Kent Rotary procured more than $27,000 worth of equipment to donate to programs that help fight food insecurity.

The funds were used to purchase commercial refrigerators and freezer storage units and food delivery supplies for Apartment Life/We Love Kent, Kent Food Bank, King of Kings Lutheran Church, The Storehouse in Covington, Kent Covenant Church and Kingdom Gathering, according to a June 13 Kent Rotary press release.

Over the past year, the Rotary Club of Kent was one of the many local nonprofit organizations involved in the Kent Community Partners that helped the greater Kent community deal with food insecurity during the COVID-19 pandemic. The food distribution center set up at accesso ShoWare Center was the most visible undertaking by the Kent Community Partners. When that operation was shut down, there was still a large need for food in and around Kent. That need was addressed by community food banks, local churches and other nonprofit organizations.

Rotary District 5030, the regional administrative body of Rotary International for the 34 Rotary Clubs in the Seattle area, provides opportunities for those clubs to receive matching district grants if a club can engage other donors to participate in a project financially.

District 5030 put up $10,000, and other Kent Community Partners donated more than $17,000 (Kent Community Foundation – $3,000; Kent Sunrise Rotary – $1,000; Kent Covington Rotary – $1,000; Kent Kiwanis clubs – $1,000; and Kent Rotary – $11,223).

The funds contributed by Kent Rotary were raised at its annual auction called Escapades, according to the press release. It is because of the generosity of donors of things to sell at the auction and those who attend the auction to make purchases and donate, that Kent Rotary has the ability to help the community like this.

A refrigerator donated by Kent Rotary to the Apartment Life/We Love Kent program. COURTESY PHOTO, Kent Rotary