YAKIMA, Wash. – Northwest Harvest, a nonprofit founded in 1967, has been making significant strides in combating food insecurity across Washington. The organization distributed over 20 million pounds of food in the 2024 fiscal year.
In recent years, Northwest Harvest has expanded its impact by opening two community markets in the state. One of these, the Fruitvale Community Market in Yakima, has been a crucial resource for those in need.
Since its opening in March 2023, the Fruitvale Community Market has served as a vital hub for providing food at no cost. The market served over 145,000 shoppers from July 2024 to June 2025, distributing over 2 million pounds of food.
The market operates six hours a day, three days a week, distributing nutritious food. Reynaldo Villaseñor Macedo, the market manager who grew up in Yakima, emphasized the importance of the market.
“It’s pretty evident that people need access to places that have nutritious food and. I believe in people; people are resilient,” he said.
Villaseñor Macedo joined the market just a month after its opening. Initially, they served around 600 people a day, but due to a recent reduction in SNAP benefits, this number has increased to as high as 1,200.
“In the last few months after we’ve seen a lot of new people. That just means that we’re going to be a little bit busier,” Villaseñor Macedo said. “But it’s something that we could do.”
The market’s mission is to ensure everyone has access to proper nutrition, and its focus is on teamwork.
“It’s all of us. That’s what that is. I just see us being the community. We all eat, you know, we all eat,” Villaseñor Macedo said. “And I don’t think there’s no difference between anybody. We’re cutting hunger.”
The market is open from 12:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Mondays and Fridays, with Friday offering a drive-thru option. It is also open on Wednesdays from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
