In January, Janice Formisano filled all 124 meal slots at Snoqualmie Valley Shelter Services, feeding the shelter’s 15 residents exclusively through community donations and volunteers.
For Formisano, meal coordinator and board secretary at SVSS, January is a far cry from last summer – when she was only filling only about half of its meals through contributions – and represents a significant investment in the shelter’s other services.
A lot of the improvement has come since Formisano sent out a letter this fall asking for meal support from local organizations, and since then at least 25 different groups, including nonprofits, churches and businesses, have committed to providing a meal on a monthly basis.
“[without contributions] the shelter would be spending its limited budget on food, instead of valuable and life changing services for those experiencing homelessness here in the Snoqualmie Valley,” she said. “These generous folks look beyond themselves to those in need in our community.”
Formisano particularly praised the work done by the Snoqualmie United Methodist Church and Pastor Lee Hartman, who spent Christmas providing meals to residents of the shelter. Shelter Executive Director Jennifer Kirk highlighted work done by the Snoqualmie Tribe and Eagles Club, who both brought a significant amount of food during the holidays.
Other groups have also stepped up. The Rotary of the Snoqualmie Valley, who during the beginning of the pandemic, started ordering take out from different local restaurants to give to the shelter, has now committed to providing a meal each month in 2022.
“This was a way to leverage our support for the shelter with our support for local business,” said Scott Greenberg, a rotary member and owner of Convergence Zone Cellars. “We’ve gotten some great feedback that resident’s really appreciate the meals.”
The Sallal Grange and Valley Center Stage have also been supporters of the shelter and have been contributing a meal for each of the last three months, said Cindy Snyder.
“It’s really working out well,” she said. “With homelessness you don’t always know what to do to solve it, but at least you can help.”
This commitment from community groups has also not gone unnoticed by the shelter’s residents, Formisano said.
“I hear all the time from residents how grateful they are to the community,” she said. “The first time [the rotary donated] I had a guy almost in tears.”
Despite the success, there are still open meal slots left in February and Formisano said consistency remains the biggest challenge to providing food to the shelter’s residents. She said the financial commitment and burnout can often be a challenge and is hopeful to build a larger base of volunteers, so that it’s not the same individuals contributing each month.
“Our hope is that other folks might want to be involved, whether as an individual, a family or a group,” Formisano said. “Doing a meal a month, or every other month, whether you sponsor it financially or actually cook a meal for 15, is surprisingly simple and fulfilling.”
For more information about the program, including meal guides and how to sign up visit SVSS’s sign-up genius at: bit.ly/3gjAP9b
Groups who have supported the shelter include:
Faith Groups
St. Clare Episcopal Church, North Bend and Snoqualmie Wards of the Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, ICNA Sisters, Cascade Covenant Church, Mount Si Lutheran Church, Snoqualmie United Methodist Church, Fall City United Methodist Church and Community Food Pantry.
Clubs and Service Groups
SnoValley Eagles, Rotary Club of Snoqualmie Valley, The Grange Friends, DAR Chapter, SnoValley Vegans, Girl Scout Troops 41528 and 43187.
Businesses
SnoFalls Credit Union,Snoqualmie Valley YMCA Advisory Board, 5 Hooks Seafood Truck, The Twede’s Cafe.
Other
Snoqualmie Tribe, Snoqualmie Middle School Staff, Friends of the Shelter,
Non-Profits
Snoqualmie Valley Food Bank, Preston Food Bank, SVSS Board
