Rising Food Insecurity: What It Means for Our Community – Insights from The Journal of the San Juan Islands

Submitted by the Nourish to Flourish Coalition

Hey San Juan Island Community,

We need your help. Food insecurity is increasing on our island, and local farmers are facing tough times.

Since 2020, the Friday Harbor Food Bank has seen visits jump by 152% for households and 228% for individuals. To tackle this, the Nourish to Flourish Coalition is connecting low-income families with fresh food from our local farmers and fishermen.

This year, from Memorial Day to September 2024, we launched the Fresh Bucks Program at the SJI Farmers Market. Every market day, families earning 200% or less than the federal income level received $40 in Fresh Bucks. These bucks can be spent on meat, fish, vegetables, fruits, nuts, eggs, dairy, seeds, and plants.

A huge thank you to the Soroptimists of Friday Harbor, the Mullis Community Senior Center, the SJI Farmers Market Association, and many generous individuals who raised $28,000 for Fresh Bucks in 2024. We also appreciate the Joyce L. Sobel Family Resource Center for managing the program’s funds and San Juan County Health and Community Services for their support.

This funding helped 192 low-income families (318 people) get access to fresh, healthy food while also supporting our local farmers.

Looking ahead to 2025, the Nourish to Flourish Coalition and the SJI Farmers Market hope to continue this program year-round. Starting on Memorial Day weekend, we plan to offer $20 to $40 per qualifying household each market day. Our aim is to raise between $60,000 and $75,000 to keep this initiative going.

Consider contributing to this cause by making a tax-deductible donation to the Joyce L. Sobel Family Resource Center to support the Fresh Bucks Program.

Thank you for being part of the solution to food insecurity and supporting our local farms.

*About the Nourish to Flourish Coalition: Our coalition includes the Joyce L. Sobel Family Resource Center, SJ County Health and Community Services, SJI Farmers Market, Soroptimist International of Friday Harbor, Mullis Community Senior Center, the Friday Harbor Food Bank, and the Rotary Club of SJI.

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