Mill Creek gives donation to Rotary First Harvest that equals 30,000 lbs of food.

The Rotary Club of Mill Creek presented a $1,000 check to David Bobanick, executive Director of Rotary First Harvest.  Each dollar that is donated to Rotary First Harvest equals approxamelty 30 lbs of food.

Hunger in Washington - The need is great

Children make up almost half of the nearly 1.1 million Washington residents relying on their local food bank or emergency meal program. Children and seniors also make up 58% of the Puget Sound residents relying on food banks and emergency meal programs served by Food Lifeline, Northwest Harvest, and the Emergency Food Network. Children who are hungry suffer through repeated colds, headaches, stomachaches and other illnesses, have little energy for football, hoops or hopscotch, and face a lifetime of harm from stunted physical growth, cognitive delays, and other challenges.

National studies reported in Pediatrics and the American Journal of Public Health show that children who are hungry or "food insecure" (not having enough to eat on a regular basis) are more likely than their well-fed peers to repeat a grade or be suspended, have lower math scores, or have difficulty "getting along" with other students. Here in Washington, the Children's Alliance has identified another alarming trend: an increase in type 2 diabetes due to a lack of nutritious foods in children's diets. 

Childhood malnutrition has a simple, sure remedy: eating anti-oxidant, vitamin- and mineral-rich fruits and vegetables. All too often, our state's food banks lack the staff or funds to acquire the perishable, nutritious and often expensive fruits and vegetables low-income children need to grow up healthy.

What You Can Do to Help Feed the Hungry

Share Your Time & Talents

Attend an RFH work party. Get directly involved with the fight against hunger, socialize with Rotarians from other clubs, and have a good time too.

Be an RFH Board Representative, or volunteer to assist your current representative

Each Rotary Club in District 5030 should have an RFH Board Representative. Reps are asked to attend four board meetings a year. By making brief announcements at Rotary meetings, the Rep is the communication link between Rotary First Harvest and the Rotary Club.

Volunteer your skills and talents (for example - graphic design, database programming, fundraising, writing, etc.)

Share Your Contacts & Resources

Do you have contacts in farming, food processing, trucking, packaging, or food storage (dry, cold, freezer, controlled atmosphere) etc.?

You can make an in-kind donation.  One Rotarian donates our copy paper, others have donated binders or office supplies. We get a discount on our copy machine and our printing through Rotarian contacts – this reduces our administrative expenses and increases funds available for program services.

Share Your Money (We are a 501c3 agency. Donations are tax deductible as allowed by law)

• The most effective way to support RFH financially is to become a Harvest Partner (monthly donor). For as little as $7.50 a month (25¢ a day), you can make an annual donation equal to 5,000 pounds of nutritious produce for the hungry in our communities.
• Make a single monetary donation. If you would like to make a secure on-line donation, Click here.
• If you’re a business owner, make a company donation.
• Leave a legacy by making a planned gift through your will or trust

Value-added way for individuals to make additional contributions:

• Make RFH gift card donations on behalf of friends, family and business associates. RFH will provide a gift card for the beneficiary.

Other ways to help raise funds:

• Check to see if your company will match donations; apply for the match.
• Find out if your company makes charitable grants. Let us know and support an RFH request to receive one.
• Let RFH know about contacts you have with staff or board members of grant giving foundations or corporations.
  

Vist the Rotary First Harvest website at www.firstharvest.org