University District Service League
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
OUR MISSION IS TO SUPPORT PEOPLE EXPERIENCING FOOD INSECURITY IN NORTHEAST SEATTLE BY PROVIDING HIGH QUALITY, CULTURALLY FAMILIAR FOOD AND CONNECTING THEM WITH VITAL RESOURCES.
- Income
- $7.3 million
- Spending
- $7.9 million
- Spent on programs
- 93%
- Reserves
- 3.8 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 93%
- Employees
- 25
- Volunteers
- 2,393
- Highest pay
- $154,158, executive director
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Good: 74 out of 100. Higher than 51% of charities in its peer group (human services, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
20 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 3.8 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 3% of what it owns.
Living within its means
4 of 15Spending exceeded income by 8% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 1% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1593% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 5 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 65% of charities in its peer group (human services, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 259 of 9 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (1)
- $7.4 million spent. THE FOOD BANK'S PROGRAMMING IS PRIMARILY FOCUSED ON IMPROVED FOOD ACCESS FOR OUR NEIGHBORS. WE ORIENT OUR SERVICES TO IDENTIFY AND ADDRESS BARRIERS EXPERIENCED IN OUR COMMUNITY. SINCE THE END OF ENHANCED COVID BENEFITS, THE FOOD BANK HAS SEEN A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN PARTICIPATION ACROSS ALL ITS PROGRAMS. SERVICES ARE 80% BUSIER THAN JUST TWO YEARS AGO. FOOD PURCHASING HAS MORE THAN DOUBLED IN THAT SAME TIME PERIOD. THE FOOD BANK MAINTAINS LONGER DISTRIBUTION HOURS AND EXPANDED STAFFING LEVELS TO REDUCE SOME OF THESE OPERATIONAL PRESSURES BUT AT A HIGHER MONTHLY OPERATING COST. THE PRIMARY PROGRAM, A FOOD PANTRY IN SEATTLE'S UNIVERSITY DISTRICT NEIGHBORHOOD, PROVIDES A GROCERY STORE SHOPPING EXPERIENCE FOR MORE THAN 1,500 WEEKLY CUSTOMER FAMILIES. CUSTOMERS SHOP THROUGH THE PANTRY TO SELECT THE PRODUCE, DAIRY, MEAT, AND OTHER PANTRY STAPLES THEY NEED TO PREPARE THEIR OWN HEALTHY, CULTURALLY FAMILIAR MEALS. HYGIENE ITEMS AND BABY SUPPLIES SUPPLEMENT CUSTOMER VISITS. READY TO EAT ITEMS ARE AVAILABLE FOR KITCHEN-LESS CUSTOMERS WHEN THEY VISIT. TWO WEEKLY SATELLITE PANTRIES CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THEIR SPECIFIC HOST COMMUNITIES, IMPORTANT SINCE THESE COMMUNITIES HAVE MORE LIMITED ACCESS TO HEALTHY FOOD. THE PANTRY AT MAGNUSON PARK SERVES 175 HOUSEHOLDS PER WEEK. AT NORTH SEATTLE COLLEGE, THE PANTRY SUPPORTS ABOUT 300 HOUSEHOLDS PER WEEK. IN 2025 THE FOCUS IS ON EXPANDING HEALTHY, CULTURALLY FAMILIAR FOOD CHOICES AT EACH OF THESE LOCATIONS. WHEN IN-PERSON ACCESS TO PANTRIES IS A CHALLENGE, THE FOOD BANK OFFERS HOME DELIVERY OF GROCERIES USING A RANGE OF COLLABORATIONS. MORE THAN 550 HOUSEHOLDS RECEIVE GROCERY DELIVERIES EACH WEEK; THERE IS A SIZABLE WAITING LIST FOR THIS SERVICE TOO. VOLUNTEERS PACK CUSTOMIZED GROCERY BAGS FOR EACH HOME DELIVERY CUSTOMER BASED ON THEIR EXPRESSED NEEDS AND PREFERENCES. FOOD BANK VOLUNTEERS DELIVER THE MAJORITY OF THE GROCERIES. AN ON-GOING