A Plan to Feed Skagitonians

We all know COVID shook up our views of food access and food security. Is it safe to shop in person at the Co-op? Will the products we rely on be on the shelf? How will those who depend on foundational food supports, like WIC, SNAP, and food banks, access necessary nutrition? During the pandemic, Skagit County was in the midst of a Community Health Assessment (CHA) that revealed many Skagitonians experience some level of food insecurity.  As a result, increasing access to nutritious foods became a priority area for the Population Health Trust (PHT).

Last year, the Trust convened a workgroup to explore the challenge of food insecurity in our community and charged the group with creating a strategic plan to address the issue. Board Member Kristen Ekstran and Operations Director Michael Marques participated in the workgroup, bringing the expertise of the Co-op along with our longstanding commitment to supporting local farming and to providing our area with nutrient-dense foods. After several sessions, the Trust created a Food Security Plan containing 7 goals, 14 strategies, and 37 action steps that was recently endorsed and released by the County. A Food Policy Council (FPC) was established to implement the plan and to continually advance initiatives designed to build a stronger, more resilient local food system.

The Co-op’s participation in the PHT workgroup further cemented relationships with local organizations and opened the door for more opportunities to educate the public and engage in discussion about food surplus and food waste. We’ve learned that food in Skagit County has a higher cost than food elsewhere in Washington, and we have several food deserts making hunger an issue from all reaches of the County.

The work has also resulted in closer ties with Community Action’s Skagit Food Distribution Center and other local food banks. The ability to share some of the Co-op’s food surpluses has not only been rewarding for the parties involved, but also exemplifies the cooperative principles: concern for community through feeding the hungry and preventing good food from going bad.

A quick text to Community Action for day-of pickups has made it simple to share whole foods with Skagit County as a whole. We have also arranged for Skagit Gleaners to come to the Co-op for a hot food pick-up at the end of the business day, foods we were previously unable to cool and resell, much of which fills the need for hard-to-find vegetarian or specialty diet needs.

From an operations standpoint, Michael obtained greater awareness of ways grocery retailers, including your Co-op, can support a wider range of household incomes. The Co-op already participates in SNAP and United General’s Fruit & Veggie Prescription program, but there are other options we will explore to increase food access for everyone.

There are also obstacles that are easier for the Co-op to overcome than local hunger relief organizations, like bulk ordering and the sourcing of culturally relevant foods. We’re working with area food banks to help source some of these items now.

Moreover, the opportunity to put names and faces to a group of people in our community has brought recognition to the efforts of each organization, along with strengths and weaknesses, so we can uphold Skagit County as a great place to live and to bring food to those who need it most, through cooperation. 

And of course, several local organizations involved are recipients of the Co-op’s 4% Friday Community Shopping Day, which sets the table for even more Co-op support. Yes, that’s you! 4% Friday is a simple way to help improve food security in Skagit Valley simply by checking off your weekly list. See our upcoming 4% Friday groups on page [x], and mark your calendars to give back in a big way.

You can view the PHT Food Security Plan at: www.skagitcounty.net/Departments/PHTAC/reportsmain.htm