Food Bank Volunteers Donate $2M Worth of Time Each Year

When Jan Coen moved back to Gig Harbor, Washington in 1976, she brought an idea that would feed families for the next 50 years. Together with 14 other volunteers working from their homes, she founded FISH Food Bank to help neighbors in need.

Half a century later, the organization has grown into something remarkable. More than 200 volunteers now run the nonprofit from a brand new 11,600-square-foot building designed specifically as a food bank.

The operation runs with just three paid employees. Everyone else is a volunteer, and their contributions add up to something extraordinary.

The organization estimates that volunteer time is worth about $2 million each year. At a recent anniversary celebration, over 100 volunteers held up two fingers to symbolize those millions in donated service.

The help FISH provides has expanded far beyond food. Volunteers now distribute clothing, household goods, and financial assistance for rent, utilities, and medicine. The annual Christmas Toy Drive served more than 900 families this year alone.

Coen remembered one early call that showed how much people trusted FISH. "One little boy called to say he needed help," she said. "He needed someone to go with him when he had to show his report card to his parents, because he was going to be in trouble."

The stories of gratitude keep coming. One family waited in the food line, and when they reached the front, the father handed Coen $200 instead of taking groceries. He said he didn't know what they would have done without FISH's help when they needed it.

A letter from Florida said FISH saved their family without judgment. The writer reported they're back on their feet now and will never forget the kindness shown by volunteers.

The Ripple Effect

Many people who receive help from FISH return to give back when they can. That circle of kindness creates a safety net that catches families before they fall too far.

The volunteers bring private-sector experience that keeps the nonprofit running smoothly. Their professional skills, combined with their compassion, make FISH more than just a food bank.

What started in living rooms has become a community lifeline that proves neighbors helping neighbors still works at scale.

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