Nearly 1 in 6 households in Pierce County experience food insecurity. Through the assistance of Food Lifeline and World Vision, Life Center is working to make a difference in local people’s lives by providing much-needed food support.
According to Carrie Kay, Central Campus LC CARES Global Team Lead & Food Bank Manager for three years, “I am working with our high school leadership program, Interact, to get students active in our community through an ongoing food drive.”
Food generated from the efforts of the teen leaders will be used to support a food pantry located in the Life Center Central Campus. Food is picked up, then sorted and bagged for pickup on a Monday from 1-3pm. With more than 120 bags provided a week — feeding over 425 people — the food pantry has seen the need triple since the
pandemic and grocery inflation struck.
Life Center has multiple locations including their Central Campus at 19th & Union, North Tacoma Campus, Rainier Campus, as well as online. The church operates Life Christian Academy on its Central Campus which is pre-kindergarten through high school with nearly 800 students as well as an independent living community called
Life Manor.
Life Center also operates a stand-alone food bank from their Rainier location with two pickup days, as well as the team delivering 40 weekly bags to Life Manor Parkside residents. Donations help feed a hot meal once a week for tiny homes with children on 6th & Orchard.
“My goal is to have a constant food drive that incorporates opportunities for kids to volunteer, donate canned goods, and show them how valuable they are in the process of providing food for our community,” said Kay. She feels blessed to have the school, church, Life Manor, and pantry all on the same campus because she can
incorporate all sides into the programs.
“Our vision is to reach wide, build strong and love well,” said Kay. “We have amazing volunteers at Life Center that make all of this happen.”
Life Center Cares
lifecenter.com/cares