The Bellingham mutual aid group Birchwood Food Desert Fighters is fundraising to insure and outfit a new truck for food distribution after receiving a vehicle donation from Ferndale Food Bank.
Birchwood Food Desert Fighters started in 2016 when the local Albertsons grocery store closed, creating a food desert and leaving thousands of households in the north Bellingham neighborhood without a convenient place to shop for healthy food.
Every week, between its Saturday Share Spot and community food share boxes, the group distributes more than a ton of food purchased or donated by local farmers and gardeners to households in Birchwood.
For eight years, volunteers with BFDF have picked up and delivered supplies, produce and meals using their own personal vehicles, but this summer, Ferndale Food Bank updated its fleet and donated a truck to the Birchwood group.
BFDF has created a GoFundMe campaign to raise around $5,000 for vehicle insurance, registration, a paint job, gas and general maintenance. The campaign page says any extra funds raised will go to purchasing food for the community. BFDF is now an official project of the Whatcom Human Rights Task Force, meaning donations are tax-deductible.
Julia Tellman writes about civic issues and anything else that happens to cross her desk; contact her at juliatellman@cascadiadaily.com.
