Status in Olympia, WA:
The final weeks of the legislative session are approaching- there could even be a budget this week! So now is the time to share your stories about fighting hunger.
Each chamber has released their budgets, so now they are working to find a compromise. The House proposed a budget with sustainable revenue sources and strong support for hunger programs. The Senate budget did not include this support due to dramatically less revenue generation. Learn more about the budgets here.
This week it is essential for us to remind our legislators of how we want the budget to support our communities. The best way to do this is to send them a quick story.
Step 1: Check who represents you! Click here to find your legislators and their contact information. Special folks to reach out to sit on these committees:
Step 2: Craft your quick story. This is your chance to paint a picture of what fighting hunger is like on the ground. It is always best to empower the voices of those most marginalized in our communities.
If you can, share a food bank client story.
If not, provide a testimony from your experience. See here for an amazing message from Suzanne at the Ferndale Food Bank and check out this powerful testimony from Joe Gruber of the University District Food Bank.
Step 3: Share that story! It should only take a few minutes to either call or email your legislators.
Be sure to include:
- Who and where you are (a constituent in their district? Or you serve their constituents?)
- Facts about your work: client numbers, lbs of food, ect. (numbers/impact work well in the policy world)
- Anecdotal importance of your work (why fighting hunger is so crucial)
Thank you for the amazing work you do, we are honored to facilitate a unified voice for the emergency food system in Washington. Your partnership is essential in the fight against hunger in our state.
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