Food Pantry Serving 4,000 Tacomans a Month Needs a New Home

One of Tacoma’s busiest food pantries is preparing to leave the church building it has called home for more than two decades, creating uncertainty for an organization that distributes groceries and household essentials to thousands of local residents.

My Sister’s Pantry currently operates from First United Methodist Church at 621 Tacoma Avenue South. The church has asked the pantry to vacate the space because of scheduling and building-use challenges.

The change comes at a time when demand for food assistance remains high. The pantry reportedly serves approximately 4,000 people each month—not only through distributions at its Stadium District location, but also by supplying Tacoma schools, Tacoma Community College and other food pantries and outreach programs.

Its own 2024 figures show the scale of that work: approximately 390,000 pounds of food distributed and 35,000 people served during the year.

My Sister’s Pantry traces its beginnings to 1999. Its name came from the organization’s original director, who had once experienced homelessness and occasionally relied on her own sister for help. After regaining stability, she wanted to create a place where other people could find the same kind of dependable support.

Over the years, the pantry became known for allowing visitors to select groceries in a shopping-style environment rather than simply receiving a prepacked box. Depending on availability, it has also distributed toiletries, clothing and household necessities.

The organization does not require people to prove that they are poor enough to receive assistance. Visitors may voluntarily provide basic demographic information, which helps the pantry document demand and qualify for additional resources, but that information is not a condition for receiving food.

Its clients include working families, senior citizens, veterans, people experiencing homelessness, immigrants and residents confronting an unexpected emergency or financial setback.

The pantry also relies heavily on volunteers and partnerships with organizations including Emergency Food Network, Northwest Harvest, Tacoma Public Schools, Tacoma Public Utilities, Tacoma Community College, local grocery stores and other community groups.

As of September 2, My Sister’s Pantry had not posted a confirmed new location on its website. Its official pages continued to list the Tacoma Avenue building and Monday grocery distributions from 4 to 6 p.m.

That means anyone planning to visit, volunteer or deliver a donation should confirm the latest schedule and location directly with the organization before heading out.

Finding a suitable replacement will involve more than locating an empty room. A pantry operating at this scale needs space to receive and store hundreds of thousands of pounds of food, accommodate volunteers and allow clients to safely collect groceries. Accessibility, parking and proximity to public transportation will also affect the people who rely on it.

The move could therefore become a larger Tacoma community challenge—and an opportunity for a church, nonprofit, property owner or business with appropriate space to help preserve a service that thousands of neighbors use every month.

Updates, donation information and contact details are available through the My Sister’s Pantry website here. The organization can also be reached at 253-627-1186 or [email protected].