One thing that cannot be said enough is a big “thank you” to Idaho farmers. Partnerships with Idaho food growers and manufacturers are key to the work of Feeding the Northwest and The Idaho Foodbank. Feeding the Northwest is a hunger-relief organization whose members are The Idaho Foodbank, Second Harvest Inland Northwest, Oregon Food Bank and Food Lifeline. Feeding the Northwest works closely with agricultural growers, packers and shippers in the three-state region of Idaho, Washington and Oregon.
Over the past year, The Idaho Foodbank has increased monthly food distribution statewide by an average of 38 percent to address the increased need for food assistance. During fiscal year (FY) 2020, The Idaho Foodbank distributed 22.3 million pounds of food across the state. That is food for 18.6 million meals. In FY 2021, the amount of food distributed statewide by The Foodbank was 30.9 million pounds—food for 25.7 million meals.
Last year, Feeding the Northwest distributed nearly 25 percent more fresh produce to food banks over the prior year.
“At the start of the pandemic last year and through the early part of summer, our organization was shipping millions of pounds of potatoes, apples, pears and other fresh items every week to food banks across the Northwest and to the entire nation,” says Rod Wieber, executive director of Feeding the Northwest. The organization plays a vital role in ensuring donations from generous growers are fully utilized by food banks across the region. Feeding the Northwest collaboratively distributes more food than any other collaborative in the country.
“Growers and shippers, in particular those in the potato industry, really stepped up to help provide much-needed fresh produce for families and seniors who were so impacted by COVID-19,” says Wieber.
The Idaho Foodbank has expressed gratitude that during the pandemic, outreach to local food donors resulted in the donation of product from manygenerous Idaho-based manufacturers and growers—including AgriBeef, Blue Barn Produce, Darigold, Happy Day Brands, Simplot, Southwind Farms and White Wave, just to name a few. This was important in helping address the increase in demand. Of course, the amazing potato growers in Idaho are a significant source of food donations for The Idaho Foodbank.
Donations from local growers and producers were not exclusive to the pandemic; they have always been important supporters of food banks. Fresh fruits and vegetables are a key part of a nutritious diet, so these donations are also an important component of The Idaho Foodbank’s Hunger to Health strategy. For several years, The Idaho Foodbank has been focused on obtaining more fresh fruits and vegetables for those facing hunger. Driven by the USDA’s MyPlate recommendations, The Idaho Foodbank’s goal is to make the healthy choice the easy choice. The Idaho Foodbank categorizes distributed food to ensure it is providing nutritious items such as fruits and vegetables, whole grains and protein. In FY 2020, 85 percent of food distributed by The Idaho Foodbank was considered nutritious.
As we look back at the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, we can all reflect on innovations in food distribution and continue building on some of the successes. New and growing partnerships, especially in Idaho’s rich agricultural community, are resulting in more opportunities to provide nourishing food to more people in more places.