September 11, 2020
Originally published in Mayor Armondo Pavone's September 11 Newsletter
Since I’m devoting this issue to volunteerism, I’d like to introduce you to one of the most successful volunteer projects in recent memory: Sustainable Renton’s free grocery store.
Over the last 24 weeks (through Labor Day), Sustainable Renton has handed out over 280,000 pounds of groceries to those affected by the pandemic. About 1/3 of the total has been gleaned from local grocery stores and Costco and the other 2/3 donated.
What started out as distributing around 3,000 pounds per week before COVID-19 has ballooned to 20,000 pounds at St. Matthews Lutheran Church during the pandemic.
Sustainable Renton is built on "food justice" or the belief food is too valuable a commodity to go to waste. Excess should be collected and used to help our less fortunate.
The driving forces behind Sustainable Renton are current president Steve Randolph and members of the board, both past and present. Scott Kreidermacher is the original mastermind of the smaller grocery store that has turned into what we see now. All admit they're doing it on the fly and adapting daily. It's been an enormous success.
On a typical Monday, they serve almost 150 vehicles in the St. Matthews parking lot. The vehicles pass on either side of long tables filled with staples. Anywhere between 45 to 50 trained volunteers are on hand to fulfill requests. Everyone is wearing a mask, and delivery is contactless. It's not a "one size fits all" store, where everyone is given the same pre-selected items. Shoppers come with lists to make meals for the week. For some, the wait is up to 90 minutes, but the volunteers make sure those waiting have refreshments.
The store is open every Monday from 5:30 to 7 p.m., but the work to procure the food items goes on all week. Loads are continually brought to the church. Dry goods are stored in the church and perishables in either a refrigerated truck or refrigerated container. The truck was recently purchased through a successful Go Fund Me Campaign. The container was graciously donated by Renton Innovation Zone.
The store would not be this successful without the help of Pastor Kacey Hahn and the members of St. Matthews. When the store messaged in late June that they needed a new location, Pastor Hahn immediately reached out. She wanted to help and saw the store as a perfect fit for the church’s long-standing feeding program.
It’s been said that we’ll never know how we’ll react to a crisis until we’re faced with one. We've been facing an unprecedented global crisis for months. Through the great work of Sustainable Renton, their group of willing volunteers, and the leadership and members of St. Matthews, the reaction has been just what I expected from our community. They stepped up and are making a huge difference.
About the City of Renton
The City of Renton, Washington, with a population of 105,500 (2020), is located on the southeast shore of Lake Washington, just south of Seattle. Renton's strong economic base, diverse marketplace and favorable business climate have attracted the attention of nationally recognized companies that are providing employees and their families an outstanding quality of life. Renton is the home of Boeing, PACCAR, IKEA, the Seattle Seahawks, and the eternal resting place of Jimi Hendrix. More information can be found on our website, news releases, or Facebook, Twitter, and Nextdoor pages.
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