F
ood for Thought
Washington Food Coalition newsletter / Summer 2021
WaFoodCoalition.org
No one in Washington State should go hungry
Message from the Chair WFC Board Do you ever have the feeling that things just don’t seem to go as planned? I had that feeling as I was writing this message. I began working on it and then minimized the document to take care of other tasks. Later in the day, I realized the document was gone…and not saved. Google offered steps to retrieve unsaved documents, which I tried with no success. The message was gone, and the deadline was approaching. This was to be my first message as chair of the Washington Food Coalition, and I wanted it to be amazing! There was no other choice, I needed to start over. For many of us, the past year has been a series of starting overs. Plans and goals we made were suddenly gone and all we had was an empty page. There were no instructions or past experiences to glean information. We had to create new ways to perform everyday activities, only to update the new procedures we just created. Most of all, we leaned on each other and helped each other navigate through the year. As I begin my term as chair of the Washington Food Coalition, I have to admit that I am a bit nervous - like I’m staring at an empty page and don’t know what should be there. But I am mostly excited. Excited to be part of an organization that believes “No one in Washington State should go hungry.” Excited to be collaborating with awesome partners across the state and learning from their experiences. Excited we will be making a difference. “Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” ~Helen Keller Stay safe,
Andra Smith Executive Director Sequim Food Bank Chair WFC Board
Board Members
WSDA NEWS
WFC Chair
Andra Smith
Sequim Food Bank
These last few months have continued to be busy, while we are closing out the current biennium and looking forward to the next. We have been excited to continue our collective work to reduce client access barriers and make permanent modifications to client intake requirements, and support EFAP Biennial Community Meetings to bring new partner organizations into the program. We’ve begun planning the strategic use of the new state funding to continue bridging gaps in the food system. This increased investment from the State Legislature in our partner hunger relief organizations will help serve food insecure clients in communities across Washington. We are looking forward to supporting the spending of these dollars over the next two years and are optimistic that it will help meet a variety of needs for hunger relief. WSDA and the Food Assistance programs will continue to prioritize the additional funding for capacity grants, regional investments, and food procurement efforts. Some of these funds are designated for support of our programming through September 30th, 2021. The agency is planning a longer term strategic plan that will become effective October 1st and carry us through the end of the biennium. These longer-term strategies are being developed with a focus on stakeholder engagement and driven by data analysis. The majority of these funds will be released to support hunger relief efforts in partnership with Food Assistance, and providing additional supports outside of our traditional food assistance network. It is critical that we reach hunger relief organizations serving BIPOC and other disadvantaged communities. As a part of this on-going support effort, organizations currently receiving the WSDA Fresh Produce Boxes – which is not the same as the TEFAP Mixed Produce Boxes – will be able to continue receiving those in similar quantities through September 30th. More details on these procurement efforts and information on how to access other additional funds will be provided in the coming weeks and months. While funding does help ensure that nutritious and high quality food is getting to all people in Washington, we recognize that is not the only barrier to providing great service to clients. As a result, WSDA and the Food Assistance Advisory Committee have spent a lot of time pursuing changes to data collection practices and the resulting intake processes. We are continuing to stress the need to reduce client access barriers, these efforts include: • Clients should not be requested to provide proof of eligibility or any other documentation for EFAP and TEFAP. • Clients must only self-attest that they live in the State of Washington and should be served a regular distribution of food under those programs regardless of whether they live in the food pantry’s typical local service area. • The income eligibility for TEFAP was increased from 185% of the Federal Poverty Level to 400% to better reflect the income level at which people stop being food insecure in our state. • Clients are now welcome to receive commodities from more than one location. Previously, clients were required to self-attest that they received TEFAP from only one site. This will allow clients to access the services they need when and where they need them most. The Food Assistance team continues to feel so grateful for our partners across Washington, and the persistence of hunger relief organizations to offer the best services they can to their community.
