Seafood is an expensive protein for foodbanks to purchase, and the logistics of sourcing products from remote areas such as Alaska make getting this nutritious protein to those in need even more difficult. This has been SeaShare’s niche for over 25 years – sourcing and dealing with the logistics of getting seafood into Feeding America food banks. 

Supply disruptions and pandemic purchasing have increased commodity pricing, including seafood. Despite the challenges, our food bank distribution doubled January through July compared to previous years. Read the recent SeafoodSource article with Executive Director Jim Harmon discussing the recent donations to help food banks during COVID-19.

The generosity of our partners during this pandemic has been humbling. Donations from our partners, including High Liner Foods, Channel Fish, American Seafoods, Gorton’s, E&E Foods, Trident Seafoods, the Bering Sea fishing fleet and processors, have totaled 5 million servings through July of this year. In August, Channel Fish worked with American Seafoods and Glacier Fish to donate four truckloads of fish (115,000 pounds) that went to Boston, Long Island and Las Vegas.  On the west coast, Trident Seafoods donated 36,000 pounds of salmon fillets that went to the San Francisco-Marin Food Bank.

The generosity doesn’t end there: Members of the Pacific Seafood Processors Association and APA held a month-long fundraiser for hunger-relief in August, including our first online auction. While COVID prevented us from holding our traditional fundraising event with PSPA, its members continue to step up to the plate to help those in need, and we are so grateful for all they do to support SeaShare’s mission.

Feeding America predicts the number of food insecure Americans will increase from 37 million people before the pandemic to over 54 million (including 18 million children). With the inevitable eviction crisis looming in the near future, America’s reliance on food banks will be even greater. If you have seafood to donate, please reach out to SeaShare, or donate on our website.  Stay healthy, everyone.