NWES Spotlight: EastWest Food Rescue
It’s that time of year when people reflect and reach out to others by giving. This year it’s more important than ever since Covid-19 has so seriously impacted our economy and the Events and Hospitality Industry directly. That’s why Butler Events and the Northwest Event Show would like to spotlight EastWest Food Rescue. This grassroots, all volunteer organization was formed May 1, 2020 and has worked directly with Washington State farmers to collect and distribute more than 23,000,000 pounds of food and served over 18,000,000 meals through a network of over 560 food banks, senior centers, community kitchens, grade-school food programs, Native American tribes in over 19 states.
This Holiday Season, we can’t think of a more appropriate way to help those who have been seriously impacted by this crisis than to ensure they have food on the table!
EastWest Food Rescue is a federally recognized 501c3 non-profit organization.
NOTE: EastWest Food Rescue sources and transports food. If you or someone you know are food insecure and need assistance, please contact your nearest food bank or food distribution organization. Or check with Northwest Harvest for a list.
If your food distribution group wants to become part of the EastWest Food Rescue network, please email them at info@eastwestfoodrescue.org.
George Ahearn R.N, B.S.N., EMHA
Owner
WINNFusion
George owns and operates West Infusion Nurses’ Network LLC (WINNfusion) which provides delivery of Biologic medication to people with autoimmune or genetic disorders.
George founded EastWest Food Rescue with the idea of helping the communities that the crops are coming from as much as the communities receiving the crops.
A native of Othello, WA, it was George’s Facebook post of April 29th ‘Wasted Food!’ that inspired the EastWest Food Rescue. In the first 15 days of operation EWFR rescued 217 tons of food to Western WA communities. The original goal was just one ton.
Zsofia Pasztor CPH
Founder, Co-Executive Director
Farmer Frog Farms
Zsofia Pasztor, born and raised in Hungary, is the founder and one of the co-executive directors of the non-profit organization, Farmer Frog. She teaches restoration horticulture, urban agriculture, aquaponics, and low impact development at several local colleges and abroad. She trains professionals about sustainable site management, small scale integrated agriculture, community development and natural resource conservation.
Nancy Balin
Executive Director
Family Jewels Foundation
Spending most of her adult life in the Greater Seattle Area, Nancy retired from her public-service legal career in 2017 to devote her full-time efforts to the Family Jewels Foundation, which she founded in memory of her boy Jaimeson Jones, who died at age 20 of testicular cancer. In 2019, she earned her Certificate in Nonprofit Management at UW. She is a proud member of the Bothell-Kenmore Chamber of Commerce, and Woodinville Chamber of Commerce, and the Woodinville Rotary Club.
Nancy saw George’s Facebook post April 27, 2020, and quickly signed up to join the May 1 crop-rescue convoy to Othello. Her fellow Rotarians were ready at Farmer Frog when the convoy returned, to pack the loose potatoes into bags. By mid-May, Nancy had incorporated EastWest Food Rescue as a nonprofit and filed for its 501(c)(3) designation, and EWFR was off and running.
John Kunin
Vice Chairman of the Board, Director of Business Development & Strategy
In response to the pandemic, I wanted to make a difference and help those in need. I am excited about working towards delivering sustainable solutions for food insecurity.
After 30 years, I retired as a commercial director for AstraZeneca. I hope to bring the skills and experience from my career, serving for EWFR.
Great question! EastWest Food Rescue sources, transports and acts as a distribution point to area food banks. For information on where to find a food bank near you, we suggest you visit NorthwestHarvest.org and click on the "Find Food" button in their nav bar.
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