Northwest Harvest Commemorating 50th Anniversary

Northwest Harvest is commemorating their 50th anniversary this year, but CEO Shelley Rotondo hopes that one day, her job is no longer needed. The organization started in 1967 in the Seattle area when Boeing went through a round of layoffs.

"The churches got together and looked at what they could do to make a difference and it boiled down to hunger."

Now Rotondo says they distribute 33-34 million pounds of food throughout Washington each year and works with 375 partners.

Rotondo says that Central Washington has a special place in her heart because so much food is produced here by farmers that work with the organization.

"In situations where they've got surplus or it's not grade A or they're clearing out last year's crop for this year's crop, whatever the reason is Northwest Harvest has the capacity and the experience to respond to calls for donated produce that needs to move and we get it to people that need it."

Rotondo says they also work with 14 organizations in the area to help distribute food to around 175,000 people, many of whom are seniors or children, in the North Central Washington and Central Washington area.

To find out more, visit NorthwestHarvest.org.