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St. Leo Food Connection

From our beginnings in a Hilltop garage in 1982 to today, The St. Leo Food Connection has been a consistent source of nutritious food and caring for people in need throughout Pierce County. Our motto is “fighting hunger in Pierce County since 1982.”

We take pride in distributing nutritious food, realizing that our clients are among society’s most vulnerable: seniors make up more than fifty percent of our clients at both the St. Leo Food Connection and the Springbrook Mobile Food Bank. These populations are the most affected by a compromised diet. We require no proof of need from our clients, serving all Pierce County residents who come to us. In addition, we provide job training in warehouse, driving, customer relations and computer skills for individuals volunteers and those placed with us through partner agencies.

The St. Leo Food Bank, is the second largest food bank in Pierce County, and one of the largest in the state. In 2017 we had more than 131,000 client visits.

Springbrook Mobile Food Bank

Serves 125-150 households in Lakewood’s Springbrook neighborhood every Saturday. In 2017 we had nearly 14,000 client visits.

Backpack Project

Provides two day’s worth of food to more than 1,100 children who are at risk of going hungry every weekend throughout the school year.

After-School Meals

Provides snacks to local after school programs.

Break Bags Project

Provides 2,000 families with food bags to help them meet their nutritional needs during extended Thanksgiving, Winter and Spring Breaks.

Summer Meals

We operate a number of sites throughout the local community serving a free lunch to hundreds of children on weekdays throughout the summer.

Resources

In addition, The Food Connection community works in conjunction with other social service providers on local, state and federal advocacy efforts to support low-income individuals and families.

While we have a staff of ten (4 FT, 6PT), the St. Leo Food Connection relies on a variety of community volunteers to staff its programs. Volunteers come from the parish, the community of need, and the larger community. Volunteers are needed to help collect and process food donations and assist clients at our St. Leo Food Bank; to assist with preparation and deliveries for our Children’s Feeding Programs; serve on the Food Connection Commission; participate on the event planning committee; and work on community education and advocacy efforts.

Our signature fundraisers are Wheels to Meals, a one-day bike ride through the Puyallup Valley and surrounding area in July. More information on the ride can be found at www.wheelstomeals.org; Annual Hunger Ball (Octobr) and an annual Fundraising Breakfast (early spring).

For more information on the Food Connection in general please contact Lisa Gallegos at 253-999-2142 or [email protected].

Volunteers

Volunteers are needed to help collect and process food donations and assist clients at our St. Leo Food Bank; to assist with preparation and deliveries for our Children’s Feeding Programs; to serve on the Food Connection Commission; to participate on the event planning committee; and to work on community education and advocacy efforts.

Contact our Volunteer Coordinator Tecora Miller below.

Contacts

Lisa Gallegos

Food Connection Director

[email protected]

253-2727-5136 x104

Dawn Whitman

Operations Manager

[email protected]

Tecora Miller

Volunteer Coordinator

[email protected]

Caroline Comfort

Food Connection Coordinator

[email protected]