Food Distribution Hours

Monday, Wednesday
& Friday 11:00-3:00

2nd & 4th Wednesdays
5:00 PM-7:00 PM

Other places & times


Frequently Asked Questions

Directions | Phone Numbers | Other Resources

Directions

Our main location is at 220 Thurston Street NE; Olympia, Washington 98501-1138.

Directions going south on I-5
  1. Take exit #107/PACIFIC AVE. - go 0.4 mi
  2. Turn right on PACIFIC AVE SE - go 1.0 mi
  3. Continue on STATE AVE NE - go 1.1 mi
  4. Turn right on JEFFERSON ST NE - go 0.1 mi
  5. Turn left on THURSTON AVE NE - go 0.2 mi
  6. Arrive at 220 THURSTON AVE NE, OLYMPIA, on the right
 Directions going North on I-5
  1. Take exit #105 onto HENDERSON BLVD SE toward
    CITY CENTER/STATE CAPITOL - go 0.3 mi
  2. Continue on 14TH AVE SE - go 0.6 mi
  3. Turn right on CAPITOL WAY - go 0.8 mi
  4. Turn right on THURSTON AVE NE - go 0.1 mi
  5. Arrive at 220 THURSTON AVE NE, OLYMPIA, on the left.

Is it better to give cash or food?

A dollar given will in fact buy a third more food. The Food Bank does not pay retail prices for the food it buys; in fact we generally never pay wholesale prices. Of course we need money to pay our utility bills and meet other overhead costs.

We like gifts of food too. What we need most are high-protein foods (canned tuna, peanut butter, beef stew); children's favorites (macaroni and cheese, boxed cereal, canned fruit). We often need items for our special needs clients. Low salt soups and vegetables, fruit packed in water or its own juice, flip top cans of fruit, vegetables or soups, or foods appropriate for vegetarians. What to avoid includes glass and bulk items that would require repackaging.

Do you need volunteers?

Yes we do. Best place to start is a tour of the food bank. It gives us a chance to show you what we do and describe how you can help. Currently we need volunteers to support our outreach efforts, in particular the Mobile Food Bank system.

Which are the best food drives and how do I organize one?

The two largest food drives are the Letter Carriers Food Drive in May and the High Schools drive during the Holidays. The Food Bank in partnership with the South Sound Reading Foundation supports the Well Fed Well Read food and book drive in April of each year. Most successful food drives rely on the support of volunteers and need some way of engaging our community. For concrete examples and ideas download our handbook "How to organize a food drive".

What are your hours?

We are open for distribution of food on Monday, Wednesday and Friday at our downtown location. In collaboration with our community partners we operate a system of satellite food banks with hours of operation that expand service days and times. Our office hours are Monday thru Friday 8 am till 4 pm.

What about parking?

Metered parking is available on the street.

How do I donate?

Cash is always welcome. We also accept your gift of food and time. For more details contact us directly or check out our donor resources.


Web issues