Harvest Blog

A graphic hierarchy of the good food economy of Washington.

Mapping Food Access Across Washington: Identifying Gaps and Connections

February 11, 2026 No Comments

Abigail Nkansah expanded a Washington food service database to over 820 organizations, uncovering significant disparities between well-resourced urban areas and underrepresented communities. Recognizing that gaps represented stories of hunger, she shifted from documentation to intentional inclusion, prioritizing smaller providers that might otherwise remain invisible and clarifying where resources must be strengthened for equitable food distribution.

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Introducing Bea with GoodRootsNW!

February 10, 2026 No Comments

As an AmeriCorps VISTA Member with GoodRoots Northwest, Bea is dismantling those same barriers for over 75,000 food-insecure residents across Pierce County. Their tool? An innovative online food pantry system with refrigerated pickup lockers that transforms food access from a public ordeal into a private, dignified choice—available on each person’s own schedule, in their own language, without fear or exposure.

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A picture of the late FareStart mobile market open and operational.

Turning Uncertainty into Reciprocity: A Story of Gratitude

January 12, 2026 No Comments

Sydney Shaw is the Food Resourcing Data and Outreach Coordinator VISTA at FareStart in Seattle, WA. Sydney’s role had previously focused on increasing food access for underserved communities across King County and has transitioned to alleviating poverty, food insecurity, and waste through FareStart’s Contract Meals

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Grace and some FISH Food Bank Volunteers holding up a recent apple harvest.

Filling the Gaps: Introducing Backyard Gleaning

November 21, 2025 No Comments

Learn how Grace nurtured FISH Food Bank’s new backyard gleaning program and harvested 2,165 pounds of apples in 2025 alone! By bringing Volunteers, Homeowners and FISH together, she is redirecting food to community members and rebuilding the Kittitas Food System!

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A headshot of Abby, our new Harvest VISTA member.

New AmeriCorps member – Welcome, Abby!

September 26, 2025 No Comments

Abigail Nkansah is originally from Kumasi, Ghana, and recently moved from Dallas, Texas. In her free time, she enjoys baking, reading, and taking long nature walks – activities that give her space to reflect and recharge. She is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Science in

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A screenshot of a map of Washington state with pins marking Washington Gleaning Network Affiliates.

From Farm to Fork: The WA Gleaning Network’s New Toolkit

September 10, 2025 No Comments

Jen Roberts is a VISTA member serving with Harvest Against Hunger and the Washington Gleaning Network. The network seeks to support sustainable, equitable food systems that reduce food waste and support communities statewide. Since 2023, Harvest Against Hunger has hosted an AmeriCorps VISTA member to

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Chris, the new AmeriCorps VISTA leader, smiling toward the camera

New AmeriCorps Leader – Welcome, Chris!

September 5, 2025 No Comments

Christopher Bennett-Boehm has joined Harvest Against Hunger as the AmeriCorps VISTA Leader, where he will focus on refining the Harvest VISTA program’s recruitment and engagement. Drawing from his background in program coordination, he brings a strong skill set for optimizing processes and managing communications. Christopher

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New AmeriCorps member: Welcome Valerie!

July 23, 2025 No Comments

Hello from Okanogan County! My name is Valerie Mason, and I’m honored to begin my service with the Okanogan County Community Action Coalition (OCCAC) as the Volunteer and Outreach Coordinator VISTA. I’m excited to share a little about myself, the organization I’ve joined, and the

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New AmeriCorps member: Welcome Sydney!

July 23, 2025 No Comments

Sydney Shaw is from Boise, ID, but grew up in Washington state and lived in Utah and Ohio before landing in Seattle, WA. In Sydney’s free time, you can find her rock climbing, skiing, hiking, going to the gym, reading, sitting in local coffee shops,

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A headshot of Jen Roberts, AmeriCorps VISTA Member with the WGN.

New AmeriCorps member: Welcome Jen!

July 23, 2025 No Comments

Jennifer Roberts is a recent graduate from the University of Washington, where she received her BA in Political Science. She moved to Seattle from Phoenix, Arizona, and has volunteered with hunger relief organizations and food banks in both cities. She also volunteered with the University

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Grocery Rescue Runs with FISH Food Bank

June 14, 2025 No Comments

As the Food Rescue Program Coordinator VISTA with FISH, Grace is building a food rescue program that increases the amount of fresh foods at the pantry. Grace will coordinate the collaborative efforts of farm and restaurant donors, volunteers, and the staff at FISH to divert

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Cleaning and Compiling

May 20, 2025 No Comments

Lyn’s role as the Good Food Network VISTA is to aid the organization in creating a centralized resource of all organizations involved in addressing food security in Washington State. This will help in not only getting these organizations to collaborate, but can help others in

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New AmeriCorps member: Welcome, Grace!

April 23, 2025 No Comments

Grace Yang is a recent graduate of the University of Washington with a degree in Public Health, Global Health, and a minor in diversity. She volunteered with the UW Food Pantry for all four years of university. During her time with the UW Food Pantry,

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