Global Food Collaborative

Last summer, SeaShare sent its first shipment of seafood to the Food Bank of Alaska.     The first shipment consisted of 25,000 pounds of canned salmon.    The second shipment consisted of 30,000 pounds of silver salmon, rapidly followed last month by two trailer loads of nearly 63,000 pounds of canned salmon.

This was a spectacular supply chain collaboration with kudos going to many, but it certainly never would have happened without the quiet stewardship of Reggie Buchanan, Food Resources Manager, Food Bank Of Alaska and Jim Harman, Executive Director of SeaShare.

In Alaska, 2007 will be well remembered for the high costs of fuel and devastating impacts on some rural Alaska communities.    Energies costs hit every aspect of food production, distribution and delivery.   The summer of 2008 followed with a global economic crisis that extended far into villages across Alaska.   So, it is especially worthy to note that SeaShare stepped forward to expand its food distribution network into Alaska.   

Who is SeaShare?    SeaShare is a non-profit corporation that collects seafood and distributes it to food banks throughout the United States.  Founded in 1994, the 501(c)(3) nonprofit (tax-exempt) organization's mission is to "provide seafood for people who depend on food assistance from food banks, shelters, pantries and soup kitchens".  It's track record is significant.   Since their inception, SeaShare has collected and distributed over 23-million pounds of seafood to the hungry throughout the US.

 Principally, supported by the nation's seafood industry, their primary objectives are:

• Improved access to high quality food and improved health and nutrition for low income people in the United States;
• Reduction of discard waste of fish in state and federal fisheries;
• Improved utilization of seafood resources;
• To end hunger in the United States.

Jim Harman, Executive Director, stated in their most recent newsletter, that demand from food banks is up over 30% since the fall of 2007.   Typical donations to these Food Banks are low-value, high-calorie items.  Protein is a rare commodity, much less high-quality, nutritious, protein such as the seafood collected by SeaShare.   For that reason the collaboration of the seafood industry (most with a large footprint in Alaska) has resulted in the best possible food source for people in need.    Some of those recognized as contributors are American Seafoods (the first contributor), Trident Seafoods, Ocean Beauty Seafoods, Orca Bay Seafoods and more.   Collecting and distributing seafood requires more then the protein product and therefore, Seashare has brought together the entire supply chain to support the collection and distribution and rely on individual donations of cash and corporate support of seafood, transportation and distribution.  

Who is the Food Bank Of Alaska?

The Food Bank Of Alaska is the only wholesale distribution center for collecting and distributing food to hundreds of "retail" food banks, pantries and kitchens throughout the entire State of Alaska.    Like Seashare, the Food Bank of Alaska is a non-profit and relies on the donations of product, services and cash to support its services.  

In the case of the seafood donated by SeaShare, some of that product has been delivered to Kotzebue and further delivered throughout communities that make up the Northwest region, as well as Anchorage's Beans Cafe.       The Food Bank of Alaska, like SeaShare, accepts food and supply chain donations to support their efforts to feed hungry Alaskans.     Reggie Buchanan has 38 years of experience in Alaska's food industry and has long been interested in working with SeaShare.   This year, that became a reality, shortly before Reggie announced his January 2010 retirement.        Reggie is eager to continue working to faciliate continued linkages between between SeaShare and the Food Bank of Alaska.    "It has been an honor to work with a professional like Jim Harman and SeaShare", says Reggie.    "The reward of feeding hungry Alaskans with high quality seafood to complement our other donations is the culmination of a long-term goal we have had at the Food Bank of Alaska.     It is sincerely appreciate by us, as well as those pantries, banks and kitchens that have had nowhere to turn." 

Kudos to both Reggie and Jim for making this link between seafood and hungry Alaskans a reality.

Interested in donating or learning more about each or both organizations?    Jim and Reggie's contact information below. 

Note:  While Reggie transitions out of the Food Bank Of Alaska during the month of January, we say an additional thank you to someone who has contributed so much to Alaska and Alaskans.    Thank you Reggie.

Jim Harman

Executive Director, SeaShare

600 Erickson Avenue NE, Suite 310

Bainbridge Island, WA 98110

206.842.3609

Reg Buchanan

 
Food Resources Manager

Food Bank of Alaska

907-222-3108
907-301-4957 cell