Vancouver Food Network

The "Stamp Out Hunger" food drive is this Saturday, sponsored by the National Association of Letter Carriers. Held each year on the Saturday before Mother's Day, it is one of the largest food drives in Clark County, and key to stocking many emergency food pantries and food banks. Simply put out a bag of non-perishable food by your mailbox, and

How To Help

The idea could not be simpler. Help the hungry without leaving your home.

1. Place bags of non-perishable food items next to your mailbox
2. Your letter carriers and volunteer helpers will pick them up

If you forget about the drive early in the day you can also bring non-perishable foods down to the Daniels Street Post Office at 1200 Daniels Street on your way to the Vancouver Farmer's Market. Thank you for your help.

For Further Information

http://www.helpstampouthunger.com

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"Gleaning" is the salvage of crops left after harvest or unused, such as rejects from commercial harvesting or fruit in abandoned orchards. Leviticus 23:22 instructs God's people not to harvest the corners of their land and to let the poor have the stray leftovers, as many farmers still do to this day. Gleaning can also refer to the collection of unused food by modern groups, who then distribute it among food banks and the needy.

Leviticus 23:22 (King James version)

And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not make clean riddance of the corners of thy field when thou reapest, neither shalt thou gather any gleaning of thy harvest: thou shalt leave them unto the poor, and to the stranger: I am the LORD your God.

The Idea Behind Gleaning

As anyone who has worked in the commercial food industry can attest, huge amounts of food are wasted in the United States every day, from spillage, fear of spoilage, or for cosmetic reasons. Organized group of gleaners work to identify these areas of waste and minimize them, on the theory that some hunger can be eliminated by more efficient distribution. In some areas this may involve systematically gathering fallen fruit before or after harvest, diverting foods near their "pull date" from store shelves for immediate consumption, or following along after mechanical harvesters to collect and distribute what machines miss. However accomplished, gleaners work to identify and minimize food waste to alleviate hunger.

The "Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act" is a 1996 federal law that helps businesses overcome concerns about possible legal liability related to any donated food, only making donors liable for harm resulting from "gross negligence," if they provide donations in good faith.

Gleaning Organizations in Washington and Oregon

There are a variety of gleaning organizations in Oregon and Washington, each with a slightly different structure and focus. Some are very informal, while others are formal corporations or affiliated with specific food banks or county anti-hunger programs.

Clackamas County Gleaners

Clackamas County Gleaners, Inc., is a self-help 501(c)3 organization. With income qualifications and a membership fee, all members are also expected to provide "sweat equity" as well by actively participating in the physical work of gleaning. With options for others to work on behalf of or sponsor the old or infirm, Clackamas County Gleaners gather and process food for distribution to local food banks and among themselves. Similar organizations exist in Marion and Polk counties in the agriculturally rich southern Willamette Valley, such as the Rainbow and Silverton Harvesters.

Gleaners Coalition of Thurston County, Washington

Since 2005, the Gleaners Coalition of Thurston County has helped to feed people in and around Olympia. In addition to helping small farmers get tax deductions, they also staff a variety of "giving gardens" and develop recipes for distribution by their local food bank which help people to better use local and gleaned produce. They have ambitions to start a non-profit cafe which will also increase awareness of local hunger, while working to decrease local hunger itself.

For Further Information

• Gleaners of Clackamas County, Inc., Post Office Box 1660, Oregon City OR 97405, (503) 655-8740
• The Gleaners Coalition, Post Office Box 1413, Olympia WA 98507, (360) 705-0193
• UrbanGleaners.org of Portland
• Oregon Food Bank's gleaning program and information
• "Gleaning and Food Recovery as Tools to Reconnect at the Local Level" on SlowMovement.com, ©2009 Footprint Choices.
• "More Groups Are Feeding the Hungry With What Others Leave." New York Times, March 3, 1996.
• Full text of the The Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act, (Public Law 104-210, 110 Stat. 3011, enacted October 1, 1996).
• Forgotten Harvest of Michigan.
• Golden Empire Gleaners of California.

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Everyone needs a little help sometimes, and everyone is better for having helped others. Below is some basic information on finding local food assistance in Clark County, Washington.

Soup Kitchens

"Soup kitchen" is a general term from the great depression for a facility (often run by a church or non-profit organization) that provides free or inexpensive meals to anyone.

• Hot meals are served daily at Share House, 1115 W 13th St, Vancouver WA 98660
• Share also provides summer meal assistance through its "children's hunger initiative."

Free and Reduced Lunch

As a response to the poor health of military recruits from low-income families, the USDA established the school lunch program was established in the mid-1940's and expanded to include free breakfast in the 1960's. This program provides USDA-subsidized food and other assistance to local schools, with a majority of students in Clark County qualifying for this benefit, although not every family applies.

