Amazon has committed $80,000 to support Still Waters, a Tukwila-based nonprofit dedicated to providing food assistance to families in need.

The funding ensures the continuation of Still Waters’ after-school and weekend food program, which serves 220 students weekly at three local elementary schools.

An initial $40,000 from Amazon will secure funding for the program during the 2024-2025 school year, while the remaining $40,000 will co-fund the program through the 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 school years in collaboration with the City of Tukwila.

“Amazon has been deeply connected to the Puget Sound region for more than 30 years,” said Taylor Hoang, Amazon’s senior manager for community engagement. “We remain committed to finding creative solutions for our region’s most pressing needs and are proud to support organizations like Still Waters in their critical work to combat food insecurity.”

Since 2021, Amazon has donated over 8 million pounds of food in Washington state and contributed $2.9 million to organizations addressing food insecurity in the Puget Sound area. Tukwila, home to one of Amazon’s largest distribution facilities in the Seattle area, has benefited from the company’s philanthropic focus.

“I want to express my deep appreciation to Amazon for its support and assistance in providing funds to Still Waters,” Tukwila Mayor Thomas McLeod said. “Still Waters provides critical food security for kids in the Tukwila School District. Amazon’s support ensures that kids will have healthy meals and not go hungry.”

Abigail Tabason, executive director of Still Waters, highlighted the program’s importance in promoting equity and inclusion:

“At Still Waters, our team believes in order to achieve food and educational equity in Tukwila Schools, all students deserve access to nutrition in order to focus, learn, and stay healthy. The Still Waters community embraces diversity, inclusion and equity in deep and transformative ways. We appreciate the gifts, strengths, and community cultural wealth from our youth, volunteers, neighbors, and partners. We are so grateful for the support from Brandon Miles from the City of Tukwila, and to Amazon. This will ensure there is no interruption of this program that many Tukwila families rely on.”

The program’s continuation comes as a relief to families relying on the food assistance, underscoring the importance of partnerships in addressing community challenges.

More info about Still Waters is available here: https://stillwaters.services/