With appreciation for all you do,
Kim Eads WSDA Food Assistance Program Manager
WFC Vice Chair
position open
WFC Immediate Past Chair
Ken Trainor
Sunrise Outreach Center
WFC Secretary Ariel Medeiross LaDow Food Pantry
WFC Treasurer
Jennifer Hardison
South Kitsap Helpline
Anita Sailor
Rural Resources Community Action
Taine Shoemaker
Colville Food & Resources Center
Bob Mark
Upper Valley MEND
Scott Kilpatrick
Community Services of Moses Lake
Ariel Medeiross
LaDow Food Pantry
Debbie Niehenke
Colton/Uniontown Food Pantry
Cecilia Chavez
Toppenish Community Chest
VJ Meadows
Tri-Cities Food Bank
Jeff Mathias
Blue Mountain Action Council
Chris Hattch
VOA Western WA
Kathy Moe
Stanwood/Camano Food Bank
Dan Lancaster
Multi-Services Center
Cori Walters
Issaquah Food and Clothing Bank
Ahndrea Blue
Eloise Cooking Pot
Michelle Douglas
Emergency Food Network (EFN)
Kellie McNelly
ROOF Community Services
Robert Coit
Thurston County Food Bank
Alan Hamilton
Clark County Food Bank
Liz Cerveny
North County Community Food Bank
Andra Smith
Sequim Food Bank
Chris Benson
Central Kitsap Helpline
At-Large Members Kris Van Gasken
Des Moines Area Food Bank
MENSTRUAL SUPPORT AT THE BELLINGHAM FOOD BANK Many of us are aware that in developing countries, menstrual supplies can be taboo or difficult to access, and this can cause women to miss work or school. But what about here in the USA? Three years ago, it came to the attention of our Executive Director Mike Cohen that this is happening to many women and girls here in the United States, and even here in Bellingham. In the United States, menstrual supplies are not deemed a necessary item and are not covered by food or other assistance programs. Additionally, there are states that impose added sales tax on these products, making them even more cost prohibitive. Unfortunately, “period poverty” is not a new concept: survey results published in the Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology in 2019 revealed that nearly two-thirds of low-income women interviewed could not afford menstrual supplies at some point during the previous year. Another survey commissioned by Thinx & PERIOD reported that one in five U.S. teens have struggled to afford menstrual supplies or were not able to purchase them at all. In March of 2019, after research, budgeting and finally ordering supplies, Bellingham Food Bank began distributing menstrual products to any clients who wanted them. We gave people a choice between organic and conventional products among tampons and pads; clients would get more product if they chose conventional due to the difference in costs between the two types. We also offered conventional liners each month, and one menstrual cup per client, meant to be reused and to last for years. Items were purchased in bulk and packed into small brown bags by volunteers, then put on a shelf like any other item at the food bank. We aimed for a blend of destigmatizing the use of menstrual support products while also offering a discrete container for clients to take away. We continue to serve 1,600 households per week and all members of a household who need menstrual supplies are welcome to them. Recently, Bellingham Food Bank staff have started assessing our vendors through an equity lens that aims to prioritize our purchases to companies that support BIPOC communities, local initiatives or are environmentally sustainable. We had been buying many menstrual products from a company that is deeply intertwined with US prisons, and applying our equity lens showed us that we could make a more equitable choice with our dollars by changing vendors. We have selected as our new vendor The Organic Project (TOP). TOP is a woman-owned organization that produces a 100% organic cotton product with no chemicals or dyes. For every purchase of their products, they give products back to schools, shelters and non-profits that are dedicated to helping women and girls. We continue to control costs by purchasing these items in bulk and re-packing into paper bags, but are now offering only organic products with an increased program budget. We believe this important human health need deserves a high-quality product from a company that also strives to provide dignity and respect for all.
Our Mission: The Washington Food Coalition actively educates and networks with organizations that strive to alleviate hunger throughout Washington
Our Vision: The Washington Food Coalition is the unified voice for a strong emergency food system
To learn more about The Organic Project, visit toporganicproject.com.
WFC ANNUAL CONFERENCE
Wednesday, Sept 29th - Friday, October 1st, 2021 Wenatchee Conference Center, Wenatchee, WA
20 20
Hindsight is The Future is Filled with Possibilities! September 29th - October 1st, 2021 Wenatchee, WA
This year our annual conference will be a hybrid event - we will hold it both in person and virtually. Registration will open on July 1st on the coalition’s web page, www.wafoodcoalition.org
Our keynote will be Luis Guardia, President of the Food Research & Action Center (FRAC)
CONFERENCE REGISTRATION INFORMATION:
IN PERSON: Sept. 29 - October 1st, 2021
Regular Registration:
VIRTUAL: Sept. 30 & October 1st
All your favorites will be back! Door Prize Silent Auction, To s, Raffle Tickets anudrs, More!
• Early Bird Registration (ends September 10th) • Member - $125 • Non or Expired Member - $150 • One Day Attendee - $100
• Member - $225 • Non or Expired Member - $250 • One day Attendance - $150 Non-registered guests/spouse meals - $35
• $99/person
Make your hotel reservations today! Coast Wenatchee Center Hotel Call hotel directly, 509-662-1234, ask for reservations, let reservations know they are attending WFC conference and they will be afforded your group rate. This newsletter is prepared with funds made available by the Washington State Department of Agriculture, Food Assistance programs. In accordance with Federal law and U.S. Department of Agriculture policy, this institution is prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, sex, disability, or age.