Ballard Food Bank

Say hi to Tia! 👋 She works with our partners at the Disability Empowerment Center.

They empower neighbors living with disabilities in King County through peer support, housing referrals, job searching assistance, technology, and skills to help individuals live independently to the level they want. All at no cost to them.

They do community outreach on a weekly basis in three different cities (where they also have offices): Redmond, Auburn, and Downtown Seattle. You can find them at local food banks, cultural events, resources fairs, and at their own offices for in-person and virtual meetings.

Tia says what brings her joy in her role is being able to support returning individuals on their journeys and connecting with new folks who are coming by for the first time. She really values being able to provide resources that have felt out of reach for people. Making these crucial services more accessible is extremely important and we want to highlight this wonderful organization during Disability Pride Month.

This organization is truly for everyone. Tia encourages folks to stop by and say hello, no matter what your interest or goal is in mind. You can talk with one of their staff members for resources, assistance, advocacy, and/or peer support. On their YouTube channel you can also find their Understanding Ableism webinar series for conversations on dispelling social stigma and an Emergency Preparedness webinar series.

For , Disability Empowerment Center wrote "When we face barriers alone, they can feel insurmountable. But when we stand together, those barriers become the catalysts for change." We are incredibly proud of this partnership and we want to share immense gratitude for the services they offer our neighbors in the Community Resource Hub.

Checking things off your weekend to-do list? While you’re at PCC in Ballard this weekend, please consider adding a few of our most-needed items to your grocery checklist.

You can find us at PCC’s Summer Neighborhood Food Drive in Ballard! We’ll be tabling from 10AM to 2PM on both Saturday, July 11th and Sunday, July 12th.

There will be monetary donation cards and lists of our-most needed items. Thank you to our neighbors, your generous donations show us there CAN be enough for everyone.

Our soccer-filled summer isn’t over yet! ⚽🧡

Just as many of us have tuned into the FIFA World Cup matches in Seattle lately, we’ve also seen some thrilling plays from our own hyper-local soccer clubs. Ballard FC and Salmon Bay FC are both great partners of Ballard Food Bank.

Salmon Bay will host Minnesota Aurora FC in the USLW National Semifinal this Saturday, July 11th. Ballard FC has clinched their playoff spot and finishes out the regular season with a match this Sunday!

Outside of these incredible matches, Salmon Bay FC and Ballard FC have connected with us through volunteering, collecting food donations at home matches, and donating merch for fundraising events.

We love and appreciate continuing this awesome partnership! Read more about it here: https://www.ballardfoodbank.org/blog/partnership-goooooooals-salmon-bay-fc-and-ballard-fc

Full carts, full stomachs, full hearts! That’s what we love to see.

This July, you can help us fill these carts with nutritious and delicious foods by donating the following most popular items:

- Canned tuna/chicken/salmon
- Soup
- Spices and condiments
- Canned fruit
- Dry beans
- Hygiene items like toilet paper, diapers, baby wipes, sunscreen (travel size)

Pride Month may be coming to a close, but we celebrate all year at Ballard Food Bank and through our reading. (And, you have until September 8th to fill in the Queer/Trans Voices square for Summer Book Bingo - a free summer reading program put on by King County Library System, The Seattle Public Library, and @‌SeattleArtsAndLectures)

🏳️‍🌈On our blog you can find our staff picks for books that center LGBTQIA+ characters and lived experiences: https://www.ballardfoodbank.org/blog/reading-recommendations-lbgtqia-pride-month