Volunteers fed indigent residents
MEDICAL LAKE – After 13 years of service, Feed Medical Lake served its final meals June 10.
The not-for-profit organization, which provided free lunches and dinners to the community twice a month, closed its doors due to changes initiated by the hosting church council.
“It’s usually not this busy,” said Joanne Williams, the organizer and director of Feed Medical Lake, reflecting on the turnout on the final day. Williams, who has been with the organization since its inception, said Feed Medical Lake began its mission on June 13, 2011.
The initiative, funded solely through donations and grants, partnered with local organizations including Feed Spokane, Northwest Harvest, Union Gospel Mission and Second Harvest.
However, the partnership with Union Gospel Mission ended due to logistical issues.
“We had to end our partnership with Union Gospel Mission due to time constraints about when we can pick up produce,” Williams said.
Feed Medical Lake has seen a variable attendance over the years, with numbers fluctuating according to the weather.
“Today, we have 40, and we get anywhere from 38-55, in the past our highest was 128,” Williams said on the organization’s final meal.
The organization’s board consisted of 10 members, eight of whom have disabilities. Over its 13-year run, Feed Medical Lake served 18,239 meals, clocked over 20,201 volunteer hours, and distributed 106.18 tons of groceries to those in need.
The closure comes as the church council plans to start a new program.
“The church council told us we have to close because they want to start their own program,” Williams said. The new initiative, named the Silver Cafe, is expected to open in August.
Volunteers played a crucial role in the operations of Feed Medical Lake, handling tasks ranging from food pickup and inventory management to meal preparation and service.
“They go and pick up food, do inventory, put it away, and put it out at the tables. For the food we have to purchase, they shop for it, cook it, do meal prep, clean up, and serve the food. Clean the fridges and freezer, the closet, we bought commercial units, the church removed some appliances so we could have room,” Williams said, outlining the extensive responsibilities managed by volunteers.
Clare is an Eastern Washington University graduate and a reporter at Free Press Publishing.
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