About the CTK Farm

CTK Food Share and Farm exists to use the vehicle of food to bring hope to hungry people in Whatcom County and help volunteers become more like Jesus.

A glimpse into the hunger crisis in Whatcom County:

  • 1 in 4 families access food organizations in Whatcom County on a regular basis.

  • 1 in 5 children struggle with getting enough to eat which leads to many difficulties in other areas of life such as stress, struggling to focus at school, and health concerns. 

  • 2 out of every 3 community college students in the US are food insecure and unsure where their next meal is coming from. 

  • Americans throw out 30-40% of the food that we create.

  • 39% of families in Whatcom County do not earn the basic cost of living wage. Basic cost of living for a family of 4 in Washington State is $62,000.

  • Whatcom County is the largest area of need in Washington State yet has only 50% of the resources available in other counties.

These statistics are shocking and motivate our work with 30+ partners to help tackle hunger in Whatcom County. Our goal is to help fill some of the holes in the local food safety net system that God has equipped us to fill.

Farming

For 18 years we have been farming a piece of donated land in Whatcom County at the corner of E Hemmi and Hannegan Road.

This part of our ministry is where we need the most people serving alongside us. We are passionate about following Jesus' calling to feed the hungry and put our faith in action to grow exactly what our partners need.

Each year we deploy over 150 volunteers to work directly in our fields planting, thinning, weeding, and harvesting over 100,000 pounds of produce to be given away to our Food Share partners here in Whatcom County.

If you’re interested in serving at the farm, head over to our “Get Involved” page to find out how.

Food Drives

Non-perishable items are also a huge part of what our partners need every week, so we also do consistent and ongoing food drives.

This part of our ministry has grown substantially since 2020 and has become an integral part of what we’re doing at the CTK Food Share & Farm.

Every month we select a specific item for our Item of the Month Club participants to donate for one of our specific partners, but we also welcome miscellaneous items, sort them in our small pantry ,then redistribute them in helpful quantities to local school pantries, food banks, meal programs and more. 

If you would like to participate, join the Item of the Month club by texting FOOD to 360-800-4173 and we’ll text you the link to the online wishlist for that month’s item as a friendly reminder.

Gleaning

Whatcom County is full of different types of farms— especially berry farms, many of which cannot harvest all that their fields produce.

So we use a volunteer coordinator and tons of volunteers each year to glean berries and other fresh foods from local farms or backyards. In 2024 we gleaned over 4,000 pounds of fresh produce using over 170 volunteers!

If you are interested in being a part of our gleaning team or have a place you would like us to come glean, please contact our Food Share & Farm Director, Faith Whaley.

Business Donations

Since we work with over 30 different organizations in Whatcom County, many businesses have loved partnering with us to donate their extra food.

This partnership means they don’t have to do all the research on the best place to take donations or who needs them most. They just give us a call and we arrange pickup or a dropoff time and take it from there.

Several businesses donate a few times a year and others donate each week. Receiving these extras has has been such a blessing to our partners!

If you own a business or are interested in donating to us through a local business, please reach out to our Food Share & Farm Director, Faith Whaley.

Field Trips

This part of our ministry is all about engaging younger folks in what we’re up to at the Food Share & Farm. We host all ages from preschool to high school and more. Each trip is planned between the school staff and our director to best meet the needs of what each group is looking for.

Students may come out to serve and work in the fields, to learn about farming, or even help with an indoor food sorting project. If you have any size group you’d like to bring to the farm, we’d love to chat with you to see how we can make that happen.

Groups have ranged from 10-190 kiddos, so we are able to make a lot of different things happen! If you’re interested, please reach out to Faith and she will work with you to see if we have an opportunity to come together. 

Hosting Serving Events

Building community and sharing what we do with those around us is a huge driver of our work.

Each year over 6000 hours of work goes into all aspects of what we do. To pull this off, we host lots of different serving opportunities for small groups, schools, families, and more.

Each of these events is planned based on who is showing up and what needs to be done out at the farm. It’s one of our favorite things to share the story of why we love what we do, what Jesus is doing through us, and allowing those around us to experience it right along with us!

If you’re looking for a serving opportunity for your small group, school group, or business, reach out to Faith Whaley, our Food Share & Farm Director. We would love to find an opportunity for you!

Hosting Community Events

The farm is a beautiful place, and we love hosting community events there.

We have hosted staff or volunteer appreciation events, participated in local farm tours, hosted tie dying parties for our partners, and more!

We love what we do and love to share that with the community around us! Contact Faith Whaley for more information on hosting your event at the CTK Farm.