Fighting hunger, feeding hope

Enabling fruitful lives

A variety of life situations — like a medical emergency, a divorce or a job change — can lead someone to seek assistance at a food pantry. Many people make too much money to qualify for government assistance but not enough to pay for their basic needs, such as seniors or people with disabilities living on fixed incomes. Others, like hungry kids, lack ready access to a food pantry.

Through partnerships with more than 250 partner food banks, meal sites and other hunger-relief programs, Second Harvest helps put food on the tables of 55,000 people each week, including families, children and seniors. Because there’s no “one size fits all” solution to hunger, the organization also uses a variety of direct service strategies to get food to people who need it, including kid-focused programming, Mobile Market free food distributions (food pantries on wheels), and nutrition education.

Fueling student success

One in six kids in the Second Harvest service area experience food-insecurity at home. These hungry kids face poor health outcomes and barriers to academic success. Bite2Go fuels their success — teachers say the students in the program are more focused and engaged in their schoolwork than they were when they went hungry.

The Bite2Go program exemplifies Second Harvest’s multifaceted approach. In partnership with At The Core — another Spokane nonprofit — and businesses and other organizations serving as adoptive organizations, Bite2Go volunteers deliver weekend food kits directly to 217 local schools, ensuring students don’t go hungry over the weekend.

“It’s vital that we, as a community, support and encourage the next generation. That’s why we enjoy participating in Second Harvest’s Bite2Go program.”

– Jeff O’Neill, Managing Director of Alliant PNW, Alliant Insurance Services, Inc.

Alliant Insurance Services has been supporting Second Harvest for close to a decade in a variety of ways. Since 2016, they’ve served as the adoptive organization of a local elementary school, paying for all the weekly Bite2Go food kits throughout the school year. “It’s vital that we, as a community, support and encourage the next generation. That’s why we enjoy participating in Second Harvest’s Bite2Go program,” says agency principal Jeff O’Neill.

Every Wednesday through the school year, a group of Alliant staff pick up over 100 food kits at Second Harvest, then head to a local elementary school. They hand-deliver the food kits to each classroom, taking time to greet the teachers and students — including one student, who waits outside his classroom to offer a hug before helping Alliant volunteers distribute kits to his classmates.

“Thanks to the passion and energy of Alliant staff, we’re moving closer to ending hunger in our community. We simply couldn’t do what we do without them.”

– Steve Durham, Vice President of Philanthropy, Child Hunger Programs, Second Harvest

Alliant supports the students in other ways — for example, by sponsoring a day trip to a local community college to attend a play, building end-of-the-year goodie bags to keep their minds moving, and purchasing thick waterproof gloves to keep them playing outside through the winter.

Alliant staff also volunteer at packing sessions to sort, pack and organize food kits throughout the year. “Thanks to the passion and energy of Alliant staff, we’re moving closer to ending hunger in our community,” says Steve Durham, vice president of philanthropy, child hunger programs, at Second Harvest. “We simply couldn’t do what we do without them and our many generous volunteers.”

Taking a bite out of hunger

Help Alliant win $10,000 for Second Harvest by clicking the vote button. Get them an extra vote by cheering them on in the comments below by October 31, 2023. Your vote can help feed hungry kids and help them live healthy, fruitful lives. A Make More Happen Award could take a big bite out of hunger in the inland Northwest by providing 2,000 weekend food kits for students in local schools.