Let the Good Meals Roll!

Our van kicked the can!  WCFR needs a reliable vehicle to deliver free meals to more than 20 locations across the community. Each month, our dedicated kitchen staff and volunteers whip up delicious, nutritious meals from scratch to feed women and children accessing services at more than 20 non-profit partners throughout Spokane County. When women and children are fleeing domestic violence, battling health crises or recovering from addiction, having someone else put a nutritious meal on the table for them and their kids can be just the break they need to get through a tough day.

Last year, after nearly 20 years of service (and many trips to the repair shop!), our minivan called it quits. Our team of volunteer drivers stepped up by using their personal vehicles to make sure our meals were delivered to partner locations across the community.

The time has come to stop relying on our volunteers’ vehicles to make these deliveries happen. A delivery vehicle will enable us to safely and reliably deliver meals to our partners, or in other words, let the good meals roll. It will also be used to rescue 50 tons of food donations each year.

Here’s the best news! Every dollar you donate will be matched by our generous partner Numerica Credit Union up to $15,000. We’ve got until August 6 to make it happen, Spokane!

How can you help us let the good meals roll?

·       Give! Every dollar you donate is tax deductible and will get us closer to that match.

·       Gab! Tell your friends, family and coworkers; challenge them to match your donation.

·       Go! Share the campaign on your social media platforms using #goodmealsroll.

Like the song says, we’ve got thunder appeal, so will you join our side? Together we can all let the good meals roll! 

Did you know?

There are 25,510 food insecure children living in Spokane County. That's 1 in 4 kids as compared to the national average of 1 in 5. Food insecurity has broad, long-term consequences that put individuals, especially children, at risk in the following categories: health, behavior, education and job readiness.

More than 50,000 women in our community live below the poverty level and must make difficult choices between paying rent, utilities, food or gas. While some are employed in low paying jobs, others are unemployed due to chronic mental health issues, advanced age, addiction or deteriorating health.

About Nutrition-to-Go

Nutrition-to-Go started in 2005 delivering free meals to two weekly partners: Hope House and the Vanessa Behan Crisis Nursery. Since then, the program has grown to 23 partners today. Each week we deliver 700 to 900 meals, and we anticipate that number will grow to 1,500 meals per week within 12 to 18 months. Currently we collaborate with: 

• Anna Ogden Hall - Union Gospel Mission
• Catholic Charities Counseling
• Childhood & Parenting Assistance - Catholic Charities
• Community Thanksgiving Dinner - Rogers High School
• Crosswalk - Volunteers of America
• Cup of Cool Water
• Feed Cheney
• Hearth Homes
• Hope House - Volunteers of America
• Life Services Maternity Home
• Open Doors - Family Promise of Spokane
• Rising Strong - Catholic Charities
• Ronald McDonald House Charities
• Shadle Park Presbyterian Church
• Southwest Community Center
• SPEAR Ministries, Inc.
• Spokane YoungLives
• St. Margaret's Shelter - Catholic Charities
• Transitional Living Center - Transitions
• Vanessa Behan Crisis Nursery
• West Central Community Center
• Women's Hearth - Transitions
• YWCA

By preparing and delivering nutrient-rich individual and group meals, our partners can do what they do best, while we do what we do best - feed people! Partners pay nothing, all food and financial donations to support this program are secured by WCFR.

      “As a recipient in the Nutrition-to-Go program, we are able to send our families home with a healthy meal at a time when a good meal may not be attainable or considered.  This service would not be possible without the Women & Children’s Free Restaurant.”  

                 Amy Vega, Executive Director, Vanessa Behan Crisis Nursery

About the Vehicle

We plan to purchase a new or certified, late model pre-owned van.* The van will be preferably equipped with automatic transmission, all-wheel drive, air conditioning, fuel efficiency, rear access and be suitable for a vehicle wrap.

About WCFR

Women & Children’s Free Restaurant was established in 1988, serving weekly meals to 15-20 women and children in the basement of St. Paul’s United Methodist Church. The idea for the restaurant came from a local college student who, in her research, discovered the need and lack of a dedicated place for women and children to receive a meal in a place safe from domestic violence and other abuses.

After purchasing the former Center Pointe Building located at 1408 North Washington in 2014, we remodeled the facility and began operating at our new home in June of 2015.  Since that time, we've increased our annual meal count by 20,000 and added 16 Nutrition-to-Go partners.  We also launched a nutrition education class. The goal: to help reduce the risk of preventable diseases such as obesity and Type 2 diabetes.

WCFR is on track to serve more than 60,000 nutritious meals this year. The recipient of a 2017 AGORA award for non-profit business excellence, WCFR operates with a paid staff of 8 and 150 weekly volunteers. We believe that every citizen deserves access to healthy, nutritious meals, regardless of their ability to pay.

*Any funds raised that exceed the cost of the delivery vehicle will be expended to enrich WCFR programs filling nutritional gaps for women and children living with food insecurity.