Hunger Intervention Program

Mission:

The mission of Hunger Intervention Program (HIP) is to increase food security for underserved populations in North King County through nutritious meals, educational programs, and advocacy. Our vision is: nutritious food accessible to everyone in our community.

HIP’s programs bring nutrition education to local families and vital meals to neighbors in need through our Summer Meals for Kids, Afterschool Snack, and Senior Meals program. Our Healthy HIP Packs program provides vital weekend food support to children at risk of hunger when they are out of school. HIP is actively engaged with many local, statewide, and national coalitions of food justice organizations to advocate for policy level changes to address hunger.

History:

HIP’s Journey started in the early 1990s when an all-volunteer group got together in order to bring healthy, safe, and wholesome meals to those in need, serving fresh and healthy lunches in downtown Seattle. From 2007–2010 HIP’s volunteers served a daily breakfast seven days a week to clients at a major downtown Seattle shelter. This food service was vital to the people experiencing homelessness who were suffering from malnutrition and poor access to high quality food. HIP’s volunteers were awarded the 2007 and 2010 Mayor’s End Hunger Awards for their commitment to feeding the Seattle community and the 2008 Community Leader Award. In 2010, the downtown shelter staff began running the food service program, and HIP transitioned its programming to the Lake City community in north Seattle. Since then, HIP has build strong partnership with human service agencies in the area, and started new programs in collaboration with them. HIP has brought healthy meals and educational programs to children, youth, seniors, and others, while advocating for policy changes to address the root causes of hunger.

HIP offers a range of programs to address hunger. These include:

Healthy HIP Packs- The HIP Packs are a weekend food backpack program, that provides an important food resource for children in these families when school meals are not available.

Senior Meals- This weekly meal provides a nutritious and delicious meal for seniors 60 and over. This meal is open to the community every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 12-1 pm at the Lake City Community Center.

Shelter Meals- HIP provides daily meals to residents of the King County Enhanced Shelter in Shoreline.

Summer Meals- For many families with kids and teens who rely on free and reduced lunches during the school year. The gap in summer is where HIP and other summer meal providers step in and provide freshly made, nutritious lunches from the HIP kitchen at kid-friendly locations.

Cooking Demonstrations- HIP works with partner organizations in our area to bring Cooking Matters classes, a free, 6 week-long program that empowers families with nutrition education, cooking skills, and tips to stretch their food budgets.

Afterschool Meals- HIP’s Afterschool Meal program partners with Lake City Library’s Homework Help to offer a healthy snack or dinner to kids.

East African Elders Program-Our East African Elders Program focuses on serving the growing community of East African elders in north Seattle. Every Tuesday at the Northgate Community Center, participants are provided with an authentic East African meal as well as fitness activities, social services, and community-building opportunities.