REDMOND, Wash. — Combining her love of fitness and shopping, Jenni Baldwin is raising money for a cause that is close to her heart.
For the third year in a row, Baldwin and her husband Ryan challenged their friends, family and local businesses to raise money for Home Team Harvest through the Baldwin Bag Challenge.
Home Team Harvest is KING 5's annual food drive to benefit Northwest Harvest.
The couple started it two years ago during the COVID-19 pandemic when people were encouraged not to gather with friends or family for Thanksgiving. They used social media and asked their circle of friends to donate $10 virtual bags of groceries for every person they would have hosted. Word spread and they raised about $20,000 in 2020. Last year, they raised $25,000.
"It grounds us in the community, and it helps us feel a part of a wider community and all of our neighbors need help," Baldwin said. "Some of our neighbors can help and some of our neighbors need help."
This year, they partnered with EVEREVE, a women's clothing store in Redmond Town Center. The store donated 15% of its sales on Nov. 20 to Home Team Harvest.
The Baldwins also asked other local businesses to help with the challenge. CycleBar Redmond, Pure Barre Redmond and The Pursuit in Kirkland all chipped in to help with donation-based classes and offered raffles to their clients who donated.
"Just a great way to get people thinking about how lucky we are and privileged to work out because we're so fueled by food and thinking about the connection of folks who don't have access to food and all the pieces of that equity in their own life," Baldwin said.
In 10 days, the Baldwins raised more than $20,000 to put food on the table for those in need. The couple is encouraged by the generosity of their friends who share their desire to give back.
"I've even got friends that have started donating from the east coast, from Texas, from California, that I posted on LinkedIn this morning," Ryan Baldwin said. "And it blew me away that they have nothing to do with (the) Northwest or Northwest Harvest, but they see the need to contribute."
KING 5’s annual Home Team Harvest drive to benefit Northwest Harvest is underway. This year’s goal is to raise 21 million meals.
Ways to donate:
- Online through Northwest Harvest
- Text “HOMETEAM” to 41444
- Starting Nov. 1, visit your local Safeway or Albertsons to give $5, $10 or $12 toward grocery cards.
- Make in-person donations at Lumen Field on Dec. 3 between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m.
Watch the Home Team Harvest broadcast special on Dec. 3 at 10 a.m. on KING 5, KING5.com and the KING 5 mobile app.