Tenino Community Service Center

OUR MISSION

We will feed you if you are hungry and provide emergency necessities regardless of what town, city, or county you reside in. The Tenino Community Service Center/Tenino Food Bank Plus (TCSC) is a deep-rooted community-based service center dedicated to serving those within Tenino, Rainier, Bucoda and beyond. We partner with many outreach programs to help those who may be disadvantaged or struggling to meet life’s daily demands.

OUR STORY

Forty years ago, the TCSC started serving the residents of Tenino with a couple of volunteers and big hopes and dreams to make a difference. It has now grown to serve many communities in South Thurston County with a dedicated volunteer base of 25. We do our best to meet our clients' needs in our often under-resourced rural communities.

Since 1984 the TCSC has taken care of families and provided equitable access to healthy foods, which enables them to thrive. We acknowledge and understand the role nutritious foods play in preventing and treating chronic illnesses associated with food insecurity. We strive to offer food choices that reflect our clients’ cultures, support individual health needs, and align with food preferences. In addition to our food distribution program, we are particularly proud of our Senior and Shut-in food delivery program, our Veteran’s Closet and our Workforce Training Program. You can read more specifics about these and additional programs we provide below.

Tenino Community Service Center/Tenino Food Bank Plus  is an independent 501 (c) (3) organization and is not affiliated with other food banks in Thurston County.

WHAT WE DO

• Senior and Shut-in Weekly Food Delivery: we deliver essential food and personal care items to 70+ low-income seniors, many who are home-bound due to economic or other serious illness and disadvantages. 
• Year-Round, Weekly Kids Back-Pack Food Program: we provide three meals for three days for kids packed with kid-friendly foods that they can cook or heat up quickly. 
• Cheri’s Food Program: TCSC works directly with schools and families to provide food for school-age children. TCSC’s Cheri's Kids Food Program is the only program in the area that serves children year-round.
• Bucoda Mobile Satellite: we provide home-bound food delivery every Thursday and kids sack lunch distribution during school closures.        
• Rainier Valley Heart Food/Clothing Bank Satellite Site: we support this site with food and resources for distribution.
• Senior Commodity Food Program (SCFP): this government commodity supplemental food program provides seniors an additional 32 pounds of food monthly. 
• Tenino Foodbank Weekly Food Distribution: We provide bi-weekly food/resource distribution at the downtown Tenino foodbank.  
• Food Drives: We host local food and necessities drives multiple times a year.
• Medical Equipment Bank Partnership with Tenino Lions Club: we collect and distribute a wide range of free medical equipment and necessities free of charge. 
• The Veterans Closet: we serve veterans, and their family's needs, from clothes to cookware to tents, warm blankets and sleeping bags. We also work closely with our local Veterans of Foreign Wars Post to provide other resources as needed and help with community outreach.
• Disaster Preparedness: during high heat indexes we stock cooling stations with water and snacks and provide local first responders with water. We provide goods and resources during flooding, power outages, and fire to the community. 
• Christmas House/Choose Love: we partner with local nonprofits to collect and distribute new toys and clothes for children who would otherwise go without during the holidays. 
• Tenino High School (THS) Scholarship Fund: we give one or two $500 scholarships yearly to a THS senior attending a trade school, 2-year college, or 4-year university. 
• Salvation Army Extension with Utility Help: we can help with water, sewage, garbage, electricity, propane, and gasoline bills or needs.
• Salvation Army Summer Camp: we sponsor ten children to attend camp and provide them with sleeping bags, and other camp necessities. 
• Tenino Winterfest: we organize a community event filled with vendors, entertainment, and holiday cheer.
• Health Care Testing Kiosk: ensures access to free COVID-19 and flu test kits for anyone.
• TCSC Workforce Training Program: partnering with THS and Morningside Employment to help kids succeed in employment after leaving high school as a SPEDI student. 
• Community Partnerships and Resource Connection: We cultivate community relations to raise awareness, spread information, and implement additional services for those in need.