PARTNERSHIP WITH PEDALING RELIEF PROJECT (A PROGRAM OF CASCADE BICYCLE CLUB) BRINGS ADDED DELIVERY CAPACITY ON WEDNESDAYS AND SATURDAYS. ADDITIONAL DELIVERIES ON SATURDAYS ARE PROVIDED THROUGH A COLLABORATION WITH UNITED WAY AND AMAZON. IN 2026, THE FOOD BANK WILL COORDINATE DELIVERIES WITH AMAZON DIRECTLY. THIS PARTNERSHIP WILL EXIST AT LEAST THROUGH 2028. PACKS FOR KIDS, THE WEEKLY PROGRAM TO BRING BACKPACKS OF FOOD TO STUDENTS IN NEARBY PUBLIC SCHOOLS, HAS REACHED RECORD LEVELS IN PARTICIPATION. THIS SERVICE, THROUGH 16 NEARBY SCHOOLS, REACHES MORE THAN 975 STUDENTS EACH WEEK. AT TWO SCHOOLS, THERE ARE ALSO TWICE A MONTH FREE FARMER'S MARKETS SO THAT FAMILIES CAN COLLECT FRESH, CULTURALLY FAMILIAR FRUITS AND VEGETABLES AND OTHER PANTRY BASICS WHEN THEY ARE AT SCHOOL PICKING UP THEIR KIDS. THESE MARKETS HAVE BEEN EXTREMELY WELL RECEIVED SO THE FOOD BANK WILL LOOK TO EXPAND THIS SERVICE AT OTHER PARTNER SCHOOLS IN 2026 IF THE PARENT AND SCHOOL COMMUNITY IS INTERESTED. THIS MULTI-FACETED RESPONSE ENSURES THAT STUDENTS CONTINUE TO HAVE ACCESS TO HEALTHY AND EASY TO PREPARE MEALS AND SNACKS THROUGHOUT THE WEEKEND AND RETURN TO SCHOOL READY TO LEARN ON MONDAY MORNING. SINCE APRIL 2024 THE APPLE-A-DAY CAFE, OPERATED FROM A CORNER OF THE UNIVERSITY DISTRICT PANTRY, HAS PROVIDED HEATHY READY-TO-EAT MEALS, SALADS, AND SOUPS TO COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN NEED OF A MEAL INSTEAD OF JUST GROCERIES. ABOUT 20% OF OUR WEEKLY CUSTOMERS ARE UNSHELTERED, SO THESE MEALS PROVIDE IMPORTANT NUTRITION THREE DAYS A WEEK WHEN THE CAFE IS OPEN. CAFE MEALS ARE FREE, ARE COOKED MOSTLY FROM SCRATCH, AND LET THE FOOD BANK REPURPOSE PRODUCE THAT MIGHT NOT BE MARKET QUALITY BUT IS STILL HEALTHY TO EAT AND OTHER DONATIONS BETTER MEANT FOR A RESTAURANT. THE CAFE SERVES ABOUT 250 MEALS PER DAY WHEN OPEN. A COLLABORATION WITH MOJITO CAFE HELPS SUPPLY FOOD FOR ONE DAY OF CAFE MEALS EACH WEEK. THE FOOD BANK CONTINUES TO OPERATE ROOFTOP ROOTS, ITS ROOFTOP FARM. THROUGH A MIX OF STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS, THE FOOD BANK GROWS PRODUCE YEAR-ROUND IN 2,000 SQUARE FEET OF RAISED BED GARDENS. THE PRODUCE GROWN THROUGH ROOFTOP ROOTS IS DISTRIBUTED DIRECTLY TO THE FOOD BANK'S CUSTOMERS ACROSS ITS DIFFERENT PROGRAMS. THERE IS ALSO A SPRING AND SUMMER GARDEN INTERNSHIP PROGRAM FOR SMALL COHORTS OF MARGINALIZED YOUTH FROM PARTNER NONPROFITS. FINALLY, THE FOOD BANK WORKS TO CONNECT FOOD BANK CUSTOMERS TO OTHER IMPORTANT COMMUNITY RESOURCES. THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT TEAM PROVIDES A MAIL SERVICE FOR MORE THAN 200 CUSTOMERS, HELPS CUSTOMERS ENROLL IN SNAP AND UTILITY DISCOUNT PROGRAMS, ACCESS FREE BUS TICKETS, AND RESTORE LOST STATE IDENTIFICATION CARDS AND DRIVER'S LICENSES. THE FOOD BANK HOSTS REGULAR HEALTH INSURANCE ENROLLMENT ACTIVITIES, DISCOUNT CELL PHONE ENROLLMENT, VOTER REGISTRATION DRIVES, AND VACCINATION CLINICS FOR COVID, FLU, AND HEPATITIS. THE PROGRAM IS SUPPORTED BY TWO STAFF AND THREE SOCIAL WORK INTERNS.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending June 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since April 1984.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 21, 2026.
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