Applications for free and reduced meals (breakfast and lunch) are distributed at the beginning of each school year and are available through most classroom teachers, counselors or the school office. Since this program is administered on the district level, a single form may be completed for all children in a household, even if they attend different schools. Phone your local school district or office for details.

General information on the program is available at http://www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/FRP/frp.process.htm but forms for any given district must be obtained from that school district.

Food Stamps

"Food stamps" (or EBT) is a program administered by the USDA which seeks to support American agriculture by providing assistance to low-income individuals in obtaining basic nutrition. Because this program is administered through the states, initial application is usually through a state office. The main office for this in Clark County is in Town Center Plaza (the old Tower Mall)

• Columbia River Community Services Office #53, (360) 759-2800
• 5411 E. Mill Plain Blvd, Building #1 (Town Center Plaza), Vancouver WA 98661

Toll free: (800) 287-1745, TTY: (360) 696-6334, The Answer Phone: (877) 980-9220

Begin online application at https://fortress.wa.gov/dshs/f2ws03esaapps/onlineapp/introduction_1.asp

Loaves and Fishes Meals Sites

The Loaves and Fishes lunch program provides hot noon meals and activities at various sites around Clark County for people 60 and older and their spouses, for a suggested donation of $2.75. Others may also eat for $6.80 and food stamps are accepted. No reservations required.

• Vancouver's Leupke Center 11:30-1pm weekdays, 1009 East McLoughlin Blvd (behind Marshall Center). (360) 695-3847.
• Washougal Community Center, Monday-Thursday @ 11:40, 1681 "C" Street, (360) 210-5666.
• Ridgefield Community Center, Wednesdays at noon, 210 N Main, (360) 567-7670.
• Battle Ground Community Center, 11:30-1pm weekdays 912 East Main Street, (360) 666-9158.
• La Center Community Center, Thursdays at noon, 1000 East Fourth St, (360) 567-7670.
• Vancouver's Firstenberg Community Center, Weekdays 11:30-1:30pm, 700 NE 136th Ave, (360) 597-5711.
• Camas Senior Center, Fridays at 11:30 am, 1718 SE Seventh St, (360) 210-5666.

Meals on Wheels

Meals on Wheels is a nutrition assistance program that focuses on the elderly, disabled and other shut-ins, helping to deliver at least one nutritious mail each day through the help of volunteers. This program is not income-based

• For meals or general information, please phone Loaves and Fishes Centers, Inc., toll-free at (866) 788-6325
• To volunteer please phone (360) 695-3847
• http://www.loavesandfishesonline.org

WIC (Women, Infants & Children) Food Assistance

Basic Information on WIC or help finding a store

• Clark County Public Health, 1601 E 4th Plain Blvd, Vancouver WA 98661, (360) 397-8459
• Clark County Public Health, 701 E Main St, Battle Ground WA 98604, (360) 687-7126
• Cowlitz Family Health Center, 1251 Lewis River Rd Suite D, Woodland WA 98674, (360) 225-4310
• East County Public Health Resource Center, 702 "C" Street, Washougal WA 98671, (360) 835-7802
• Skamania County Health Department, 683 SW Rock Creek Dr, Stevenson WA 98648, (509) 427-387

General Nutritional Information

http://www.clark.wa.gov/health/wic/links.html

Food Banks and Pantries

There are a variety of private agencies and churches which provide food assistance, with Oregon Food Bank the main umbrella organization for our area. Please visit their web site for information on how to obtain assistance, volunteer at their main warehouse, organize a food drive in your community or otherwise assist them. Among the major food drives in Clark County are the "walk and knock" each December and the letter carrier collection each May. In addition to providing emergency food boxes, Oregon Food Bank also has programs for gardeners, teaching people to garden and in nutrition education.

USDA Commodities Distribution

The federal department of agriculture provides commodity foodstuffs such as cheese and peanut butter in Clark County during the first three weeks of each month. To qualify one must be a Clark County resident with an income at or below 185% of the federal poverty level. For more information and to see if you qualify, please phone (360) 892-9050. Distribution centers are arranged by ZIP code.

• 98660, 98661, 98663, 98665:
  Weekdays 10a-N, 1-4pm at Salvation Army, 7509 NE 47th Avenue.
• 98662, 98664, 98682, 98683, 98684:
  Weekdays at 10am or 12:30-2:30pm at FISH Orchards, 6008 NE 110th Avenue.
• 98607, 98671:
  Third Monday 9am-4pm, Interfaith Treasure House, 91 "C" Street in Camas.
• 98601, 98604, 98606, 98622, 98674, 98675:
  First Monday 10am-Noon, North County Food Bank, 400 SW Second, Battle Ground.

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