This amazing group of Kent non-profits has come together to help the Kent community during the pandemic. We began with a focus on food and personal hygiene, and then grew to include utility payments and rental assistance. Through our Covid-19 Response Fund we provide practical assistance to non-profits that are experiencing a five to ten-fold increase in requests for services. We help recruit volunteers and host Donation Drives that benefit all connected non-profits.
The people in and around Kent, WA are experiencing a rising food crisis. Prior to the pandemic, many families on the brink of food insecurity were able to stabilize through income earned from service industry work. However, as families lost jobs, schools closed and many newly-arrived refugee and immigrant families were deemed ineligible for government stimulus packages, food insecurity became an even greater threat to the community. Kent Community Partners, a collaborative group of over a dozen local non-profits and faith-based organizations, has been bridging the gap for food insecure residents since June by distributing USDA food boxes as funded by the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) and the “Farmers to Families” program. Typically, 7,500 families per week received emergency food through the safe, no-contact pick up systems put in place.
Knowing that the “Farmers to Families” Food Assistance Programs are a temporary fix, we are working to find a sustainable model for the community to engage to support the families that are in need. How do we support our long term food distribution organizations and create a holistic model to make it easy to find services? How do we find pathways to communication for all our residents? How do we continue to work together to have the hard conversations that are necessary to implement change in our community? One thing the Kent Community Partners agree on – we are stronger together!
Please click on each non-profit’s name to learn more about the great work they do
- Afghan Health Initiative
- Communities In Schools of Kent
- Communities of Rooted Briliance
- Community Network Council
- Covington Storehouse
- Degh Tegh Community Kitchen
- Eagles Nest Community Kitchen
- Eastside Baby Corner
- Eileen and Callie’s Place
- ELAP (Eastside Legal Assistance Program)
- Farestart
- Grassroots Project
- Kent Community Foundation
- Kent Food Bank & Emergency Services
- Kent HOPE
- Kent Schools Foundation
- Kent Youth & Family Services
- Living Well Kent
- Mother Africa
- Multicare
- Northwest Harvest
- Open Doors for Multicultural Families
- SHAG Community Life Foundation
- Safe Place – Friends of Youth
- SoCo Culture (South King County Cultural Coalition)
- Turkcha
- U.T.O.P.I.A. (United Territories of Pacific Islander Alliance)
- Valley Medical
- Vine Maple Place
- Valley Cities
- YMCA – Auburn, Kent & Tukwila
- World Relief
We couldn’t do all this work without the support of our faith based organizations
- Apartment Life
- Cornerstone United Methodist
- Hillside Church
- Kent Covenant Church
- Kent Lutheran Church
- Kent United Methodist Church
- King of Kings Church
- Kingdom Gathering
- Living Hope Church
- Mountainview Vineyard Church
- New Beginnings Christian Fellowship Church
- Northwest Life Church
- Redeemed by the Blood
- St John the Baptist Church
- St James Episcopal Church
- St Stephens the Martyr Church
- We Love Kent/Calvary Chapel South Church
We are grateful for these amazing partnerships which help the Kent Community Partners with the work they do
- accesso Showare Center
- City of Kent
- Covington Chamber of Commerce
- Kent Chamber
- Kent Downtown Partnership
- Kent Library
- Kent School District
- Kent Station
- Kent AM Kiwanis
- Kent Lions Club
- Kiwanis Club of Kent
- Rotary Club of Kent
- Rotary Club Sunrise
Video produced by Logan Ellis: “WHAT IS HAPPENING IN KENT“