Gesa Credit Union Teams Up with Food Lifeline and Second Harvest During Hunger Action Month

Posted by Alyse Knudsen on September 3, 2025

Gesa Credit Union, which serves members in Washington and is dedicated to driving meaningful change in the communities it serves, is supporting Hunger Action Month by teaming up with longtime partners Food Lifeline and Second Harvest to fight food insecurity across the Pacific Northwest. Throughout September, the three organizations will unite to raise awareness, inspire community participation, and generate support for those impacted by hunger locally.

As presenting sponsor, Gesa will match up to $25,000 in donations to both Food Lifeline and Second Harvest. The credit union will also collect monetary donations and host food drives for non-perishable food items at their branches throughout the month.

Hunger Action Day, which falls on Sept. 9, offers several opportunities to get involved:

• For volunteer opportunities in Western Washington, visit: https://foodlifeline.org/volunteer/
• For volunteer opportunities in Eastern Washington, visit: https://2-harvest.org/volunteer/

“We’re honored to once again partner with Food Lifeline and Second Harvest to support the incredible work they do, providing nourishing meals to individuals and families throughout the Pacific Northwest,” said Brandon Allison, AVP of Community Impact at Gesa Credit Union. “Hunger continues to affect so many of our neighbors, and often it goes unseen. That’s why our team is committed to helping strengthen the support systems that serve those who need it most. We’re proud to stand alongside these organizations and look forward to making a lasting difference together.”

Food Lifeline is a nonprofit organization that partners closely with food banks across Western Washington, distributing 71 million pounds of food annually, which is the equivalent of more than 164,000 meals every day. Working with 299 agency partners, they served more than 1.7 million people facing hunger in Fiscal Year 2024 alone.

“Food Lifeline is grateful for Gesa Credit Union’s partnership with our community’s collective efforts to provide equitable access to nutritious foods for neighbors in Western Washington experiencing hunger,” said Gabriela Garayar, Director of Development at Food Lifeline. “They have been a key partner in helping us to proactively meet the needs of our agency partners and the overall community. Food Lifeline is thankful to Gesa for going above and beyond to support everyday neighbors, every day.”

Second Harvest is a nonprofit organization that partners with 250 food pantries and meal sites to distribute 80,000 meals per day across Eastern Washington and North Idaho. Every weekend, the organization provides meals to more than 11,000 children facing hunger in the region.

“What makes Hunger Action Month powerful is seeing how generosity ripples through our community,” said Jason Clark, CEO of Second Harvest. “With Gesa Credit Union stepping up, thousands of families will be nourished — and together we’re reminded that every gift, large or small, makes a difference.”

For more information about Food Lifeline, visit their website https://foodlifeline.org/. To learn more about Second Harvest, visit https://2-harvest.org/.

Posted in Community Impact, Regional Member News, Washington.