SEATTLE — As we approach the end of summer, you may have some extra zucchini or tomatoes in your garden. Food banks would love to have whatever you are not going to use.
The Beacon Food Forest, next to Jefferson Park in Seattle's Beacon Hill neighborhood, grows produce specifically for food banks like the Rainier Valley Food Bank.
The Beacon Food Forest is a place where people can grow their own food, harvest for others and cultivate for the community.
"There's definitely something for everyone here if you're even remotely interested in helping with food justice," said Janee McNeil.
McNeil volunteers at the Beacon Food Forest. Her friend Maddie Price also took the time to harvest their Food Bank Plot.
"Even for folks who don't harvest here, like the food is for you," Price said.
On Monday afternoon, there was only one onion left, plenty of tomatillos, spinach and a lot of squash currently growing.
"We try to operate from an abundance mindset like, oh, I guess people really like the snow peas. We should plant some more snow peas," Price added.
When the produce is ready, they take it to the Rainier Valley Food Bank.
"One of the cool things about Seattle is that people like to grow things. They have an abundance in their gardens. That's incredible. And they grow all kinds of things. So there's fruit trees as well as vegetable gardens, and we like them to look at the whole spectrum of options when they go to their garden, of things that they can bring to us to support us," said Gloria Hatcher-Mays, the executive director at the food bank.
They are asking for all types of produce and especially would like donations of culturally relevant produce.
"We serve about 550 households each week through our home delivery program out of this tent," Hatcher-Mays said.
Food banks like the Rainier Valley Food Bank hope people will hear their call to action.
"You don't have to come to Rainier Valley to deliver your produce. Any food bank would welcome a donation," Hatcher-Mays said.
They are grateful for all donations and hope more will be on the way. Their goal is to promote healthy eating and raise awareness of food insecurity.
"We really are open to taking any abundance that you have in your garden. We ask that you come into our entrance off 50th so we can weigh it and give you a receipt for it, and we can track the inventory then that we're bringing in. It's always good to bring items on Tuesdays, especially on Thursdays, because we open our grocery store at our pop-up locations on Wednesdays and Fridays. So that way, the fresh produce will go right out to the community right away," Hatcher-Mays said.
For anyone with a volunteer spirit, Beacon Food Forest would be a great place to spend some time.
"It's important for people to know about this because I think some can benefit from the resource or could help with it, and they just don't know about it," McNeil said.
How you can help
KING 5 and Northwest Harvest are teaming up with Safeway and the Seattle Seahawks for Home Team Summer, which aims to raise awareness and support for school-aged kids experiencing food insecurity during the summer.
Click here to donate online through Northwest Harvest between now and the end of the summer.