Community-Informed Approach Catalyzes Ballard Food Bank's Commitment to Health
In Ballard, many residents experience economic and social impacts of discriminatory practices like gentrification. While neighborhood revitalization isn't inherently harmful, communities only benefit if investments are guided by the needs of all who reside in the area. Unfortunately, generations of intentional disinvestment has resulted in barriers that hinder access to fundamental needs like healthy food.
As a “Hub for Hope,” Ballard Food Bank (BFB) believes that access to food, housing, education, and healthcare is a human right.
To mobilize their commitment to fight for communities disenfranchised by systemic injustices, BFB provides an inclusive environment where clients can access foods that nourish their bodies, utilize services that increase self-sufficiency and connect with neighbors in a safe space.
Ballard Food Bank joined forces with the American Heart Association to develop a nutrition policy that guides their purchasing practices and donation preferences across four food programs that collectively reach 6,400 Seattle residents each month.
The policy prioritizes foods that enable positive health outcomes, help prevent and treat diet-related chronic illnesses and respect cultural needs and dietary preferences.
The policy utilizes the Healthy Eating Research (HER) Nutrition Guidelines which encourages the procurement of foods that meet nutritional needs, including whole grains, lean proteins, fresh fruits and vegetables and low-sodium options.
In alignment with their commitment to be good stewards of the land, the policy outlines opportunities to seek locally grown items to reduce their environmental footprint while supporting local farmers.
“We really appreciated working with the American Heart Association. Our work together has influenced our food purchasing. We’ve increased the amount and variety of produce we provide to our clients and expanded where we purchase from. We’ve also increased the different types of protein we offer, like tofu, cheese and fish.”
Kathleen Murphy, Program Director, Ballard Food Bank.
Ballard Food Bank’s driving principle is to center their clients’ perspectives, input and lived experiences. To provide continuity to BFB's efforts to foster a choice-centered environment, we developed a donor guide that highlights specific items requested by BFB clients. This encourages the donation of items that meet dietary and cultural food needs like:
- Diabetic-friendly
- Gluten-free
- Halal
- Kosher
- Vegan and vegetarian offerings
To equip clients to create flavorful meals at home, the American Heart Association provided some of Ballard Food Bank's most requested spices through Cascadia Produce. While this isn't a permanent solution to the lack of cooking essentials in food banks, it demonstrates our ongoing efforts to help local organizations advocate for culturally familiar ingredients.
“Our clients love having more spices available! This partnership has also helped us improve our offerings for diabetic clients as well as helped us refine our guidelines for food donations from our supporters.”
Ysabel Diaz, Food Access Manager, Ballard Food Bank
The American Heart Association Washington team continues to build on our work with Ballard Food Bank to enhance their cheerful and inclusive environment by developing educational materials to connect the dots between nutrition and health and encourage clients to utilize new ingredients to prepare balanced meals.
