On Sunday, Sept. 7, The Rainier Valley Food Bank (RVFB) celebrated the grand opening of its new nearly-12,000-square-foot building on Rainier Avenue South, just south of South Henderson Street. The menu of services at RVFB is robust. Not only does the organization offer food and dried goods, the team also provides home grocery delivery to 750 families a week. RVFB partners with 13 schools to send children home with food for the weekend and will have a food pickup window to serve ready-to-go meals in the new space. The food bank connects neighbors to housing, health care, and other services, and it will start cooking and gardening classes at its new site. With such a full list, who does the work? A crew of 22 staff and about 750 volunteers a year.
Here are some of the people who help keep RVFB cooking.
RVFB Executive Director Gloria Hatcher-Mays says the Rainier Valley Food Bank started as a group of neighbors stockpiling food in a garage to help about 50 families a week in 1991. It went by the name Northwest Community Services. The group moved into a space in Columbia City near Rainier Avenue South and South Genesee Street for a couple of decades before purchasing the space where the new building stands now.
Today, the food bank serves about 25% of the city's food bank visits, and it has expanded its services. Hatcher-Mays has led RVFB from a budget of $800,000 in 2019 to $3.6 million in 2024–2025. RVFB has raised $17.1 million to purchase the land for the new building along with its construction, and it has even set aside funds for upkeep and maintenance of the facility.
"I believe, when you live with [a concept of] abundance, you make really good decisions because you're not stressed out. You are confident, and that's what we're trying to establish here," said Hatcher-Mays. "So when our food guests come and shop for food, they're shopping out of that context, that there is enough: There's enough space, there's enough food, there's enough heart here to share with them, to lift them up."
Viri Ortiz, RVFB outreach coordinator, helps connect neighbors with resources they might need, like transportation, daycare, housing, health care, and employment skills. RVFB also started the financial helpline program, offering onetime funds for neighbors who need assistance with rent, utilities, or move-in costs. More than $19,000 has been distributed through this program. Ortiz, a South End resident, says advocating for clients in partnership with other organizations, like REACH and Mary's Place, has been a powerful experience because the groups can share knowledge and vouch for clients in a concerted way, leading to more chances of success.
Melva Foster is the distribution lead for the food bank and lives in Columbia City. She had been a donor to the organization who spent a lot of time at the food bank, and she remembered when RVFB was there for her. "This particular time, my son had accidentally shot himself, and I had nowhere, nothing." RVFB provided food for his homegoing and helped with funds for his services. "They took that worry from me," said Foster. "This food bank helps families. It brings us back together. It's love, it's sharing, it's caring, no judgment, and it's respect. It's beautiful." RVFB's Hatcher-Mays added, "It's hard to lose a child, and she needed us, and we were able to be of service to her and help her through that time and get her to a better place."
"Food insecurity is not just for people that are on the streets or people that are unemployed, but people that are employed that just can't make ends meet in Seattle anymore," said Tamara Schmautz, member of the board of directors. Schmautz has delivered groceries to neighbors on her street in Beacon Hill.
Wyatt Sherwood, 15, has been volunteering at RVFB since he was 4. Lately, he packs bags for the food bank for pickup or delivery to families. Wyatt and his Eagle Scout troop built raised beds behind the new building for the community to grow vegetables for the grocery and meal programs. (He was also 2025 champion of the bag-packing race this year, where he packed a bag of groceries in a record-breaking 8.41 seconds.)
"What warms my heart is the way that so many of the food guests would look out for each other," said Teresa Sherwood, Wyatt's mom. Teresa took Wyatt to the food bank each week to volunteer. She said that though people were in line because they needed food, they were quick to share what they could with others. "If someone wasn't feeling well, they'd let them go ahead," Teresa said.
Otis Pimpleton, the RVFB food service program manager, grew up between Rainier Beach and the Central District. After working in food justice and services for the unhoused, as well as providing drug treatment in areas in South King County and Federal Way, Pimpleton said, "I'm able to build and address the needs of the community where I call home."
Robert Valentine volunteers at the food bank. Every Wednesday, he packs bags of food for families at Beacon Hill Elementary School and delivers them. Though 33% of children in Seattle Public Schools are on free and reduced lunch, 80% of children in RVFB's service area are on the free and reduced lunch program. One in four people in Southeast Seattle is food insecure.
Iennah Jackson, who used to work at the food bank, says the organization saved her life. When she didn't have a place to live, the food bank helped her find a home, and staff ensured her belongings got to the new place. "I love them for that," Jackson said. "If it wasn't for the food bank, I don't know where I would be. They're loving people here. They're like my second family."
Hannah Wertzberger, RVFB's youth and community organizer, runs the school-backpack program, the summer youth-intern program, and more. During summer, youth interns harvest vegetables at Beacon Food Forest for the food bank. Wertzberger, who lives near White Center, says she was particularly proud of the interns who helped at a vet clinic hosted by RVFB during the summer. Wertzberger gave props to one intern who brought a camera with her. "She rocked it that day. We set up a little photo booth station. It was so sweet because there was a lot of waiting involved for the clients. [The students] were handing out treats and manning the photo station. It was awesome," said Wertzberger.
Kathy Smith has been at RVFB for 25 years and founded and runs the SPARK to-go lunch program, which organizes and prepares ready-to-go meals (sandwich, chips, fruit, and a drink), feeding 70 to 90 people a day. She also prepares snack bags, including coloring books for children who visit the food bank.
Eunice Antoine is the warehouse coordinator at the food bank and lives in Rainier Beach. "I was a client. I was not doing so well — out of work for a while. I liked the organization, and I like to help people, so I started volunteering Monday through Friday," said Antoine. "They made me feel at home — like a part of the family. They've helped me get housing and employment. In turn, I like that I'm able to provide people with an emergency bag of food when they need it."
Antoine stands in front of one of two RVFB grocery rescue vans, a program that recovers good food that may otherwise be thrown away. The 27-year-old rescue program partners with businesses, such as Safeway, QFC, PCC, and Homegrown, to redistribute 85,000 pounds of food annually to neighbors.
Tommy Raine, the RVFB warehouse coordinator, grew up between Rainier Valley and the Central District. "Things are hard out here. I'm trying to make it easier for the community. I'm giving back," Raine said.
The City of Seattle will host a party with free food, music, and performances to celebrate the community near Martin Luther King Jr. Way South and South Graham Street.
The event is also an opportunity to learn more about the station area plan that's part of the Graham Street Neighborhood Vision. You can RSVP for the event here.
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