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Mika is an AmeriCorps member serving in the Harvest VISTA Program focused on the sustainable agriculture and food programs. She is serving at the Blue Mountain Action Council as the Community Food Systems VISTA Coordinator in Walla Walla, Washington. Her service will help bring new relations for the BMAC food bank to bring fresh fruit, vegetables, meat, and dairy products from local farms to low-income communities. Her goal is to help alleviate poverty in the 5 surrounding counties by creating a lasting system to expand the organizational outreach through building networks and coordinating gleans.

As the AmeriCorps term is coming closer to an end, the AmeriCorps member at BMAC Food Bank started to administer the annual client survey. The past two AmeriCorps members have also conducted a client survey at this site as part of their projects. This year’s survey was an 11-question Microsoft Form; available readily online via QR codes and also paper copies for those who do not have smartphones. The survey was in both English and Spanish, the two main languages of the county. This survey was administered at all the food distribution locations: Walla Walla, Burbank, Touchet, Valle Lindo, and Prescott. Collecting feedback from clients is a great way to process important information to better serve the community. Approximately 200 responses have been recorded so far. The collected feedback from this survey will be compiled into a PowerPoint Presentation to share results with the Food Bank Team members using charts and graphs.

Survey Questions included:

1.  Are you the head of the household?
2. Do you live in a multi-family household? (a residential property that contains multiple separate living units for different families)
3. Which race do you identify as?
4. Are you currently enrolled in SNAP benefits?
5. Which distributions and food pantries do you go to? (Select all that apply)
6. Which other BMAC services do you use? (Select all that apply)
7. What foods would you like to see more of? (Select all that apply)
8. How important is fresh produce and shelf-stable products to you?
9. What food(s) do you receive from the food bank that does not get used? (Select all that apply)
10. What barriers do you experience to access community resources? (Select all that apply)
11. What kind of information would you like to know more about? (Select all that apply)
12. If you would like more information on BMAC services, please include your name followed by your contact information: