Food

• Washington 211 — Call 2-1-1 or text your zip code to 898-211. Free, confidential, multilingual connection to food pantries, meal programs, and assistance statewide.

• Emergency Food Network (EFN) — Lakewood-based hub supplying 75+ food pantries across Pierce County. Their interactive map and downloadable directory let you find pantries by zip code, day of week, or city. 📞 (253) 584-1040

• Pierce County Food Banks Directory — Official county listing of all partner food bank sites, organized by day of week and by city.

• Pierce County Food Services Page — Overview of county-wide food assistance programs.

• Nourish Pierce County — Operates 6 brick-and-mortar and 17 mobile food bank sites across Pierce County (Tacoma, Puyallup, Spanaway, Gig Harbor, and more). No ID, proof of income, or proof of address required — just your name, address, and household members' dates of birth. Clients self-select food. Visit any location, not restricted by zip code. 📞 (253) 383-3164

• St. Leo Food Connection — Emergency food pantry in Tacoma providing at least 3 days of food per household member. Open Tue–Sat. 📞 (253) 383-5048

• Good Roots Northwest — Bonney Lake nonprofit focused on locally sourced, fresh food. Uses 24/7-accessible climate-controlled food lockers.

• Harvest House — 25713 70th Avenue E, Graham, WA 98338.

• Sumner Community Food Bank — 15625 Main Street E, Sumner. 📞 (253) 863-2996

• Orting Food Bank — 224 Washington Avenue SE, Orting.

• Gig Harbor Peninsula FISH Food Bank — 4425 Burnham Drive, Gig Harbor.

• House of Matthew — Open Tue & Thu 11am–3pm. Anyone in need.

• Multicultural Child & Family Hope Center — Food bank with connections to wraparound family services.

Nourish Pierce County Mobile Sites — Multiple weekday mobile stops throughout Tacoma, Spanaway, Lakewood, and South Pierce County. See full schedule on their site. Select stops relevant to your students:

• Mon 1–3pm: Bethlehem Lutheran Church, 101 E 38th St, Tacoma

• Mon 4:30–6:30pm: Giaudrone Middle School, Tacoma

• Tue 4:30–6:30pm: Tacoma Community College (Lot F), Tacoma

• Wed 1–3pm: Clover Park Technical College, Lakewood

• Wed 4:30–6:30pm: Pierce College Fort Steilacoom, Lot D, Lakewood

• Thu 1–3pm: Bates Technical College South Campus, Tacoma (on campus!)

• (Full schedule at Nourish website)

• Basic Food / SNAP (Washington Connection) — Washington's name for SNAP. Monthly EBT benefits to purchase groceries at stores, farmers markets, and online (Amazon, Walmart). Apply online, by phone at 📞 (877) 501-2233, or in person at a DSHS office. No citizenship requirement noted for applying on behalf of eligible family members.
  Note for NCAD students: College students enrolled more than half-time face additional eligibility rules for Basic Food. You may still qualify if you work 20+ hours/week, have a child under 6, or participate in a work-study program. Use the College SNAP screener to check your eligibility before assuming you don't qualify.

• WIC — Women, Infants & Children — For pregnant women, new or breastfeeding mothers, and children under 5. Provides EBT-loaded food vouchers, nutrition education, and breastfeeding support. No citizenship requirement. If you already receive SNAP, Medicaid, or TANF, you may be automatically income-eligible. Find a WIC clinic at parenthelp123.org or call 📞 (800) 322-2588.

• DSHS Pierce County Community Services Offices — In-person offices to apply for Basic Food, WIC, TANF, and other benefits.

• SNAP Market Match — Double up to $10 of your EBT/SNAP benefits when shopping at participating farmers markets. Look for the "SNAP Market Match" sign.

• Tacoma Rescue Mission — Daily hot meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner) at multiple Tacoma sites. No prior registration required for meals. 📞 (253) 383-4493

• Making a Difference Foundation (Eloise's Cooking Pot) — Community meal programs and food delivery to homebound individuals.

• USDA Hunger Hotline — Connects callers to emergency food providers Mon–Fri. 📞 1-866-3-HUNGRY (English) / 1-877-8-HAMBRE (Spanish)

• WIC (Women, Infants & Children) — The primary source for free infant formula in Pierce County. WIC provides formula vouchers for formula-fed infants, along with baby food, breastfeeding support, and nutritional guidance. Five WIC clinics operate in Tacoma, and several Tacoma-Pierce County Family Resource Centers also offer WIC enrollment throughout the county. Call 📞 (253) 798-6500 or visit a local clinic — no appointment needed to inquire about eligibility.

• The Pet Food Pantry — Humane Society of Tacoma & Pierce County — Supplies dog and cat food to those temporarily in need. No pet should be surrendered due to food insecurity.

• Puget Sound Pet Food Bank

• Coordinated Care Harvest Bucks — Fruit and vegetable prescription program for Coordinated Care Medicaid members. Partnered with Safeway; extra monthly credit toward produce.

• Food Lifeline — Distributes to 400+ partner agencies across western Washington. 📞 (206) 545-6600

• Northwest Harvest SODO Community Market — Free grocery-style market in Seattle, open to anyone.

• Thurston County Food Bank — Pantries in Olympia and Lacey; shopping-model pantry (choose your own food). 📞 (360) 491-0890

• Central Kitsap Food Bank — Serves Central Kitsap and surrounding areas; also offers curbside pickup and senior/homebound delivery. 📞 (360) 377-5490

• South Kitsap Helpline — Food and emergency resources for South Kitsap residents. Open Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri 12–5pm.

• Fishline Free Foods Market — Grocery-store-style shopping in Poulsbo. Open Mon–Fri.

• Call ahead: Hours and availability shift — especially during holidays or when donations run low. Most EFN-listed pantries recommend calling before your first visit.

• No ID required at most Pierce County pantries (Nourish, EFN partners). You only need your name, address, and number of people in your household.

• You can visit any Nourish site — service is not zip-code-restricted.

• 211 works even without cell service credit — calling 2-1-1 is free from any phone.