January 19th, 2012

Today Dannette Smith, Director of the Seattle Human Services Department (SHSD) met with Krista Grimm, OSL (OPERATION: Sack Lunch) Operations Director, Shayne Kraemer, Program Director of the Meals Partnership Coalition (MPC), and myself to discuss moving forward together on a solution to develop a collaborative and cohesive plan to relocate the Outdoor Meal Site to a facility that has an inside/outside element. She was very gracious. Others in attendance were SHSD staff members, Al Poole, Division Director of Homelessness Intervention and Block Grant Administration, and Judy Summerfield, Survival Services Manager.

It was agreed that the Outdoor Meal Site (OMS) will not close on 02/29/2012 and that a six month task force will convene to explore equitable alternatives to the OMS while considering the proposal of the OSL Centralized Kitchen Concept. This task force will consist of OSL and MPC Staff, SHSD Staff, and other community leaders, yet to be identified.

We are very appreciative to receive the outcomes that we requested and we look forward to continued conversation and collaboration with leaders from the broader human service community. We will continue to be instrumental in the creation of a robust, equitable, and sustainable emergent food system in Seattle with the Seattle Human Service Department and all of our partners. As we take this first step in the creation of a Centralized Kitchen we know the next steps will involve hard work, innovation, and capital in order to bring to life a vision that many have had for several years.

Thank you for joining your voice with ours, the Outdoor Meal Providers of Seattle. Your engagement was crucial to this outcome. We will continue to need your support and ideas as we look for ways to the leverage the funding to operate this type of social justice center. We look forward to the day when hunger, homelessness, and hatred, are a thing of the past.