SEATTLE, Dec. 31, 2008 — The Columbia-Snake River Irrigators Association (CSRIA) will be donating a truckload of potatoes and apples to the White Center Food Bank (10829 8th Ave SW) in Seattle on Tuesday, January 6th.
The donation came about as a result of a meeting a couple of months ago that CSRIA had with Rep. Sharon Nelson (D-Vashon, 34th Legislative District), who then helped connect the association to the White Center Food Bank.
"As we fight through this recession, we all need to work together so that families living in the richest nation on earth don't go without food, the most basic need of all," said Rep. Sharon Nelson. "I am grateful that CSRIA has offered to help meet this critical need during a time when the White Center Food Bank is playing a more important role than ever in our community."
"Today, we are seeing more people than ever in our food bank lines," said Rick Jump, Executive Director of the White Center Food Bank. "This generous donation by the Columbia-Snake River Irrigators Association is going to make huge impact in our community."
The White Center Food Bank's mission is to minimize hunger while nourishing community, nurturing self-reliance and embracing the area's rich cultural diversity. It has been helping out people in need for over three decades and currently serves more than 1,200 hungry families each month. In 2007, it provided enough food for more than 53,000 individuals including 21,000 children under the age of 18.
The Columbia-Snake River Irrigators Association has become a leader in promoting water conservation and water efficiency in the Pacific Northwest. Its membership irrigates about 250,000 acres of prime row crop, vineyard, and orchard lands in Washington State and primarily consists of operations along the Columbia-Snake River system, relying almost exclusively on private investment to build and operate highly efficient, state-of-the-art river pump stations and water distribution systems. In economic terms, CSRIA members annually generate about $475-600 million in state and local income by purchasing goods and services from numerous state economic sectors, ranging from paper products and food packaging to financial, legal and marketing services.
"CSRIA and its members recognize that many people in Washington State are struggling right now to feed themselves and their families, and we are happy to support White Center Food Bank to help provide food to those in need," said Ron Reimann, President of CSRIA.
For more information about the January 6th food donation, please contact Darryll Olsen of CSRIA at (509) 783-1623 or Patrick Boss of CSRIA at (509) 771-1844, or Rick Jump of the White Center Food Bank at (206) 762-2848.
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