Fast Facts

May is Mental Health Awareness month! Did you know that the impact of food insecurity on mental health spans beyond individual wellbeing, extending to societal issues such as poverty cycles and community mental health? Food insecurity significantly impacts mental health outcomes, influencing stress levels, emotional stability, cognitive function, and general psychological wellbeing.

Nourishing the Mind: How Food Security Influences Mental Wellbeing

“My family and I would not get enough food to eat if it were not for the food bank. I work full time but support three adults on my income. I rent a house and my rent is $2,500. After rent and bills there is nothing left. 

We are so appreciative for everything we get from the Issaquah Food Bank. We are able to have fresh, healthy food, and enough to eat more than just once a day. I don’t know what we do without the food bank. Thank you so much for helping our family and so many others!”



-Issaquah Food & Clothing Bank Participant

Issaquah School District’s participation in the free and reduced-price school lunch program continues to grow year over year, with 2,700 students enrolled as of last September. When students are home during school breaks, they aren’t receiving daily breakfasts and lunches from school, putting added strain on parents to provide nutritious meals. Our Lunch for the Break program is meant to help bridge that gap.  

To support these families during Spring break, in addition to our regular market shopping days every other week, our Spring Lunch for the Break provided an extra day of grocery shopping where families could pick up a large bag of produce with extra fruit, meat, dairy and other items like tortillas, pasta, and dry goods. This year, we celebrated the 11th anniversary of this vital program and served 250 families at our April distribution!

“Issaquah Food & Clothing Bank has been a blessing for my family, especially for my kids. Being able to quickly pick up kid friendly foods for all of the long school breaks has been a huge relief for my family. I'm able to concentrate and figure out other important needs knowing my children are fed and have healthy choices when school is not in session. Thank you for contributing to that need being taken care of.”

 -Lunch for the Break Participant

Thank you for supporting our youngest recipients!



Champion Spotlight: Anjuman Nyman

by Hannah Harvey

As a local community member, Anjuman Nyman is passionate about serving her neighbors through volunteering at the Issaquah Food & Clothing Bank, but her connection to our mission doesn’t end there. Anjuman has witnessed a close family member experience housing insecurity in New York as a result of long-term mental health challenges. “This has made me a lot more empathetic, because I have seen up close what it looks like to struggle with (food and resource insecurity),” Anjuman shared. For Anjuman, working with her local community is her way of giving back, and she hopes that someone in New York can return that same kindness to her loved one...READ MORE

Client Services Corner

by Adrian Lara Enriquez, Resource Navigator

Recently, Client Services has seen increased need from both new and returning participants. On program weeks, we have been providing more produce bags and emergency food support to help families and individuals get through the week.

The team continually supports unhoused neighbors with items like sleeping bags, tents, bus tickets, mail services, and resource referrals. In 2025, we provided 205 essential supply distributions, 767 case management services, 1,430 snack services, and much more. While we cannot meet every need, we strive to meet people where they are and offer practical support with dignity and care.

To provide the best possible experience, our team of staff and volunteers are continuing to strengthen our skills around de-escalation and communication when responding to clients experiencing heightened stress or crisis.

If you're interested in learning more about the work we do with client services, please send an email to clientservices@issaquahfoodbank.org!

Illuminating Hope - Raising Funds to Feed Kids

It's that time of year where we get to focus on our youngest recipients and rally support to ensure they get what they need.

With 2,700 children in the Issaquah School District receiving free or reduced-price school lunches, we know that many of these children, and many others, may need help accessing nutrition outside of school hours. Our Summer Lunch, Power Packs, and Lunch for the Break programs play a vital role in ensuring children have easy access to healthy food at all times.

Our Illuminating Hope campaign, in partnership with KLD Real Estate Group has raised over $600,000 to support childhood food security since 2015 and this year, our goal is to raise $140,000 to support our youth nutrition programs. Thanks to a generous donation from The KLD Real Estate Group, the first $20,000 in donations of $150-$5,000 will be DOUBLED!

Please join this effort by giving, sharing the news with friends, then celebrating with us by enjoying the fireworks display over South Lake Sammamish on Saturday, July 4, 2026 at 10:00 p.m. Learn more here!

“Issaquah Food & Clothing Bank has been there for my

family when we needed support the most, like during winter

and summer breaks when my child is out of school, but still needing nutrition. My child receives free lunch and on break I no longer have to worry about meeting their needs with healthy choices. They have also helped provide clothes and other resources so

I can maintain a healthy and happy functioning household.

Thank you so much!”

-Issaquah Food & Clothing Bank Youth Program Participant



Thank you for supporting our youngest recipients by ILLUMINATING HOPE!



Meet our Board of Directors

"My support of the Issaquah Food & Clothing Bank has come full circle. It began over 20 years ago, leading food drives and volunteer events with my children and their friends, then collaboratively through my work as an Issaquah City Councilmember and Human Services Commissioner, and later through corporate philanthropy partnership development.

I now proudly serve on the Board of Directors. The Issaquah Food & Clothing Bank has always been near and dear to my heart - a community leader and shining example of community support. "



-Mariah Bettise, Issaquah Food & Clothing Bank Board Member

Upcoming Opportunities and Events

There are always great events and opportunities to volunteer, donate, attend, or do all three! For more information on any of these, just reach out to Hannah.



Holiday Closures

• Memorial Day, Mon. 5/25
• Juneteenth, Fri. 6/19

Mark your calendars now!

Illuminating Hope: Raising Funds to Feed Kids

• Campaign to support youth nutrition programs open now!
• Fireworks display celebration over South Lake Sammamish on Saturday, July 4 at 10:00 p.m.
• Learn more!

Recipe for Hope

• Our most important fundraising event of the year!
• Tuesday, September 29, 2026
• Breakfast at 7:30 a.m or Lunch at 11:30 a.m.
• The Golf Club at Newcastle
• Registration opens in August

Issaquah Turkey Trot

• Our annual fun run/walk through downtown Issaquah
• Thanksgiving morning, Thursday, November 26,2025 at 9:00 a.m.
• Registration opens in August

• Looking for work you can do from home and/or outside of normal business hours? We need help with a mailing project, and the work can be done at any time between May 28 and June 2 at 4:00 p.m. Contact Shaila for more details if you are interested!