QFC Celebrates 70 Years by Giving Back
The Food Lifeline lobby is bustling with blue and gold shirts, smiles, laughter, and a strong desire to help those facing food insecurity.
“Today we’re celebrating QFC’s 70th anniversary with a meal pack here at Food Lifeline, and we are looking to pack 70,000 meals in honor of the anniversary,” says QFC’s Corporate Affairs Manager, Tiffany Sanders.
The grocery store chain enlisted 200 volunteers from its retail community. They signed up to work a double shift today, sorting and repacking food for delivery to Food Lifeline’s nearly 300 food bank partners. But QFC didn’t stop there. They asked their grocery partners to help with food supplies.
“We have 53 donors who stepped up to join us today,” says Sanders. “Some of them delivered cases, pallets, and, in some cases, truckloads of food for today’s event. This is nutrient-dense, high-quality food so that we can help people right here in the community.”
QFC’s vendors have supplied everything from bread to canned vegetables, breakfast foods, and meat proteins. According to at least one donor, convincing them to participate in the event was easy.
“We wanted to be involved right away,” says Stephanie Bouslaugh of Gourmet Food International. “If QFC’s going to do this, they will do it right. So, we sent up some new product lines, and here we are. The capabilities here are unbelievable. I wasn’t expecting this operation at all. You can feel the energy here, and it’s an excellent energy.”
Neil Johnson of Certified Angus Beef is working hard, sorting and repacking. He takes a quick break to say he’s “a little blown away” by the turnout.
“I can’t believe how many people showed up! It’s been a lot of fun. I can’t believe how much food is moving through here today.”
Brent Stewart, the president of QFC, is inspired by the effort.
“Tiffany came to us and said, ‘I have a vision to pack 70,000 meals and give back to the community that’s supported us for 70 years.’ I thought it was a really high mark to go after, but our vendor community and our teams came back and blew that number out of the water.”
Instead of 70,000 meals, today’s donors and volunteers are packing the equivalent of 155,000 meals for food banks across western Washington—a remarkable achievement for a single day’s effort. QFC has supported Food Lifeline for many years with daily food donations and generous cash grants, so, according to Sanders, Food Lifeline was a logical choice for today’s event.
“Food Lifeline is an incredible partner for QFC. Without them, we couldn’t even make a dent in getting this food to those who need it. Food Lifeline already has those relationships built. They’re already in all Western Washington communities, ensuring everyone can access healthy, nutritious food.”
Events and relationships like this make change. Every day, Food Lifeline is working to bring people together to ensure that everyone can access nourishing, culturally relevant food—today and forever.
Watch the video of the event:
