Ahndrea Blue with Eloise’s Cooking Pot Food Bank volunteers earlier this year.
Photo by David Putnam
Amid the government shutdown and related reduction in SNAP benefits, Tacoma’s Making a Difference Foundation and its flagship program, Eloise’s Cooking Pot Food Bank, will hold a second Emergency Community Food Giveaway from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. on Nov. 5 at the Tacoma Dome’s A Parking Lot.
The event is free and open to the public, with no preregistration required. Households can receive boxes of food to help supplement needs during the reductions in aid and benefits. People participating can use the drive-through or walk-up service.
“Last week’s turnout showed us just how many of our neighbors are struggling,” said Ahndrea Blue, founder, president, and CEO of the Making a Difference Foundation. “We served over 800 households, yet the need is still immense. Eloise’s Cooking Pot was created for moments like this — to ensure no one in our community goes hungry.”
Eloise’s Cooking Pot also regularly hosts its food distribution at its 3543 E. McKinley Ave. location in Tacoma.
For those looking to help the food bank, organizers are looking for volunteers to sort, pack, and distribute food; donations of nonperishable and staple foods; and financial donations for the organization to buy food in bulk. Donations can also be dropped off at a scheduled time by calling (253) 212-2778.
The Making a Difference Foundation said that it plans to host additional pop-up distributions in the coming weeks.
Earlier this year, Blue was named South Sound magazine’s Citizen of the Year. Get to know her in this profile.