Saturday, June 14, 2025
CHELAN – Increasing food insecurity is putting more pressure on local foods banks that are struggling to meet greater demand in the face of funding cuts, rising prices, and dwindling stocks. One approach being pursued is reaching out to local farmers and growers to access more fresh fruits and vegetables to supplement food selections.
Richard Springer, director of the newly remodeled Lake Chelan Food Bank at 417 S. Bradley Street, plans to do just that.
“Our board is giving me money every month to buy food,” said Springer. “When I ask people what food they want many ask for more fresh fruits and vegetables.”
Springer said he plans to work with local producers to fill that need.
“I want to go out and start buying direct from the farmers,” Springer said.
In neighboring Okanogan County, the Okanogan County Community Action Council (OCCAC) has a similar idea. OCCAC in partnership with Blue Sky Minds and community minds is launching a new volunteer initiative called Harvesting Hope
OCCAC estimates that a third of Okanogan County residents are facing food insecurity. To translate that into numbers, of the nearly 45,000 population, some 15,000 of those are at risk. OCCAC operates the county food bank which in turn supports nine food banks countywide.
OCCAC Executive Director Rena Shawver summed up the current challenges facing county residents.
"Okanogan County's food shortage is like the perfect storm," said Shawver. "Inflation has sent food and gas prices sky high. Rent and housing prices are higher than wages. Families pay up to 60 percent of their income on housing costs, which leaves them without money for other things.”
On top of that, Shawver said the country is facing a national food shortage.
“Weather changes and market conditions make it tough to grow food, so food deliveries to pantries are down while the number of people relying on food pantries is up,” said Shawver.
The nine Okanogan County food pantries served 10,000 residents in 2022. That figure jumped 25 percent to 13,500 in 2024. Some of the nine food pantries across Okanogan County are serving up to 300 families weekly. OCCAC provides food for the food pantries in Chesaw/Wacounda, Conconully, Brewster, Oroville, Tonasket, Omak, Okanogan, Winthrop, and Nespelem.
Shawver said shortages, budget cuts, and the increasing number of residents depending on food pantries have left the central warehouse virtually empty.
“This is not a brief trend,” said Shawver. “These conditions will be with us for a while. At the same time, we're seeing new cuts to government food assistance funding."
Last month, the federal government cancelled $4.7 million slated for food assistance and proposed cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) food stand program.
” Sunsetting or cutting funding at a time when more people are relying on food assistance puts more pressure on food pantries,” said Blue Sky Minds Director Maria Hines.
Blue Sky Minds, established in 2022 “supports the growth of an equitable, sustainable, and economically thriving food system in Washington State, emphasizing the Okanogan region, including Okanogan County and Colville Reservation,” according to its website blueskymindsnonprofit.com.
Harvesting Hope activities include:
Mike Maltais: 360-333-8483 or michael@ward.media
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