Seattle, WA. Hopelink is continuing to provide food services in a safe way for its clients, staff, and volunteers. The nonprofit is providing people with prepackaged boxes of food rather than having clients select food within its facilities. The prepackaged boxes of food contain shelf-stable items, like pasta and beans, as well as meat, dairy, and fresh fruits and vegetables. Each household can pick up enough food for 21 meals per person. All people have to do is go to the table at Hopelink’s building entrance, get their box of food, and leave. Director of Communications Todd Langton says that this process is “all done in an appropriately social distanced” fashion. Since Hopelink began offering prepackaged boxed of food, the organization has distributed the equivalent of over one million meals to community members. Click here to find hours at each of Hopelink’s food banks. More information about Hopelink’s health and safety practices are on the COVID-19 response page of its website.
The contents of a prepackaged box of food from Hopelink
Another significant change made to Hopelink’s food services is where the food is sourced. Before COVID-19, Langton says that “80% of food collected for distribution came from food donations and food rescue programs.” When COVID-19 arrived, Hopelink had to stop accepting its regular food donations and began purchasing its food on the wholesale market. Currently, Hopelink is only accepting donations of produce and face masks, in addition to monetary contributions.
Food being prepared for distribution at Hopelink
Hopelink has also trained many staff members to assist with its eviction prevention program, which exists to help provide at-risk families with funds to prevent eviction. Langton shares that from March 15 to June 30, Hopelink has spent $690,000 on its eviction prevention program and aided 550 households. This is a significant increase from 2019, in which Hopelink spent $110,000 and aided 115 households during the same three-month time period.
Hopelink’s goal as a nonprofit is to help people get out of poverty and find stability amid crises. The organization offers housing services, food assistance services, energy assistance programs, and transportation services. Hopelink also provides adult education, employment, and financial programs. Langton says that what is unique about Hopelink is that it “doesn’t just offer one component but looks at the whole person and their whole journey.”
On the organization’s website, there are many success stories from people whose lives have been improved by Hopelink’s services. One of these stories is that of Michelle Chappon, a mother who found herself struggling to make ends meet as she juggled caring for her autistic son and working to provide for her family. Michelle says that when she came to Hopelink “things totally changed” for her. Hopelink’s Redmond food bank provided Michelle with both “food and moral support.” She shares that she “wouldn’t be able to live independently” without Hopelink’s services.
Due to COVID-19, Hopelink shut down public access to its Centers and asked its volunteers to stay home earlier this year. In addition to adapting its food services, Hopelink is also conducting its adult education, employment, financial assistance, and energy services online or through phone appointments. Transportation DART services provided by Hopelink are still operational and will continue while abiding my Metro safety guidelines. Non-emergency medical transportation services for Medicaid recipients in King and Snohomish county are also still operational. The flyer below explains which Hopelink programs are available and how people may access them.
Information about Hopelink’s programming during COVID-19
From Hopelink:
Financial contributions are the best way to support Hopelink at the moment. The organization is also accepting donations of produce and masks.
Since 1971, Hopelink has served homeless and low-income families, children, seniors, and people with disabilities in King and Snohomish counties; providing stability and helping people gain the skills and knowledge they need to exit poverty for good.
Hopelink’s mission is to promote self-sufficiency for all members of our community; we help people make lasting change.
