Quincy Community Food Bank Growing Again as Demand Climbs
Golden Giving Dinner to Help Fund New 3,200-Square-Foot Building
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For 40 years, the Quincy Community Food Bank has been part of the quiet backbone of this town.
It started in Carmen Taylor’s basement. Today, it serves hundreds of families every single week.
And now, it’s growing again.
I sat down with Teri Laney, who has served as director since 2013, to talk about how far the food bank has come — and where it’s headed next.
“It’s changed quite a bit,” Teri told me. “It’s grown quite a bit. We have a lot more volunteers. We get a lot more clients. The community’s been a great support.”
If you’ve lived here long enough, you’ve probably seen some of that growth. What used to rely on shopping carts holding food for distribution now runs with organized storage, steady partnerships, and a strong volunteer core. Local data centers have stepped in to build cabinets and improve client flow. Businesses donate. Volunteers show up. Food arrives from places like Walmart, Aikens Fresh Market, and Northwest Harvest.
And still — it’s not enough.
300 Families — On Just One Day
On a typical Tuesday alone, the food bank serves around 300 families.
Let that sink in.
Families can come twice per week, and this winter didn’t slow down like usual.
“We usually go down in the winter,” Teri said. “But we really didn’t this year. It’s continuing to increase.”
With migrant workers returning soon, that number is expected to rise even higher.
The current facility is operating at or near capacity. The freezer and cooler are often maxed out. Storage is tight. Volunteers are working hard — sometimes very hard.
Most food deliveries arrive on pallets. And right now? They’re unloaded by hand.
“The gentleman that picks up our commodity food does it primarily by himself,” Teri explained. “He has to hand unload it off the pallet and into the freezer or cooler.”
That’s where the expansion comes in.
Phase One: A New 3,200-Square-Foot Building
The food bank is preparing to break ground on a new 3,200-square-foot building across the alley from the current location.
Plans show a large warehouse-style space with:
A drive-in freezer and cooler large enough for a forklift
Expanded pallet storage and shelving
Dry goods storage
Dedicated office space
Vertical storage to increase capacity
As shown in the Phase One building plans, the freezer and fridge space will allow forklifts to drive directly inside — eliminating the need to unload everything by hand and allowing for more produce, dairy, and protein storage.
This isn’t just about convenience.
It’s about efficiency. Safety. Dignity. And preparing for the future of Quincy.
The fundraising goal for Phase One is $600,000. Teri estimates they’re nearing the halfway point — around $300,000 raised so far.
Construction of the shell is expected to move forward soon, with grants applied for to help cover the freezer and cooler installation. Interior work may happen in stages if needed.
“I don’t have any worry that it’s not going to get here by the time we need it,” she said.
That kind of calm confidence is something you hear often from Teri.
Phase Two: Better Space for Families
Once the new warehouse space is up and running, the current building will be remodeled.
The goal?
Give families a better space to wait indoors — out of wind, heat, rain, and smoke — and improve the overall flow of distribution.
This expansion is about serving people better.
“Ultimately it’s going to enable us to expand and grow this area in here and make it better for the clients,” Teri said.
“We’re Here”
I asked Teri what was one thing she wishes more people understood about the community food bank?
“We’re here and available to people that need us,” she said. “It’s supplemental for people.”
The food bank isn’t just for crisis moments. It’s there to help families stretch their grocery budget. To get through a tight month. To supplement when things get thin.
And she doesn’t believe it’s being used to its full capacity yet.
That’s important for our community to hear.
Golden Giving Dinner: Show Up for the Volunteers
Next week, the food bank is hosting its Golden Giving Dinner and Silent Auction — a major fundraiser to help close the funding gap for the new building.
The event will feature catered food, music, and a long list of locally donated auction items, including:
A one-night stay and gift basket from Trinity Gardens Lavender Farm
Wenatchee Wild hockey tickets
A handmade queen quilt
Gift certificates from Two Rivers Feed
Pest inspection services
Chiropractic treatment sessions
Golf packages, wine baskets, local gift certificates and more
But here’s what stood out to me most.
When I asked Teri what she’d ask the community for right now, her answer wasn’t money.
“I think it would be to come to this event so that the volunteers and the people that have given to it and worked hard for it would feel like their work was worth something.”
In a town like ours, showing up matters.
It tells volunteers their effort counts. It tells organizers they’re not alone. It tells the families being served that Quincy stands behind them.
Let’s Dream Bigger
I asked Teri what would happen if every household in Quincy gave just $10.
She smiled and said maybe she’d dream bigger — more fresh produce, better remodels, a larger indoor waiting area.
That’s the thing about this town.
When we decide something matters, we tend to show up.
The Quincy Community Food Bank has been serving this valley for 40 years. As demand continues to rise, the question isn’t whether the need exists.
It does.
The question is whether we’re going to meet it — together.
How to Help
Attend the Golden Giving Dinner
Donate to the building fund
Refer families who may need supplemental food support
Follow the Quincy Community Food Bank on Facebook
Reach out directly by phone or email
This is one of those moments where Quincy gets to decide what kind of community we want to be.
And if history is any indicator — we already know the answer.
Display boards discussing project
