Mike Mowat, a FISH Food Banks of Pierce County board member, has been chosen by Seattle’s City Club as the 2013 Washington State Jefferson Award recipient.
The award’s winners are considered “unsung heroes – ordinary people who do extraordinary things without expectation of recognition,” which is the case with Mowat, presenters said.
More than 200 nominations were submitted for this year’s award, and five winners were chosen. One of them will be named the state’s representative as a finalist for the national Jeffeson Award.
FISH officials note that Mowat believed there was a way to provide food assistance with dignity to low-income neighborhoods that had limited or no access to a food bank. He wanted a solution that didn’t require the expense of a building, yet could serve people inside to shield them from the Northwest weather. The answer was a moving van converted to a food bank on wheels.
Mowat helps stock its shelves daily. The van visits five distribution sites Monday through Friday. In 2012, its first year of operation, more than 29,000 people received food for 260,000 meals.