EFAP Sign On Letter - Act Now!

 Act Now To Support Food Banks

The Washington State 2015 Legislative Session kicked off last week, making it the perfect time to send a message to legislators! Food banks and their community partners work hard to meet the needs of hungry people all year long.  Right now, 1 in 5 Washingtonians use food banks to help make ends meet. 

The Emergency Food Assistance Program (EFAP) helps ensure that food banks have the resources they need to meet local needs – from food purchasing to transportation to staffing and equipment, EFAP helps food banks assist their clients most efficiently and effectively.

Last year, legislators provided an additional $800,000 to support the historic increase in demand for food bank services. We need your help to make sure they continue this vital funding.We are asking you to show lawmakers how vital this additional funding is by showing deep support for this request from organizations and individuals alike.

Please click here to sign on as an individual and/or organization to this letter of community support – show Olympia how much this funding is needed!

Then please forward to your colleagues, partners and friends in your community to sign on, too – broad, diverse support for this request will be critical during a tough legislative session.   

Find the sign-on letter here: www.WAFoodCoalition.org/EFAP

Job Opportunity: Community Lunch Operations Assistant

Community Lunch on Capitol Hill provides hot meals and other services to homeless and low-income people in Seattle's Capitol Hill neighborhood in an atmosphere of hospitality. They are accepting resumes until February 6th for their Operations Assistant Position. 

This is a unique and critical part-time position that involves a blending of daily operational work, administrative duties and responsibilities for events, volunteer and donor management, grant writing and reporting requirements.

See document for details:

Community Lunch Operations Assistant Job Description

Sponsors Needed for Summer Meals Program

 

Sponsors Needed for Summer Meals Program The Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) is seeking sponsors for the 2015 Summer Food Service Program (SFSP). The SFSP is a United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) federally funded child nutrition program, established to ensure that children in low-income areas continue to receive nutritious meals during school vacations, when they do not have access to school meals. Sponsorship is open to public and private nonprofit schools, residential and non-residential summer camps, private nonprofit organizations, tribal organizations, and units of local, county, municipal, and state government. Colleges and universities that participate in the Upward Bound Program may also sponsor meal sites. Eligible sponsors are those who operate a nonprofit meal program during the summer for children age 18 and younger. Meal sites must be located in areas where at least 50 percent of the children are qualified for free or reduced-price school meals or where at least 50 percent of the children enrolled in a specific program are eligible for free and reduced-price school meals. All children — regardless of family income level — can receive a free meal at a site once the site has been approved. Meals must meet the USDA meal pattern requirements. Sponsors may prepare their own meals or purchase them from a school district or food service management company. Sponsors are reimbursed for eligible meals served. Up to two meal types per day per child may be served at each site. Sites serving primarily migrant children and residential camp sites may serve as many as three meal types per day per child. Interested organizations are encouraged to register for training at the SFSP website, which will take place in April and is a requirement for participation. Applications will be available online mid-spring. Contact OSPI at 360-725-6202 for more information.

CONTACT: Kristen Jaudon OSPI Communications Specialist 360-725-6032

Nondiscrimination Statement The USDA prohibits discrimination against its customers, employees, and applicants for employment on the bases of race, color, national origin, age, disability, sex, gender identity, religion, reprisal, and where applicable, political beliefs, marital status, familial or parental status, sexual orientation, or all or part of an individual’s income is derived from any public assistance program, or protected genetic information in employment or in any program or activity conducted or funded by the Department. (Not all prohibited bases will apply to all programs and/or employment activities.) If you wish to file a Civil Rights program complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, found online or at any USDA office, or call 866-632-9992 to request the form. You may also write a letter containing all of the information requested in the form. Send your completed complaint form or letter to us by mail at U.S. Department of Agriculture, Director, Office of Adjudication, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410, by fax 202-690-7442 or email at program.intake@usda.gov. Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have speech disabilities may contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at 800-877-8339 or 800-845-6136 (Spanish). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

Job Opportunity: WSDA Food Assistance Program Coordinator

Click here to Apply

The Food Assistance Programs (FAP) is responsible for helping to feed Washington's hungry by providing state/federal food and funding to food banks, meal programs, and tribes.  This, in turn, contributes to the Washington State Department of Agriculture's (WSDA's) mission of supporting the agricultural community and promoting consumer and environmental protection.

This position supports that mission by assisting with the implementation of program strategies in-line with division goals and objectives.  This position is the direct liaison for contractors in a set regional area for all programs and contracts administered by Food Assistance Programs which includes providing training and technical assistance.

This position will be responsible for ensuring that their regional contractors accurately report program data.  Reconcile regional report data and entering the date into tracking sheets and applicable data bases.  In addition, this position will assist in team projects, reporting, contractor compliance reviews, and data analysis.  In conjunction with team members, this position will provide support to the Food Assistance Programs and its' stakeholders while conducting research and analyzing data to identify program and project needs.