White Center Food Bank will return to the site of its former home at the White Center HUB for its Cultivating Community Fall Fundraiser on Friday, Oct. 9, starting at 5 p.m.

Doors open at 5 p.m., dinner starts at 6 p.m. and the program runs from 6:30–9 p.m.

This event will help raise money to provide nutritious, culturally familiar food and essential resources.

This year’s event, themed “Back to Our Roots,” will celebrate the organization’s history and community connections while supporting its work to keep residents fed, according to the food bank.

Tickets are available through its event page.

Aaron Garcia, executive director of the White Center Community Development Association, will deliver the keynote address. King County Executive Girmay Zahilay is scheduled as a special guest speaker, and Tanoa Polynesian Productions will open the event with a dance performance.

TOMO and Patrick’s Café and Bakery will provide catering.

The food bank said proceeds will help address gaps in services and advance goals outlined in its strategic plan, including continued access to food that meets the cultural needs of the community.

The fundraiser follows a year in which the organization distributed 1.7 million pounds of food. In 2025, White Center Food Bank served 15,549 individuals across 6,189 households, according to its figures. Those residents accounted for 150,879 individual visits and 62,214 household visits.

Its programs include daytime food distributions, distributions reserved for seniors, home deliveries and a mobile food bank serving three senior housing sites. The organization also operates pop-up food pantries and a Baby Pantry offering formula, baby food and other supplies.

A cultural foods buying program and grocery rescue efforts help supply food for distribution. Intake services are available in nine languages, according to the organization.

ABOUT THE WHITE CENTER FOOD BANK

White Center Food Bank began in the mid-1970’s as an emergency response to assist struggling families and individuals in the greater White Center and Highline areas during a major economic downturn.  Much like today, many in the community were faced with difficult economic conditions that left them in need of food resources. We were there then. We are here now.

Current food bank programs include daytime, and seniors-only food distributions; expanded home deliveries; mobile food bank program to three senior housing sites; pop-up food pantries; a Baby Pantry providing formula, baby foods and more; cultural foods buying program and grocery rescue. Intake services are provided in nine languages.

In 2025, we served 15,549 individuals (150,879 individual visits), 6,189 households (62,214 total household visits) and distributed 1.7 million lbs of food.

Artwork: Theary Chhim, PharmD, Designer

The White Center HUB is located at 10829 8th Ave SW: