Partnership Profile: Sammamish Rotary & Issaquah Food and Clothing Bank

The partnership between the Sammamish Rotary Club and the Issaquah Food and Clothing Bank (IFCB) is a vital community collaboration designed to combat childhood food insecurity within the Issaquah School District. Their primary focus is the Power Packs program, which ensures that students who rely on school-provided meals have access to nutrition over the weekend. Sammamish Rotary provides "feet on the ground" through monthly "packaging parties." Rotarians meet at the IFCB warehouse to:

• Sort donated food items.
• Assemble individual Power Packs.
• Prepare the bags for delivery to local schools.

Childhood hunger is a silent issue in many affluent-appearing communities. The Power Packs program addresses this by providing "weekend food bags" to students in need.

• Reach: Serves all 26 schools in the Issaquah School District (including those in Sammamish).
• Contents: Each pack contains kid-friendly, easy-to-prepare breakfast, lunch, and snack items.
• Volume: The program distributes approximately 2,500 Power Packs per month.
• Discretion: To maintain student dignity, packs are discreetly placed in elementary students' backpacks on Fridays, while middle and high school students can self-select them.

How to Help:

• Donate: Financial gifts can be made via the IFCB Website.
• Volunteer: Interested individuals can join Sammamish Rotary for service projects or contact the Food Bank directly for volunteer shifts.