A team from the Edmonds Food Bank joined more than 200 advocates from across Washington state Monday for Hunger Action Day in Olympia, urging lawmakers to prioritize food security. Throughout the day, the team engaged with legislators, advocating for key initiatives aimed at alleviating hunger and supporting vulnerable communities, the food bank said in a news release.
Among the policies discussed were:
• Free school meals for all kids (SB 5352/HB 1404)
• Extended funding for food banks and food pantries
• Full funding for senior nutrition programs to promote health and stability
• Maintaining current funding levels for SNAP (Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program) fruit and vegetable incentive programs
• Continued funding for SUN Bucks to fight summer child hunger
“In challenging financial times for both the city and the state, we must remember not to put an excessive burden on those who are most vulnerable in our community,” said Casey Davis, Edmonds Food Bank director.
The Edmonds Food Bank team emphasized the importance of funding the Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) programs, which supply fresh produce to the food bank each week. They also highlighted the significance of SNAP, the nation’s largest anti-hunger program.
Tracey Peterson, who oversees SNAP at the Edmonds markets, spoke to lawmakers about the impact of the program:
“We see hundreds of customers taking advantage of SNAP’s Market Match program each year, which allows them to double their EBT dollars for fresh produce at the market,” Peterson said. “One reason we are huge advocates for this program is that it benefits both local farmers and our customers alike.”
Staff members from Edmonds Food Bank visited the offices of state representatives and senators from Districts 21, 32, and 44, including face-to-face conversations with Rep. Strom Peterson and Rep. Lauren Davis about these critical issues.
While the focus was on state policies, the team also discussed the Local Community Project (LCP) state funding request to support Thrive Together: A Capital Campaign to Build a New Edmonds Food Bank. Rep. Peterson, a longtime supporter of the Edmonds Food Bank, submitted this funding request last week.
Visit www.edmondsfoodbank.org to learn more.
Bravo, Team Edmonds! I am so proud to be associated with such caring, dedicated people who are willing to step up and fight for what is right. Thank you for doing this, and thank you to our representatives and senators for taking the time to listen. Now more than ever we need to do THE RIGHT THING, and that begins with helping others.
I too am really proud to help out with the Edmonds Food Bank. Just yesterday I drove a truck and with Jeff we picked up about 1/2 ton of produce, meat and assorted items at Trader Joe’s. And that’s a very small part of what happens there week after week after week. I wish I had the time to do more to help this great organization. Casey is a true community leader that we all can rally behind.