What We Do
What Does INSP Stand For?
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International
We recognize, respect, and honor the diversity in our organization
We recognize, respect, and honor the diversity in the communities we serve
Our vision extends past our local communities to any community worldwide that experiences food insecurity.
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Nutritional
We care as much about the food we’re giving as the food we put into our own bodies
We recognize that different people have different nutritional needs
Because our vision is to not only supply food but to also educate and support our communities to ensure that they are getting a properly balanced diet in accordance with their culture and their dietary needs
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Sustainability
We support our local farmers.
We encourage resiliency in our communities through sharing, storing, and other food preservation techniques.
Our vision is to realize a future where all can enjoy food security through the resiliency programs we build.
We Freeze Dry food before it would become Waste and turn healthy food in to food that can be stored for up to 25 years for emergency use.
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Partners
We are one (and Brandy really just wants to ‘love on’ everybody)
We recognize that we cannot do any of this without the amazing support of our communities that take food and share food, the support of our volunteers, of our farmers, and business -both local and global- that have locked arms with us to make it all happen
Our vision is immense and we sincerely appreciate you
Demographics
INSP has hosted hundreds of events throughout the Puget Sound region since our founding on May 3, 2020. We serve all people who come to our events regardless of age, ethnicity or economic status, and 80% of the people we feed are children. We have also served 537 members of Tribal Nations. On average, we distribute between 1,400-4,000 pounds of food per day, and distribution is dependent on how much food is available or procured by our partners. At the height of the pandemic, we received 22 pallets of food for each event, and now receive about 6 pallets for each event. We provide donations until the food is gone, usually in less than 30 minutes.
We recognize, respect and honor the diversity of our organization and the communities we serve. Our goal is to break down systemic racism, and economic/income disparities within our communities through food using education, interaction community and advocacy.
What is a “food give”?
Pop-up food gives (also called Mobile Pantry Distributions), commonly used in emergency situations, are a way to move food quickly into a community by giving it directly to its members.
The benefits of pop-up food gives are:
1. Less money goes to overhead costs, such as maintaining a permanent space or structure for the give. Most times, we search out appropriate locations that are willing to let us use their parking lots that can accommodate the size of the give and clean up afterwards. This also means that we are not bound to any one community but can go where we are needed most and that even if you are not part of the community we are currently serving, you are still welcome.
2. They are contactless, clients stay in their cars
3. There are no questions asked. This makes it so we can serve a larger and more diverse community quickly and invite people to share with their neighbors who for any reason can’t make it. No one is turned away (unless we’re out of food, in which case, we’ll direct you to the next event scheduled).
What to Expect:
1. Make sure there is room in your trunk or even the back seat of your car.
2. The event will be posted on social media or on our website a day or two before the event. Gives are typically only two hours long (from 11am-1pm) but most times we’ll stay until every car has been served or all the food is gone.
3. The day of the event, if you are unfamiliar with the location, look for a large cluster of yellow or orange vests. Look for signs or people wearing vests that will direct you where to go, merging lanes of traffic or dividing lines of traffic. When you’re stopped, try to get as close as you can to the car in front of you so we can get as many cars off the street and out of traffic as possible and put your car in park. If there is a wait (and we hope there is not!) turn off your car and make sure your headlights are off too!
4. When you get close, pop or unlock your trunk (some of the boxes are heavy!)
5. Someone will ask you how many families you’re picking up for. We typically serve 1-5 families at a time to make sure we serve as many cars as possible. If you’re coming for more, feel free to come back around! AND feel free to mention if you have a cat or dog at home, sometimes we get food for them too!
6. The lines are divided equally and have bays set up to make sure you get everything we have to give. When you roll up to a bay, put your car in park and someone will load you up directing you further up the line when they are done.
7. Drive safe and share with your neighbors!
Please know we work hard at these events and that even though these gives are designed to move as quickly and efficiently as possible, we also want to make it nice.
What happens if there is food left over after a give?
Most of the time it disappears with our volunteers that take it and share it with their neighbors so there is no food left over. On the rare occasion there is anything left after that happens it is either brought to the local food bank or one of our other partners (like Farmer Frog), or it is re-loaded for the next give (this is the reason why a refrigerated truck is on the top of our wish list!).