Help Needed for Hungry People in Lakewood and Steilacoom

A Lakewood Rotary Project.

We have a problem in Lakewood! People are hungry and cannot afford to  purchase food!

THE PROBLEM: Many people in our community are struggling with food scarcity. 

• There are families living in apartments struggling with increasing rent and food costs. 
• Seniors are forced to choose between food, medication, and care for their pets
• We have students living in their cars while they attend our colleges to become more employable. 
• We have kids who are couch surfing due to family circumstances. 
• We have food scarcity existing in homes where both parents work at minimum wage jobs and high gas and food prices hits those in this group hardest.
• We see the homeless on our streets and in our wooded areas but those we do not see are living in their cars moving daily to a new parking spot to avoid being discovered.  

The people who use our pantries go to local food banks, but it is not enough.

YOU CAN HELP THOSE WHO ARE HUNGRY!

THE SOLUTION: A Little Free Pantry serves as a 24-7 barrier free, supplemental source of food for those in need!

We have 8 Rotary Little Free Pantries throughout the Lakewood area. 

We need: 

• Non-perishable protein foods: canned meats, peanut butter, hearty soups/stews
• Baby food and formula
• Shelf stable milk
• Ramen, noodles
• Cereal
• Feminine Hygiene Supplies, soap, 
• Mac & Cheese
• Canned fruits, tomatoes, soups, juices

PLEASE DROP OFF AT LAKEWOOD YMCA OR LAKEVIEW LIGHT & POWER 

Impact Stories:

We were checking the Little Free Pantry at LASA, and we observed a mother and two small children go to the pantry and remove some food. They then went to a picnic bench and had lunch.

We were placing food and hygiene items into the Little Free Pantry in Tillicum when an older woman approached us dressed in at least three layers of clothing (it was winter).  She asked if she could have a bar of soap.  As she was leaving, she said “Thanks so much I really need this!”

As we were restocking the Steilacoom Community Center pantry a woman in her 80’s was returning to her car with just a can of peas. We talked and she said it was for her husband (it was the only item left in the pantry). I told her to go the back of my van and pick out a few items while I restocked the pantry. I heard a scream and returned to my van, and she was holding a jar of applesauce. She said she loved applesauce and it had been so long since she had any.  We sent her away with an arm full of food. As she left, she showed my wife the jar of applesauce as she beamed from ear to ear!

We were placing donated bread into a Little Free Pantry in Springbrook when a young man arrived on a bicycle and asked if we had any chunky chicken noodle.  He said it was so good!  We told him to check back another time and offered him some of the bread we were delivering. The last we saw he was riding down the road with a loaf of bread under his arm.