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Vashon Food Bank outlines $7.25M campaign, says operations will be maintained during move
Summary
Vashon Food Bank director Emily Scott told VMCC the organization serves about 300 households weekly, has sharply increased food purchasing to $11,000–$13,000/month, and is finishing a new facility funded by a roughly $7.25 million capital campaign while keeping operating and capital funds separate.
Emily Scott, executive director of the Vashon Food Bank, told the Vashon-Maury Community Council on Nov. 20 that the food bank serves roughly 300 households per week—about 1,900 individuals annually, or roughly 18% of the island’s population depending on census measures—and that the organization has dramatically increased food purchasing to respond to reduced donated supply.
Scott said the food bank has increased purchased food by about 30% since last year and by about 80% since 2022, with current monthly purchasing between $11,000 and $13,000. She explained the food bank relies on local community drives and store pickups, Food Lifeline, federal emergency programs and wholesale purchasing relationships; she also said the organization was dropped from Northwest Harvest’s partner network at the end of 2024 and that federal TFAP deliveries have been reduced.
The food bank is nearing completion of a new facility on property owned by the Vashon United Methodist Church. Scott said the capital campaign goal is about $7.25 million to cover hard costs, soft costs, and the purchase and renovation of an education building. "We manage our general operating funds entirely separate from our capital campaign," she said, adding the food bank’s annual operating budget is roughly $730,000–$750,000. Scott said staff are planning transition options—including overlap of sites, home deliveries and curbside service—to maintain food access during the move.
