The city's Human Services Department is telling media outlets about the background to its food bank funding decisions, which left the Greenwood Food Bank out in the cold and headed to closure. An email from the department notes that Seattle received repeated criticism from the State Auditor's Office for failure to effectively monitor grant recipients, but finally received a clear audit after implementing a competitive process in 2014 for selecting food banks and other food programs for support. Good point.
The department also says that geography was a factor, and notes that there are other North Seattle food banks that received funding, including the North Helpline (in Lake City) and the University District and Ballard food banks. Still, as Seattle Times columnist Danny Westneat pointed out on Friday, the Greenwood Food Bank, which will close at the end of the month, is considered the only major one in the city's Northwest quadrant north of 45th Street. And getting around the city is not getting any easier.
The Volunteers of America, the sponsor of the Greenwood site, has put together a pretty good list of alternatives in the North End for clients.
