Nourishing Hope, One Box at a Time

The St. Vincent Center food bank was recently featured in the Yakima Herald-Republic for the growing challenges facing families in our Valley. Cuts to federal programs and rising food costs have left households with fewer resources, even as more people turn to us for help.

At St. Vincent Center, we see this reality every week. From July 2024 through June 2025, the food bank served 3,423 families. Already since July 1st, more than 1,000 families have walked through our doors in search of support, and the number continues to climb, as shared by Tina Sherry, Manager of Operations. Many return and many more visit us for the first time, as their cupboards run bare more quickly.

Each food box we provide is now a 50-pound lifeline, costing about $112 to fill. That number has risen steadily over the past two years, even as donations have become harder to secure. Behind every number is a story. Parents who want nothing more than to send their children to school nourished and ready to learn. Seniors who quietly stretch their fixed incomes, hoping each dollar will last. Families who never imagined they’d need help but find themselves just one unexpected life event away from hunger.

For nearly 80 years, St. Vincent Center has been a constant in Yakima guided by the example of Saint Vincent de Paul. What began in 1946 as a small local effort has grown into a volunteer-led resource center serving thousands each year with food, compassion, and hope. Generations of community members have walked through our doors, some to receive support, others to serve, and many to do both over the course of their lives. That legacy continues because people choose to care for one another.

How you can support the mission:

In the coming weeks, we will be launching a new opportunity for our community to directly contribute to this vital work. Each food box provided offers stability and nourishment for a household right here in the Valley. If you would like to be among the first to join this effort and help lay the foundation for our upcoming campaign, we invite you to reach out to our Fundraising Manager, Yasmin Ruvalcaba, yruvalcaba@catholiccharities.org.

If you’re ready to take action now, consider volunteering with us. Our food bank is entirely volunteer-led, with shifts on Tuesday and Friday mornings. Whether you are a student learning new skills, a retiree giving back, or simply someone with a few hours to spare, your time and hands make a real difference.

Together, we can ensure that Yakima remains a place where families have access to the food security and dignity they deserve.

Thank you to Yakima Herald-Republic for their original reporting on this story. You can read their full article here: click here