Seattle, WA
Chinatown-International District gets new food bank focused on community
A staple within the Asian group simply moved its meals financial institution to a brand new location in Seattle’s Chinatown-Worldwide District.
SEATTLE — A staple within the Asian group simply moved its meals financial institution to a brand new location in Seattle’s Chinatown-Worldwide District (CID), with the purpose of higher serving culturally related meals that is in excessive demand as inflation rises.
The Asian Counseling and Referral Service goes by way of an enormous change.
The ACRS’s meals financial institution was in a small trailer situated close to King and tenth Streets in Seattle’s CID neighborhood for greater than 20 years serving their purchasers, who’re predominantly Asian, culturally related meals.
“That continues to be one of many predominant issues that separates ACRS from different meals banks, you may all the time depend on a few of these Asian staples like rice, and tofu and noodles and recent produce like those you see right here,” stated G De Castro, the director of Ageing & Adults Companies for the ACRS.
In February 2022, ACRS moved simply blocks away from their outdated location into the long-lasting, 5,500 sq. foot Tsue Chong constructing within the CID.
The brand new location present ACRS with 10 instances the house to raised serve their greater than 300 purchasers they get on common each Wednesday and Friday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
“Acceptable cabinets, and coolers, for us to supply recent produce, chilled or refrigerated items,” stated De Castro.
De Castro stated this transfer additionally comes at an ideal time, after the pandemic pressured the non-profit to shift to supply and noticed a 200 % improve in demand of their senior meal program. That improve equates to the non-profit delivering greater than 2,100 baggage per week.
De Castro does need to emphasize that their companies are meant for everybody, not simply these of Asian descent. Transferring ahead, the meals financial institution’s eye is on their annual fundraiser, “Stroll for Rice”, on June 18th at Jefferson Park on Beacon Hill.
“Come and see us we’re open and assist assist the work of the meals financial institution and our diet program at Asian Counseling and Referral Service by supporting Stroll for Rice,” stated De Castro.