Hunger in the Inland Northwest   Founded in 1971 as a central warehouse for a handful of food banks in Spokane, Second Harvest Inland Northwest is the pioneering organization that leads the fight against hunger in the Inland Northwest. Today, partnerships with 275 neighborhood food banks and meal centers make it possible for Second Harvest to provide food to 40,000 people each week.   Second Harvest's food bank network spans 21 counties in Eastern Washington and five counties in North Idaho – just over 51,000 square miles. Distribution centers located in Spokane and the Tri-Cities provide regional hubs for efficiently receiving, sorting and distributing more than 1.5 million pounds each month.   Second Harvest is continually faced with the challenge of an inconsistent supply of high-quality protein. The United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) guidelines recommend six (6) ounces of protein per person per day for a healthy diet. Even still, only 4% of the 1.5 million pounds of food Second Harvest distributes each month is protein. For the average family of four, that equates to just 0.7 ounces of meat per day.   In the uncertain economy, many households are asking for food assistance for the first time. Emergency food supplies from Second Harvest and its partner agencies fill an immediate need for families and seniors so they can stretch their limited incomes to afford things like medications, rent and other payments that stabilize their lives.   Of the 40,000 people seeking food assistance each month: 67% fall below the poverty line 38% are children 5% are seniors 79% of clients with children are food insecure