FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Evergreen Produce Connection: A Year of Progress and Purpose

July 23, 2025 – Tacoma, WA

On the one-year anniversary of David Thompson’s involuntary removal from all leadership roles, Evergreen Produce Connection issues this statement to update our community, clarify our legal status, and reaffirm our commitment to transparent, community-driven food justice in Pierce County.

From 2015 to 2020, Food is Free Tacoma and Food is Free 253 operated as informal community projects, initiated and controlled by David Thompson. These efforts had visible public presence but were never incorporated, never held federal, or any other, nonprofit status, and were operated entirely under Thompson’s personal name and control.

On November 18, 2020, David Thompson personally initiated and supervised the formation of Food is Free Washington (FIFW), a Washington nonprofit corporation later granted IRS 501(c)(3) status, to formalize the work of Food is Free Tacoma under a legitimate, board-governed nonprofit.

Under Thompson’s direction:

• All incoming donations from Food is Free Tacoma were redirected to, and processed by, Food is Free Washington
• Financial transactions for all operations began flowing through Food is Free Washington starting in 2021 and continue
• Thompson personally established or supervised all nonprofit financial relationships, including Sound Credit Union, PayPal, and Authorize.net, among others
• Food is Free Tacoma, Food is Free 253, and Food is Free Washington were consistently used as part of the nonprofit’s identity
• The original Board of Directors and subsequent appointments were selected by Thompson himself

Both Food is Free Tacoma and Food is Free 253 were used as trade names under Food is Free Washington, and all operations, donations, and public-facing work were legally subsumed under the organization’s IRS-issued 501(c)(3) status, under Thompson’s personal direction.

Evergreen Produce Connection continues uninterrupted as the same legal nonprofit entity with the same EIN and financial accounts originally created under Food is Free Washington. The organization rebranded as Evergreen Produce Connection in 2024 to better reflect its mission and expanded regional scope.

Although Thompson oversaw the creation of the nonprofit and its transition, asset documentation was incomplete and operational handoffs disorganized. He failed to fully understand or honor the legal obligations of transferring organizational control to a board-governed public charity.

On July 23, 2024, Thompson was unanimously removed by the Board of Directors he had appointed, following repeated violations of nonprofit standards, including:

• Abusive and retaliatory behavior toward staff, volunteers, and clients
• Financial mismanagement
• Reputational harm to the organization

For a full year, Evergreen Produce Connection has taken no public action, made no official statements, and initiated no legal proceedings regarding David Thompson. We have done nothing to provoke conflict, made no accusations, and have deliberately avoided public comment, hoping to allow all parties to move forward independently.

Our restraint has not been reciprocated.

ONGOING CONCERNS REGARDING FORMER LEADERSHIP

Since David Thompson’s removal, Evergreen Produce Connection, its leadership, and staff have endured sustained harassment, attempted intimidation, and reputational attacks initiated by Mr. Thompson and continuing without interruption.

This conduct includes:

• Retaining a vehicle that was donated to the nonprofit for its use
• Refusing to return access to nonprofit social media accounts, digital platforms, and data
• Posting misleading content and solicitations suggesting an ongoing affiliation with Food is Free Tacoma
• Attempting to interfere with Evergreen Produce Connection’s employees and leadership through doxxing, attempted employer contact, threats of physical violence, ongoing harassment, and libel.
• Creating public confusion by soliciting donations under names legally owned and controlled by Evergreen Produce Connection

These actions have been documented extensively, and are supported by recordings, screenshots, transcripts, and other verified, contemporaneous records. They have included threatening voicemails, repeated unwanted contact, disparaging public statements, and targeted efforts to undermine staff safety and professional standing. Despite this, Evergreen Produce Connection has not retaliated, and has remained focused on its mission.

As a matter of principle, Evergreen Produce Connection is philosophically opposed to diverting donor contributions away from food access and community support in order to fund legal disputes. This restraint reflects Evergreen Produce Connection’s enduring commitment to transparency, accountability, and responsible stewardship of public trust.

SAFETY AND LEGAL PROTECTIONS

Evergreen Produce Connection is committed to the safety and wellbeing of its staff, volunteers, and community partners. A permanent court-issued protection order against David Thompson remains in effect. Due to the structure of our operations, any attempt by David Thompson to contact the organization may result in a violation of that order. Mr. Thompson has previously been arrested for violating this protection order.

