Plant Based Food Share
August 1st - wow! We hope you are enjoying the warm, sunny weather and have been able to get outdoors as much as possible. While we are turning the pages on this summer very quickly, the beginning of a new month brings our team a moment to pause as we have the opportunity to partner with and learn about the wonderful organizations around us that are pouring their time, hearts, and energy into their causes. This month, our selected partner is the Seattle-based nonprofit, Plant Based Food Share, or PBFS.
Plant Based Food Share was founded by Ariel Bangs, a New York native with a robust experience as an herbalist, culinary anthropologist, entrepreneur, nonprofit director, food community activist, and she is a healer through food, to name just a few of her accomplishments. Ariel established Plant Based Food Share during the early days of the global pandemic in March of 2020 as a way to assist those experiencing hardships brought about by the impacts of COVID-19.
Plant Based Food Share serves low-income, underserved, urban communities who live in food deserts and includes: African American, Latinx, and BIPOC children, families, elders, and victims of domestic violence. In addition to providing fresh produce, vegetable starts, grains, and pantry items, PBFS also fills food boxes with fresh baked goods and culturally relevant prepared meals.
Since its establishment over one year ago, PBFS has delivered over four thousand food boxes along with face masks and hand sanitizer. The ultimate goal of Plant Based Food Share is to eliminate food insecurity and to improve the health and well-being of the diverse and underserved communities impacted by hardships due to COVID-19, poverty, and racism. What’s the drive behind their cause? Here’s what the team says about their “why”:
“We do this as a way to heal our communities, to inspire community, and to encourage healthy lifestyles for those who are underserved and have historically been unable to grow their own food or access health food.”
Do you live in the Seattle area? If you feel urged to contribute, there are plenty of ways to get involved, between monetary donations, giving your time, or organizing a donation. Visit Plant Based Food Share’s website for more information. A portion of our sales through the end of August will be donated to our Cause of the Month.