Hello Ken,

October is National Tackling Hunger Month and Nourish kicked it off with a staff retreat! This day-long retreat focused on coming together as a team, learning from one another, and creating a vision for the future. We are dedicated to providing food to neighbors in need with compassion, dignity, and respect - and this time together helped us join forces across departments. The biggest take away from our time together was seeing the hard-working, dedicated staff who pour their hearts into their work share a vision of working together to create an amazing and well-rounded organization. Thank you to all of our incredible staff, we could not do this work without you!

Nourish Pierce County is expanding our team! We have multiple positions open in our food banks, warehouse, and administrative office. If you have a passion for food and are interested in working for an organization dedicated to compassion, dignity, and respect, check out our open positions and apply online at nourishpc.org/careers.

As of October 1st, Nourish food banks have served 54,912 individuals in need throughout our community! That's a 10% increase compared to this time last year.

The Value of Volunteers

Each of Nourish's food banks rely on a community of volunteers to operate. So far this year, our dedicated volunteers have given 27,269 hours of their valuable time to help stock shelves, support guests, and so much more! That time adds up, saving Nourish more than $500,000, meaning we can focus our funds on food and other necessities.

If you are interested in becoming a Nourish volunteer, contact volunteer@nourishpc.org or call 253-534-8579 for more information.

Shop and Help Nourish

The Kroger Family of Companies is committed to community engagement, positive social impact and charitable giving at the national and local levels. Every community is unique, but their common goal is to partner with the neighborhoods to help the people there live healthier lives.

One of the ways in which they do this is through the Fred Meyer Community Rewards program. This program makes fundraising easy by donating to local organizations based on the shopping you do every day. Once you link your Card to an organization (Nourish Pierce County), all you have to do is shop at Fred Meyer and swipe your Shopper’s Card.

Last quarter, Fred Meyer community rewards donated $265.27 to Nourish Pierce County. We currently have 102 households supporting us through this program. As the holidays approach and you shop more, consider adding Nourish Pierce County as the organization you support. With your help, we can double the number of households supporting Nourish through this program!

Estate Planning Week

Did you know that two-thirds of Americans think that having a will is important - but only 34% of us actually have a will?

October 21-27 is National Estate Planning Awareness Week.

This is an annual reminder to everyone about how important an estate plan is. Usually, it starts with a will. An estate plan primarily takes care of family or loved ones. But it can also be an opportunity to make a large impact on a cause you care about, without immediate cost to you.

Whether you’re just beginning to think about your will or need to update one, this week is the perfect time to focus on mapping out the future.

What is an estate plan?

An estate plan lists how your assets, healthcare decisions, and financial affairs will be managed after your lifetime or if you become incapacitated. These legal documents are vital to your fiscal health. Usually an estate plan includes:

• A Will outlining how to manage and distribute your assets after your lifetime.
• Powers of Attorney authorizing someone you trust to manage your financial and healthcare decisions if you cannot.
• Directives stating your wishes for medical care if you are unable to communicate them yourself.

Not only does an estate plan safeguard your wishes, but a good plan will also help avoid costly legal processes, reduce taxes, and provide clear guidance for your heirs. And, if you are moved to do so, making a gift in your will would be a powerful way to support Nourish and your neighbors in need for years to come.

How to get started?

One place to start is the National Council on Aging’s estate planning checklist. Their website thoroughly covers estate planning. Nerdwallet has similar information as well.

Having an attorney work with you personally is advised, though the NCOA.org site also has reviews of online will preparation websites. Another online website that can get help is FreeWill.com. As their name suggests, you can use this site to make your own will for free.

It’s up to you!

Whatever your plans, National Estate Planning Awareness Week is an opportunity to consider what your legacy will be. If you plan on leaving Nourish in your will, let us know – (253) 383-3164 or development@nourishpc.org.