Alert: Food Justice Programs Face Devastating Cuts

At Northwest Harvest, we’ve long understood that hunger isn’t an individual problem—it’s the result of systems that aren’t working for everyone. Right now, the progress we’ve made in reimagining and rebuilding those unjust systems is under fire.

Across Washington state and the nation, serious cuts are being proposed to critical safety net programs that help people put food on the table, keep roofs over their heads, and access healthcare. These aren’t abstract policy debates—they represent real consequences for those experiencing food insecurity.

What’s Happening? 

Multiple proposals at federal and state levels would significantly cut funding for:

• Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits that help people afford groceries
• School meal programs that ensure children won’t be hungry in the classroom
• Local food purchasing programs that support food access and local economies
• Food bank funding that enables immediate emergency food distribution

These cuts would disproportionately impact children, transfer significant costs to states, and hurt local economies that benefit from these programs.

Why This Matters 

With 1 in 8 Washington households already experiencing food insecurity, these proposed reductions would only serve to make hunger more widespread. As an organization committed to cutting hunger in half by 2028, these policy decisions directly impact our ability to achieve food justice.

These proposals reflect a fundamental misunderstanding of hunger’s root causes. When systems designed to help people meet basic needs are defunded, the result isn’t greater self-sufficiency—it’s greater suffering.

Moving Forward Together 

At Northwest Harvest, we’re committed to ensuring no one goes hungry while also addressing the systemic causes of food insecurity. Here’s how we can respond now:

• Stay informed about proposed policy changes and how you can get involved.
• Contact your elected officials about the importance of food assistance programs.
• Support community-based food solutions that build resilience.
• Get sample scripts and talking points to help you advocate for the preservation of critical social care programs.

We must act now to ensure Washington remains committed to a future in which everyone has access to nutritious food, not as charity, but as a fundamental human right.

Download sample scripts and talking points >

LEARN MORE

• A broad look at the social safety net and impacts of reductions >
• SNAP cut – impact on children, costs transferred to states >
• SNAP cut – impact on local economies >
• School programs, local purchasing, food bank impacts >
• Reduced food bank funding in Governor’s proposed budget >