Looking back, looking ahead

2011 was quite a year for FISH, and we continue to be immensely grateful for all the friends, volunteers, donors and supporters who make our work possible.

A few highlights:

• In 2011 we served more than 450,000 Pierce County residents, a 25% increase over 2010.
• We distributed approximately 7,500,000 pounds of donated food.
• We added a new food bank: Key Peninsula Lutheran Church joined our organization in April and is now Key Peninsula FISH. 
• With generous support from The Thompson Foundation and Mountain Construction, we added 1,000 square feet of badly-needed storage space at Southeast FISH. 
• Under the leadership of board member Mike Mowat, we began piloting a mobile food bank project designed to reach pockets of poverty around the county where there is high need and no nearby food bank.

And we're already planning big things for 2012:

• The mobile food bank is now serving at three different sites each week, with more to be added: Giaudrone Middle School (Mondays 4:30-6:30 p.m.), Bethel High School (Wednesdays 4:30-6:30 p.m.) and Northeast Tacoma Elementary School (Fridays 4:30-6:00 p.m.).
• Our board of directors is planning its first fundraising event. The dance, featuring the music of Daryl and the Diptones, will be held on Saturday, April 28 at the Landmark Convention Center in Tacoma.
• Thanks to a new and growing partnership with Bethel School District, we will be opening a new food bank in July 2012 on the campus of the former Spanaway Elementary School.

It's going to be another big year, so keep watching this space for more news!