Our Story
It started in a bookcase, and in the mind and heart of the Reverend Gary Jones. The bookcase was located right inside the door of the parish hall of Saint Andrews Episcopal church on Woodin Avenue. Rice, beans and canned goods were stacked on the shelves and food was distributed as needed. Reverend Jones shared his dream with other Chelan clergy and the dream grew.
Within two years of that small beginning, nearly 1,000 families were served. Five years later, the bookcase was too small, and St. Andrews purchased the annex—a small building that became both the home of the food bank and Sunday School classes.
Rev. Gary Jones
Through the years, two things have woven a consistent pattern in the food bank’s history. The first is the incredible generosity of the community in providing food and cash to the food bank. Children have had food drives and individuals have donated money. Gardeners have brought their excess produce, and orchardists have donated an abundance of fresh fruit. Volunteers have spent countless hours ordering, preparing, and distributing food. Organizations and businesses have found creative ways to faithfully support our efforts.
The second consistency has been a lack of space. From that very first bookcase to our current location, the food bank has experienced multiple moves. We shake our heads as we remember "the beast”, a conveyor belt we used to move boxes from the basement of the Eagles building on Woodin Ave, or the store front that was so small only a handful of individuals could be allowed in at a time.
In 2025, we celebrated the opening of our remodeled building, in partnership with Chelan Valley Hope. Our new building has expanded our footprint, allowed us to add additional storage and refrigeration to serve the needs of our community. We have added a new waiting area with heat and/or shade as well as a new drive-thru area for patrons to have their boxes loaded. The pictures below give you a good look at the new building and space we have to serve the families of our community.
So far this year, we have served an average of 740 families and over 1,700 individuals. We also deliver to elderly clients who can't get to the food bank. Our numbers always increase in the winter months.
As we see the needs in our community continue to grow, the dream of Reverend Jones continues to grow as well. We must continue to keep the cupboards of those in need filled with healthy and adequate food supplies. Please consider becoming a part of this legacy by sharing your time, funds and food. You’ll quickly discover the joy that comes from being part of something important to so many in our beautiful valley.
