Hunger Action Day 2025

Did you know the Washington State 2025 Legislative Session is underway in Olympia? We hope you can join the Edmonds Food Bank in advocating for anti-hunger and anti-poverty policy on Hunger Action Day, February 24th in Olympia! On this day members of our staff and supporters will be joining with our partners in the Washington Anti-Hunger and Nutrition Coalition to speak with our legislators about the pressing needs of people experiencing food insecurity in the greater Edmonds area and Snohomish County. This is your chance to join with the hundreds of other anti-hunger advocates from all across our beloved Washington State to make a massive impact this year!  

Here are some of the legislative priorities we expect to promote this year: 

  • Free School Meals for All Kids (SB 5352 / HB 1404) 
  • Extend Funding for Food Banks and Food Pantries Across our State 
  • Fully Fund Senior Nutrition Programs to Promote Health and Stability 
  • Maintain Current Funding Levels for SNAP Fruit & Vegetable Incentive Programs 
  • Promote food security with housing security (HB 1217 / SB 5222) 
  • Make sure TANF is there for families living in deep poverty when they need it 
  • TANF benefits should not keep families in deep poverty 
  • Expand access to the Working Families Tax Credit (HB 1214) 

You can read more about these items in the sections below, or by following this link

This year we will be meeting at United Churches of Olympia (110 11th Ave. SE, Olympia) - just across the street from the Capitol campus. If you would like to join our EFB team on February 24th you can register here, no later than February 17th, so you have the best chance of meeting with your elected officials.  Once you have registered, and leading up to Hunger Action Day, the Washington Anti-Hunger and Nutrition Coalition will send you helpful info about visiting the Capitol, advocacy tips, how to prepare for your meetings with legislators, and our anti-hunger priorities for 2025. Stay tuned for a virtual training to go over some basics about advocacy and what to expect in Olympia, as well as what you can do online and over the phone for Hunger Action Day if you can’t come to Olympia. Registrants will receive information about your meetings and schedule the week before Hunger Action Day. 

Here is a handy guide to understanding the legislative session, from cut-off dates for bills to finding bills and hearings. Washington’s nationally-recognized Legislature website (leg.wa.gov) has been re-designed, so click around and re-familiarize yourself with all the great info that will help you through the legislative process. 

We so appreciate your ongoing support of people experiencing food insecurity in Edmonds, through your donations, through your time, and through your advocacy. You make our mission possible! If you are not able to attend this event, please consider reaching out to your state representatives and sharing your support for these important pieces of legislation. You can find out who your representatives are here. If you have questions or are interested in carpooling, please contact Kellie at community@edmondsfoodbank.org

Anti-Hunger Legislation 

Free School Meals for All Kids (SB 5352 / HB 1404) 

Washington has made big progress on expanding free school meals, yet 1 in 3 students still don’t have access. Nutritious school breakfasts and lunches fuel student learning and healthy development. Yet cost, paperwork, and stigma remain as barriers for student participation – and the income eligibility for subsidized meals is too low. We know that when schools serve free meals to all students, child hunger rates improve; stigma is eliminated; staff can focus on preparing meals; meal service is streamlined; and family budgets stabilize. If they need it, every student should have access to free school meals, regardless of what grade they’re in, where their school is, or their family situation.  
 
Extend Funding for Food Banks and Food Pantries Across our State  
Food insecurity has spiked in the past two years, affecting nearly 1 in 10 households statewide. Prices remain stubbornly high for essentials, especially food, creating unprecedented challenges for hungry people – and the food banks that serve them. In the last year, there were nearly 13.4 million client visits to local food banks (up from 7.8 million in 2019), yet food donations are down. Extraordinary help is needed to respond to the crisis facing a crisis for our food banks.  
 
Invest $93 million in WSDA’s Food Assistance Programs that support food banks in every community.  

Fully Fund Senior Nutrition Programs to Promote Health and Stability  

Our senior population is growing – but too many are struggling to meet basic needs. Nationwide, senior hunger rose 20% from 2021 to 2024, and nearly 1 in 10 Washington seniors lives in poverty now – the highest rate in at least a decade. For years, Washington has underinvested in the nutrition safety net for seniors and people with disabilities – yet these nutrition programs are key to keeping people healthy, safe in their homes, socially connected, and able to access other supportive services to maintain health.  

Invest $35.4 million to fund the current caseload of DSHS nutrition programs that serve low-income elders. 

Maintain Current Funding Levels for SNAP Fruit & Vegetable Incentive Programs 

Washington has built a successful statewide network of partners for this program: farmers markets, Safeway, independent grocers, and community health clinics help SNAP shoppers and food insecure patients afford to buy healthy produce and stretch their limited food budgets. These programs are more needed than ever – nearly 1 in 10 Washington households are food insecure and SNAP isn’t adequate to afford a healthy diet. Recent one-time investments have allowed the program to meet historic demand, but additional funds are needed to maintain the current caseload and to ensure DOH has enough non-federal funds as a match to apply for another round of federal grants to support this highly successful program. 

Invest $6 million to fight hunger and help low-income people afford more healthy, fresh produce. 

Anti-Poverty Legislation 

Promote food security with housing security (HB 1217 / SB 5222)  
Food security is tied to housing security, but Washington’s laws don’t protect tenants from excessive rent increases, predatory fees, or inadequate notice about rent hikes. Excessive rent increases are increasing evictions and homelessness, especially for seniors and people of color. To support housing security, tenants need greater protections and more time to be able to make plans when rents do go up.  
 
Make sure TANF is there for families living in deep poverty when they need it (HB 1463
Providing cash assistance is the most effective way to help people living in deep poverty but Washington’s TANF program needs permanent fixes to help families find a path out of poverty. Provide flexibility for TANF time limit extensions for very low-income families with children who face hardship, are meeting all program requirements, and need time to stabilize their families.  
 
TANF benefits should not keep families in deep poverty  
TANF cash assistance is for families with children with incomes less than $15,696/year ($1,308/month) – but the cash benefit for these families keeps them far below the poverty line – for a family of 5 whose only income is TANF puts them at 31% of the federal poverty level. Aligning TANF benefits to 16% of the Standard of Need provides more support to families and ensures benefits keep pace with costs.  
 
Expand access to the Working Families Tax Credit (HB 1214) 
Every low-income person deserves a boost from this life-changing tax credit, including young adults. The successful rollout of this program shows that it makes a difference for struggling people, but income-eligible 18-24-year-olds who are working or attending college are not eligible to apply. Removing this age restriction helps low-income young people start adulthood with more economic stability and more opportunities for lifelong success. 

Donate to our annual Give Big fundraiser today!

Visit Edmonds Food Bank | Washington Gives (wagives.org) to donate or to learn more!

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