Advocacy Update: Contact Your Senator

ACTION Alert: Contact your Senator (especially on Ways and Means committee) in support of proviso language on State Food Assistance, empowering DSHS to increase SFA benefits in the future should the budget allow. 

Please share this alert with your networks.

Thank you to everyone who made phone calls and sent emails to lawmakers and also alerted your networks to contact lawmakers in support of State Food Assistance. The 9^th Circuit handed down a decision earlier this week which ends the injunction and says DSHS can eliminate or make cuts to State Food Assistance Program without violation equal protection or due process claims.  This decision allows lawmakers to significantly cut or completely eliminated SFA, hurting thousands of families across Washington State.  Currently, SFA is funded at 50% in the budget.

Leadership in Senate Ways and Means has agreed to include proviso language which would allow DSHS to increase benefits above 50% should the budget allow (that is, if caseload decreases, funding increases, etc.).  We think this outcome is directly linked to the fine advocacy you all did this week- keep it up. 

Your calls to lawmakers are making a difference, but there is still work to be done in order to protect SFA and other hunger relief programs. Our goal is to get the Senate proviso language passed and moved to the House for their consideration, and to secure the Governor’s support for increasing benefits if at all possible.

CLICK HERE TO Urge your legislators to stand strong for kids and stand strong for the State Food Assistance Program.

Farmers Market Nutrition Program for WIC and Seniors, has been included in both the House and Senate budget thanks to your great advocacy! Please contact your Representatives and Senators to thank them for including it in their budgets and ask them to ensure this program stays in the budget that goes to the Governor.

Additionally, we are greatly encouraged that there have been no reductions in the House and Senate budgets for OSPI’s child nutrition programs – thanks for speaking up for these programs. Finally, the budgets also make no changes to funding the Emergency Food Assistance Program in WSDA. Thank you – and thank your legislators - for supporting the capacity of food banks in these times of high demand.

Revenue: Though there were hearings this week on several revenue options, we have not been encouraged by the Legislature’s actions to reform our revenue structure to create a more just and sustainable state budget. Please continue your calls and letters of support to your lawmakers to raise revenue to support safety net services, education and other critical long-term investments in our state.