Move For Hunger doesn't just make donations to food banks and pantries across the United States and Canada; our partners are forming lasting partnerships with their local hunger relief organizations.
Case in point: In 2015, Apex Moving & Storage, a Stevens agent, joined our network and began making deliveries to the Puyallup Food Bank. Earlier that year, Dean Savage, Apex Moving & Storage's President, and his wife began serving with God's Food For Life (GFFL), a group at the Puyallup Foursquare Church that distributes food on a monthly basis to local families in need. Savage knew that there had to be a way to bring all three of these organizations together.
"We realized that the church would be able to partner with the food bank," Savage said.
So, once a month, Savage began picking up donations from the Puyallup Food Bank's Warehouse and bringing it to GFFL for distribution. In return, Apex Moving & Storage volunteers its time and resources to help the Food Bank with any last minute pick ups and/or storage. It's a win-win-win situation.
The partnership with the food bank has opened the door to additional opportunities. Every year, the Washington State Fair holds a First Day Food Drive. Anyone who brings a donation of non-perishable food during the first two hours on the first day of the Fair gets in for free. This year, Apex Moving & Storage volunteered to collect donations at two of the gates.
"To our complete surprise, two days before the Fair opened, Shanna (Peterson of the Puyallup Food Bank) told us that whatever was collected at those gates would be (donated) to God’s Food For Life," Savage said. "She is an amazing woman with a heart of gold."
In just two hours, 6,800 lbs. of food was collected -- that's enough to provide 5,660 meals! Volunteers from GFFL spent time last week organizing the donations at Apex Moving & Storage's warehouse, but they still have many hours of sorting left to go. Savage said he is happy to have the extra work.
"What a tremendous gift for the 150-200 families (GFFL) serves monthly."
It's amazing what we can accomplish by working together. Contact Kara to learn more about building relationships with your local food bank.
