‘A little bit of hope’: One Life Pantry in Vancouver provides food to those in need

Matthew Peterson gently places cans into cardboard boxes, each settling with a soft thud. Behind him, a steady stream of One Life Pantry volunteers continues the process, filling boxes and shelves with food that will go to residents in need the next day.

It’s a familiar scene at the nonprofit in Vancouver’s Hough neighborhood, where community members come together every week to make a difference, one meal at a time.

Founded more than 25 years ago by Battle Ground resident Andrea Walker and her husband, the pantry has grown into a vital resource for those facing food insecurity.

Walker understands firsthand the struggles many families face. She experienced hunger as a child and again as an adult after her husband lost his job. She sees food pantries as an essential lifeline to help people supplement resources so they can afford housing and other basic needs.

On average, about 100 families visit One Life Pantry each week. Last year, the pantry fed 3,311 families — 2,158 weren’t duplicates.

“So that means only about 1,000 people came to us more than once,” Walker said. “People aren’t showing up here to take advantage of free food. They’re coming because they need it.”

On Saturdays, the pantry welcomes a diverse crowd — from people experiencing homelessness to working-class families in need of help.

In Clark County, nearly 57,000 residents — roughly 11 percent of the population — are considered food insecure, according to Feeding America. Forty-four percent of those people report making too much money to qualify for food stamps.

“I know what it’s like to be working all the time and doing everything you can to make ends meet, and it still isn’t enough. All it takes is one thing that can happen in your life that’s not planned for and then you find yourself in this situation where you’re trying everything to keep your head above water,” Walker said. “At One Life — just like other local food pantries — we try our hardest to break down obstacles so people can come here no matter what and have access to food … and have a little bit of hope.”

One purpose

Peterson, a nurse, began volunteering at One Life Pantry a few months ago after witnessing the rise in homelessness and wanting to contribute to a solution. He’s part of a large group of dedicated volunteers, many of whom speak a variety of languages and are committed to breaking down barriers.

Years ago, Walker noticed a growing number of people who speak various languages entering the pantry. Then, she received a letter from someone who said Hispanic people were not feeling welcome at local food banks.

“That had me thinking about what we could put in place that would make Hispanic people feel more welcome here,” Walker said. “Then, I started thinking about other languages and people.”

Walker said that the pantry was named One Life as a reminder to support the community, one person at a time through access to food, resources and inclusion.

“To me the message of ‘One Life’ is listening to people, listening to their story and seeing them as individuals,” Walker said. “With that, you can maybe give them a little bit of hope, a little bit of encouragement and take away their fear with a place that will welcome them and feed them no matter what.”