NWH: Northwest Harvest testifies before Congress

Northwest Harvest was recently invited to testify before joint hearing of the U.S. House Ways & Means subcommittees on Oversight and Income Security and Family Support. Representative Jim McDermott, from Washington’s 7^th Congressional District (representing the Seattle area), invited Northwest Harvest to share our experience on a hearing titled, “Food Banks and Front-line Charities: Unprecedented Demand and Unmet Need.”

Through testimony given by Public Policy Manager Josh Fogt, Northwest Harvest provided a detailed, front-line account of the significant increase in people seeking food assistance across the hunger relief network in Washington. We shared how the recession is causing many who never before needed food assistance—and who were often donors and volunteers in the past—are now turning to community food programs for help. We also spoke to how the recession is making it difficult for food programs to raise the appropriate in-kind and financial donations necessary to meet the growing need we are experiencing. In addition, we provided recommendations for steps Congress could take to help ease the burden on the hunger relief network in Washington. Below is a YouTube clip of Josh providing testimony.

In addition to the testimony, Josh met with staff from both of Washington’s Senators and seven of our nine Representatives. In each meeting he first briefed the staff of the testimony Northwest Harvest provided and the current situation of hunger relief in Washington. He also presented copies of our Focus Group Report, which was very helpful in highlighting hunger in each members’ home districts. He then gave our recommendations for Congressional action (see testimony for details).

Northwest Harvest staff were the only panelists in the Congressional hearing providing stories from the front-lines. The meetings with staff members of our elected officials in DC helped to establish relationships and make them aware that Northwest Harvest is engaging in state and federal policy work. Josh let each office know exactly how many partner food banks and meal programs Northwest Harvest serves in their districts, and extended invites for the elected officials and/or their staff to volunteer at food banks or take tours of the warehouses when they are back in district in order to get a first hand account of the people seeking food assistance and the magnitude of the hunger relief system.