Lakewood, WA – Today, Congresswoman Marilyn Strickland (WA-10) announced nearly $744,000 in federal funding to address food insecurity in Pierce County. GoodRoots Northwest will place refrigerated food smart lockers at Pierce College to increase access to fresh foods.
“Too many people in the South Sound face food insecurity and lack of access to fresh food,” said Strickland. “These fresh food smart lockers will help more people in Pierce County meet their basic needs.”
“Phase 3 of the GoodRoots Locker expansion will bring essential access to fresh food in food deserts through a network of refrigerated and Wi-Fi enabled lockers, including underserved college campuses where food insecurity is impacting more than 50% of the student body,” said Stacey Crnich, CEO of GoodRoots Northwest. “By placing fresh food lockers at institutions like Pierce College and Bates Technical College, students will have 24/7 access to healthy, nutritious options without having to sacrifice their education to seek basic needs. This initiative is crucial in balancing the high costs of education and living expenses, while democratizing access to healthy food for all.”
This project expands the operational capabilities of GoodRoots Northwest by doubling its network size and expanding refrigerated smart locker locations throughout Pierce County, making fresh food more accessible to communities deeply impacted by a lack of public transportation and resources.
This award is one of the 14 FY24 Community Project Funding (CPF) grants Congresswoman Strickland secured. Read more about these projects here: https://strickland.house.gov/media/press-releases/strickland-secures-over-13-million-south-sound
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