David Thompson is not authorized to contact, approach, or interfere with Evergreen Produce Connection, its staff, volunteers, programs, events, offices, or affiliated work sites or locations in any form, including in person, by phone, email, social media, or through intermediaries. Any such attempt may be referred to law enforcement and could result in further legal consequences.

DONOR ACCOUNTABILITY

Evergreen Produce Connection is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit with formal board governance, transparent finances, and direct community impact. We deeply value the trust placed in us by donors, funders, and community partners.

In contrast, David Thompson currently solicits donations under the name “Food is Free Tacoma” despite having no legal right to use the name, no nonprofit status, no board oversight, and no public financial disclosure requirements. We caution donors not to assume that such funds are supporting food access efforts or community benefit, and encourage all donors to verify nonprofit status before contributing.

Mr. Thompson must cease using or soliciting under any trade names legally associated with Evergreen Produce Connection, and must return any assets, accounts, and property belonging to Food is Free Tacoma, Food is Free 253, or Food is Free Washington that he continues to hold. This includes digital platforms, financial tools, donor records, physical property, and any other materials originating from the nonprofit he established but no longer represents.

CLARITY ON NAME OWNERSHIP

Evergreen Produce Connection is the legal and continuous successor to Food is Free Washington, with uninterrupted 501(c)(3) status and control over all affiliated names and operations. The following names are legally associated with Evergreen Produce Connection and remain in active use:

• Food is Free Tacoma
• Food is Free 253
• Food is Free Washington
• Evergreen Produce Connection

We will continue to use any of these names as needed to serve our mission, preserve our history, and prevent public confusion. Evergreen Produce Connection will not surrender its lawful identity to false claims or threats.

WEB ARCHIVING NOTE

The legacy website for Food is Free Washington has been preserved in its original state since David Thompson’s removal, for archival and evidentiary purposes only. Donations processed through this site continue to support Evergreen Produce Connection’s active programs. The website reflects the state of the organization at the time of transition and does not represent, endorse, or reflect any current activities or affiliations of Mr. Thompson.

EVERGREEN PRODUCE CONNECTION’S POSITION ON CONFLICT

Evergreen Produce Connection believes that nonprofits dedicated to food justice should not waste resources on infighting. While Mr. Thompson initiated the creation of the organization, he relinquished control when he placed its operations under a nonprofit structure governed by a board.

We do not seek conflict. We do not aim to prevent Mr. Thompson from pursuing new efforts. We are, however, ethically and legally obligated to protect our people, our name, and our work.

The best path forward is one of separation and clarity. Evergreen Produce Connection remains open to that outcome.

OUR WORK CONTINUES

In the year since our rebranding, Evergreen Produce Connection has continued its core mission of addressing hunger through direct action, collaboration, and stewardship.

We successfully completed the We Feed Washington grant in partnership with the Washington State Department of Agriculture, distributing hundreds of thousands of pounds of fresh, locally grown food to hundreds of families across Pierce County. The program supported regional farms, reduced food waste, and expanded access to culturally relevant produce for underserved communities.

Our partnership with The Farm at Franklin Pierce Schools represents a long-term investment in community-rooted agriculture and youth education. Through this collaboration, Evergreen Produce Connection has helped strengthen a vital community farm, support classroom integration, and ensure that healthy food grown by students and community members alike reaches those who need it most.

We are also proud to support ongoing food distribution efforts in partnership with Mi Centro, providing fresh produce to over 200 families every week. This work reflects our commitment to dignity-centered mutual aid, driven by trusted relationships and deep cultural alignment with the communities we serve.

Evergreen Produce Connection continues to build meaningful partnerships with respected organizations throughout Pierce County. We remain steadfast in our commitment to transparency, ethical stewardship, and community trust. Above all, we will continue to develop and execute effective, dignity-centered hunger relief programs to the best of our ability, ensuring that our work reflects the needs and values of the people we serve.

FOR INQUIRIES OR VERIFICATION, CONTACT:

Evergreen Produce Connection

360.828.3756

[email protected]

https://evergreenproduce.org/