Fighting Poverty

Now open...pictures of the site up and running

2009-08-05T10:19:00.000-07:00

These are bags of food for the end Summer hunger campaign. Families with children in the free lunch program at their schools get these bags to supplement their food for the summer.

This is the current loading dock for all the trucks to unload food. Hopelink would soon like to build a ramp for smaller cars and trucks to be able to unload food they wish to donate.

This food from one of the now-closed facilities is still waiting to be sorted and be available for clients. Volunteers are still in the process of doing this.

This is the food preparation station in the back of the facility which is used to clean all the fresh produce before it is available to clients.

The library. Hopelink clients will be able to check out books and further their education.

Another view of the library

The Librarian area. Hopelink has recruited volunteers to run the library section and make sure that people get the education they deserve.

The ESL training station. This is where some of the ESL training will take place.

this is the training/meeting room at the site. It has the potential to make training for Hopelink volunteers even more efficient.

A few emergency food bags for those who need them ready to go out.

This is the new and improved waiting area of the front reception.

The menu for a three member family, the numbers in each section are the number of points they get for shopping that day.

Hopelink cares for clients' pets. The Kirkland/Northshore site provides pet food for clients as well.

Along with food, the site offers toiletries to help clients keep up their hygiene and prepare for job interviews.

more toiletries along with paper towels, toilet paper and napkins. Note: the item categories are in English, Russian and Spanish so that those who do not speak English can better navigate the site.

Some fresh fruit and vegetables for the clients to choose from.

Part of the food warehouse. The shelves are still being stocked and sorted by volunteers and staff, there is a lot to be sorted

Some volunteers helping to sort food before it goes out in the grocery store.

A volunteer explaining the shopping process and how much work went into the new site.

This is part of the produce section of the site. Customers get a certain number of points for fruit and vegetables and there are bags at the bottom of the display with numbers representing points, and however much they can fit in the bag is how much they get for that amount of points.

Another picture of the produce section in the middle of the store.

Grand opening today!

2009-08-03T10:27:00.000-07:00

The Kirkland/Northshore site is officially up and running! The Hopelink staff is excited to announce that the site will now be serving clients as the first fully-functioning grocery store-type foodbank they have ever offered.

If you have a chance, go check it out! Everyone has been working extra hard to turn this dream into a reality, and now all their work has paid off with the grand opening of the site.

Today, clients will be able to take their carts, with the help of a volunteer or staff member, and shop for what they want with a certain amount of points to use. They will have a totally different experience than was ever possible with Hopelink in the past.

Hopelink still needs donations to cover the cost of the construction and furnishings at the site, but everyone will agree it was money well spent when they see what Hopelink can now offer its clients.

Thank you everyone involved in the construction and putting together of the Kirkland/Northshore site for all the hard work you put in. All the love you put into this project really shows in the end product. congratulations.

Looking good

2009-07-28T13:10:00.000-07:00

Food delivery loading dock.

New work station area for our asset building programs (including adult education, literacy, and employment.) Ready for use.

Tutoring area

Adult education classroom.

An eager helper working on the freezer.

Food bank's waiting area. Where new clients await a Hopelink volunteer or staff member to assist them in the grocery store for the first time.

View from entrance, still needs some work done, but it keeps looking better and better.

Hopelink staff member, Brian showcasing Kirkland's new forklift.

A lot of food storage, ready to be eaten.

To enhance the grocery store ambiance, our newly donated shopping carts.

Our new freezer, currently being installed.

Food warehouse soon to be filled. Food is processed here and may be sent to other Hopelink sites.

The new front office reception area where clients wait to be served, or see a staff member about receiving services.

Coming Together

2009-07-20T12:48:00.001-07:00

The reception desk still has work to be done, but thanks to the Hopelink staff and volunteers, it is getting finished quickly and efficiently. The Hopelink staff has really come together and made this site look beautiful.

This space will house the staff meeting room, tutoring desks, and breakroom. This will also be where most of the administrative work will be done

This isa more recent picture of where the breakroom, tutoring desks and administrative tools will be held. It still needs some work, but it is coming along nicely.

