What actions would you take as a state legislator to protect and strengthen Washington’s food security safety net, including both public nutrition programs and the food banks and food pantries serving communities across the state?

Washington’s food‑security safety net only works when every part of it is strong — from school meals to food banks to statewide nutrition programs. As a state legislator, I would focus on three areas where the system is clearly falling short. 1. Fixing school nutrition so kids actually get healthy meals. Too many school lunches are low‑quality, highly processed, and nutritionally inadequate. That hurts learning, health, and family budgets. I would push for higher nutrition standards, better oversight of meal quality, and funding that allows districts to cook real food instead of relying on pre‑packaged meals. Kids deserve fresh, healthy lunches — not the “whatever’s cheapest” approach that has become the norm. 2. Strengthening food banks, especially volunteer‑run community hubs. Food banks like Mukilteo’s, which are powered by volunteers, are doing heroic work but operating on shoestring budgets. I would support stable state funding for food banks, grants for infrastructure upgrades (refrigeration, storage, delivery vehicles), and streamlined partnerships with local farms and grocery stores to reduce waste and increase fresh‑food availability. Volunteer‑run food banks shouldn’t have to fight for resources every year. 3. Protecting and expanding public nutrition programs. Programs like SNAP, WIC, and senior nutrition services are essential for families across Washington. I would defend these programs from cuts, simplify enrollment, and expand access to culturally appropriate foods. When families can reliably access nutrition support, food banks can focus on emergencies instead of filling systemic gaps. Food security is not just about calories — it’s about dignity, health, and giving every family the chance to thrive. Strengthening school meals, supporting community‑run food banks, and protecting statewide nutrition programs are the most direct ways to make that happen.

What have you done to understand food insecurity in the communities you seek to represent—including engaging with people experiencing hunger or local hunger-relief organizations—and what policies would you prioritize to address the root causes of hunger and ensure Washington residents can afford and access the food they need?

I understand food insecurity in our communities because I’ve lived it. I know what it feels like to be hungry, to stretch meals, and to choose between eating and “fasting” because there simply wasn’t enough. That experience stays with you. It shapes how you see families who are struggling today. I’ve also spent time volunteering at the Mukilteo Food Bank, where I’ve seen firsthand how many people rely on these services and how hard our volunteers work to keep shelves stocked. When you carry groceries out to someone’s car or help a parent find fresh produce, you understand very quickly that food insecurity isn’t abstract — it’s daily life for thousands of people in Washington. Those experiences guide the policies I would prioritize as a legislator: • Strengthening volunteer‑run food banks with stable funding, infrastructure grants, and support for fresh‑food partnerships so they aren’t forced to operate on shoestring budgets. • Improving school nutrition, because too many kids rely on school meals and the quality is unacceptable. Better standards, better oversight, and funding for real food — not processed, pre‑packaged meals — are essential. • Addressing root causes of hunger by supporting programs that reduce family financial strain, expanding access to SNAP and WIC, and making enrollment simpler and more accessible. I would focus on food waste~ Reduce statewide food waste by incentivizing grocery stores, restaurants, and producers to donate surplus food, improving liability protections, and supporting regional food‑rescue networks.

What policies or investments would you support to strengthen Washington’s food system, increase access to locally produced food, support Washington farmers and producers, and reduce food waste? I’m all about using innovation and technology to strengthen Washington’s food system. I would support investments that help farmers adopt modern tools, expand tech‑enabled farm‑to‑school and farm‑to‑community distribution, and build digital infrastructure for food banks so surplus food gets rescued instead of wasted. Better logistics, better data, and better coordination will increase access to locally produced food, support Washington farmers, and dramatically cut food waste. Create a statewide smart food‑rescue platform that uses real‑time technology to match surplus food from farms, grocery stores, and restaurants with nearby food banks and schools. This single system would cut food waste, get more local food to families, and support farmers by making donations simple and efficient.