Growing Good: The Co-op's Farm to Food Bank Program
Introducing Madeline McGonagle, Community Action’s Farm Liason
By Community Action | Liz Jennings & Madeline McGonagle
Madeline in action. Photos from Community Action
What’s Madeline McGonagle passionate about?
“Farming! And getting more farmers involved in solving hunger locally, while building their own businesses,” said McGonagle, who is returning to Community Action of Skagit County in a new role as Farm Liaison to administer a new Farm to Food Bank partnership with the Skagit Valley Food Co-op.
As a farmer herself for eleven years on two coasts, McGonagle has worked for local Boldly Grown Farm and First Cut Farm, and she currently operates Daybreak Farm, where she grows dry beans, popcorn, and vegetable seed crops near Mount Vernon. From 2023 to 2025, McGonagle worked for Community Action of Skagit County as their Food Access Manager, making sure that more food gets to ALL 20+ food banks and meal programs through the Skagit Food Distribution Center. Community Action’s Food Distribution Center is “a critical hub for food banks every day, and to get food out quickly and efficiently during emergencies, such as the SNAP crisis and floods in late 2025,” she said.
“In that role, we administered a Farm to Food Pantry project with funding from the state of Washington,” McGonagle says. Community Action’s Food Distribution Center provided grants to farms for infrastructure, such as coolers and farm equipment, to build their businesses, and in return, the farmers donated products such as healthy produce, which Community Action distributed to local food banks and through senior food box deliveries.
A new $100,000 grant in 2026 to Community Action from the Skagit Valley Food Co-op’s Growing Good Fund is re-launching a similar, but more flexible, Farm to Food Bank collaboration.
The Co-op is providing funding, and Community Action rehired McGonagle to recruit farmers to apply for loans up to $10,000 for equipment, seed, or even wages for their workers. In return, the farms promise to repay the loan over five years in produce, eggs, meat, dairy, or other farm products, for the Food Distribution Center to get to hungry families through food bank partners and senior food box deliveries. The loans will be distributed as up-front grants, with a simple contract for repayment in farm products.
Priority for the farm infrastructure grants will be given to farms who need support with equipment and small infrastructure projects to grow and expand their business.
Applications are due Wednesday, April 15, and are available in English and Spanish.
“This is a win-win for farmers, food banks, and the people they serve,” said Community Action’s current Food Access Manager, Trisha Hochreiter.
“Community Action is happy to have Madeline back in this new role, to build connections between farmers and opportunities for them to have a big impact on hunger relief work throughout Skagit County.”
As Farm Liaison, McGonagle will work on building stronger relationships with the 30+ farmers Community Action currently purchases from and/or receives donations from, as well as building relationships with new farms interested in helping to end hunger in Skagit County. She will administer the grant program and oversee the distribution of the loans, payments to farmers, and repayment in farm products. “The goal is not just to help meet immediate needs for good nutrition for food bank customers,” McGonagle said, “but also to build capacity and transform the hunger relief system.”
Skagit Valley Food Co-op’s Growing Good Fund was established to embody the cooperative principle of Concern for Community by helping to solidify long-term food systems and food security in Skagit.
“With the ever-growing need for food access in our community, the Co-op is delighted to be part of this collaboration,” said Nicole Noteboom.
“We’re happy to help Community Action bring more high-demand items like meat, dairy, and amazing Skagit-grown produce to the family table, while also supporting the farmers that make it all possible.”
