Friday, January 22, 2010

2010 Anti-Hunger & Nutrition Coalition Legislative Agenda


1. In these tough economic times, one in nine Washington families is struggling to put food on the table. Protect current funding for Washington’s front-line hunger-relief programs when they are needed most.

Protect:
  • State funding that insures access to school, summer and child care meals and leverages millions in federal funding each year.

  • WA Grown fruits and veggies in schools, initiated by the Local Farms Healthy Kids bill.

  • State funding for WIC, Maternity Support Services, and the WIC Farmers Market Nutrition Program.

  • Funding for local food banks and tribal food vouchers across the state through the Emergency Food Assistance Program (EFAP).

  • $393,000 in state funds to support the General Administration Food Programs, which allows the state to receive $15-20 million in federal food and operational support.

  • Senior Citizens Services Act funds, which help local Area Agencies on Aging provide meal assistance and other services, and funding for the Senior Farmers Market Program.

2. Feed hungry children in Washington all year long.
Request: $250,000 in additional funds to build community capacity to address summertime child hunger and leverage additional federal funding through the Summer Meal Program.

3. Preserve Washington’s support for food banks and the tribal food program.
Request: In the reorganization of programs under the new Department of Commerce, ensure the continued funding and efficiency of the Emergency Food Assistance Program (EFAP) that allows local food assistance programs to respond to local hunger needs and grow the relationship between farms and food banks by relocating EFAP to the Department of Agriculture.

4. Support prompt and accurate access to the Basic Food Program.
Request: DSHS Community Service Offices are the gateway to a variety of benefit programs essential to low-income families, particularly in the current economy. Restore funds to adequately staff local offices so that applicants and recipients receive prompt, respectful and accurate service.

For more information, contact Carrie Pfab at ahnc (at) live.com

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