A few of the work stations for our asset building programs (including adult education, literacy, and employment.)

The warehouse at the new site being put together and organized for the big move-in.

Two of the Hopelink development staff discussing where everything will go and how it will look.

The warehouse getting primed to be stocked with food for Hopelink clients.

Volunteers at the old Kirkland site packing and moving food that will now be housed at the new facility.

More volunteers moving food from the old Kirkland site to the new Kirkland/Northshore site.

With all the help that Hopelink is getting, the staff is much more available to focus on the big picture and make the Kirkland site live up to its potential

There is still quite a bit to be moved, but volunteers are making a big dent in it.

Volunteers moving food.

Volunteers helping set up the site with the food from the old Kirkland site. This facility will be absolutely beautiful and help enhance Hopelink's ability to help the community so much more.

Even with all the food coming from other places, Hopelink still needs help filling all these crates to stock the warehouse.

Some of the furniture that came in to the warehouse and is waiting to be put together and go to its home in the facility.

Part of the Foodbank space that will be used as staff and volunteer offices outside the future grocery store.

The foodbank grocery store space partially put together. All that is needed now is the new flooring.

The entrance to the foodbank. Soon there will be an awning marking the entrance and welcoming Hopelink clients.

The new facility is really coming together. Lots of hard work by volunteers, staff and our contractors is making a difference.

Our COO says this is the fastest construction project he has ever seen.

Hopelink needs financial support to help set-up, equip, and furnish in preparation for service. You can donate by going to www.firstgiving.com/onthemove.

Our new home...a work in progress

2009-07-20T12:22:00.000-07:00

[left] This will be the asset building section of the site. This space will provide services like adult education, literacy and employment

[below] The view walking from the repection into the grocery store. This will be the location of the Hopelink happenings postings.

[left] This is the warehouse in which the food will be located in the grocery store-like format.

[below] A tentative space for the breakroom, tutoring desks and meeting space for staff and volunteers.

[l
[left] the racks which will hold the food need to be filled so we need volunteers to pitch in and donate as much as possible.

[below] as you can see, there is quite a bit that needs to be done to this site in order to get it up and running and Hopelink is doing all they can to fulfil their goals.

[left] The parking lot outside the new site needs some work as well as the outside of the building. Hopelink needs to raise funds for these renovations to occur.

[below] The sheer square footage of the new site is something to get excited about. The new facility will allow Hopelink to reach out to even more people than they currently have resources for.

Getting started...

2009-07-02T10:11:00.000-07:00

Hopelink has been helping to fight poverty in North and East King County in Washington state for more than 35 years. The organization is dedicated to promoting self-sufficiency in all members of our community and providing the tools through which they can make a lasting change. Learn more about our services here. http://www.hope-link.org/takeaction/programs

To better serve our community Hopelink building a new facility in the Kirkland/Northshore area. The site will feature a grocery store-type foodbank, something no other Hopelink facility has featured before! This innovative site will also house a library, classrooms for adult education, as well as a large foodbank featuring produce and dairy cases.

We need your help to make this community resource a reality - And there are many ways you can help.

You can adopting a project by helping to raise funds for one specific component of the new site, you can participate in done-in-a-day projects to prepare the site for the move-in, or you can help move materials from the two former food banks to the Kirkland/Northshore site, or even simply spreading the word on the new facility and telling people what Hopelink is all about through twitter, facebook or LinkedIn.

START HERE: View the list of projects you can raise funding for can be found on the Hopelink website at http://www.hope-link.org/takeaction/onthemove/adoptaproject. Please contact Barbara Whitehurst at barbaraw@hope-link.org or 425-869-6011 for information and tours.

All the done-in-a-day projects can be found at http://www.hope-link.org/takeaction/onthemove/doneinaday and please contact Sheila Sloan-Evans at 425-869-6066 or sheilase@hope-link.org for more information on what you can do to help.

Please tell your friends and family what Hopelink is doing to help our community and getting the word out that we need all the help we can get with the Kirkland/Northshore site.

You can directly support the project here: and instead of donating in person, save time by donating online at www.firstgiving.com/onthemove