local families. "We are 100% community driven, and we are so grateful for the many volunteers and donors who believe in this program,’” says Muscott. “We prioritize fresh produce because families can customize it easily to meet their cultural preference, and I think our supporters appreciate this.”
Karene Busby is the primary "shopper" for Redmond Food Box - she shops and mobilizes volunteers to help take advantage of local sales. "We shop in bulk for fresh produce and shelf stable items, engage the community with special requests, fill Food Boxes with nutrient-rich items (and a treat or two, of course!) and have it delivered to our families. Over time, we have been able to partner with corporate partners like QFC, Costco and Grocery Outlet," informs Busby.
If you are keen to support Redmond Food Box’s effort to offer nutrition and hope to families experiencing food insecurity and to create a caring community where all people feel safe, valued, and important, please consider donating via https://www.redmondfoodbox.org/
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