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?

Food banks and pantries are an essential part of our safety net, but they cannot replace programs like SNAP, school meals, and senior nutrition. I believe our first responsibility is to protect access to those programs and reduce the number of Washingtonians who lose food assistance because of changes at the federal level. I support expanding access to free school meals and exploring ways Washington can supplement federal food benefits when families lose assistance or federal benefits are inadequate. I also support continued investment in food banks and pantries—not only for food purchasing, but for the infrastructure that allows them to serve people efficiently, including refrigeration, transportation, mobile distribution, online ordering, and regional distribution capacity. Finally, I want Washington to better connect our food-security programs with our agricultural economy. We should continue purchasing Washington-grown food for Washington families and strengthen coordination among state agencies, farmers, food banks, schools, tribes, and community organizations. Our goal should be a food-security system that is accessible, coordinated, resilient, and accountable for whether people are actually getting the food they need. My understanding of food insecurity is both personal and rooted in my work in the community. I experienced food insecurity during my childhood and again as an adult, and I understand the challenge of trying to provide nutritious, appealing food for children while working within a limited household budget. I have also seen how access changes when a neighborhood loses a grocery store and families are left with fewer affordable options close to home. But food insecurity is rarely just about food. Families are making decisions among housing, childcare, healthcare, utilities, transportation, groceries, and other necessities. That is why addressing hunger has to be part of a broader affordability and economic-opportunity agenda. I would prioritize policies that increase economic stability through family-wage jobs and workforce opportunities, affordable housing and childcare, accessible transportation, and a fairer tax system, while protecting nutrition assistance for people who need it. I also believe Washington should establish clearer goals and accountability around food insecurity. We should know where disparities exist, set measurable goals for reducing them, invest accordingly, and regularly evaluate whether our policies are actually improving food access. My professional experience overseeing public investments has taught me that good intentions are not enough—we need measurable outcomes and accountability for whether investments are improving people’s lives.

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?

My understanding of food insecurity is both personal and rooted in my work in the community. I experienced food insecurity during my childhood and again as an adult, and I understand the challenge of trying to provide nutritious, appealing food for children while working within a limited household budget. I have also seen how access changes when a neighborhood loses a grocery store and families are left with fewer affordable options close to home. But food insecurity is rarely just about food. Families are making decisions among housing, childcare, healthcare, utilities, transportation, groceries, and other necessities. That is why addressing hunger has to be part of a broader affordability and economic-opportunity agenda. I would prioritize policies that increase economic stability through family-wage jobs and workforce opportunities, affordable housing and childcare, accessible transportation, and a fairer tax system, while protecting nutrition assistance for people who need it. I also believe Washington should establish clearer goals and accountability around food insecurity. We should know where disparities exist, set measurable goals for reducing them, invest accordingly, and regularly evaluate whether our policies are actually improving food access. My professional experience overseeing public investments has taught me that good intentions are not enough—we need measurable outcomes and accountability for whether investments are improving people’s lives.

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 want Washington to strengthen the connection between the food we produce and the people who live here. First, I support expanding opportunities for schools and other publicly funded institutions to purchase Washington-grown and Washington-produced food. State purchasing power can help create dependable markets for farmers, ranchers, fishers, and food processors while increasing access to fresh, locally produced food. Second, we should invest in the infrastructure smaller and mid-sized producers need to reach those markets, including regional distribution, cold storage, processing, commercial kitchens, and refrigerated transportation. These investments can strengthen local economies and make our food system more resilient. I also support continued state investment in purchasing locally produced food for food banks and other hunger-relief organizations. This can improve nutrition for families facing food insecurity while creating reliable markets for Washington producers. We should also make locally produced food easier for lower-income families to access through nutrition benefits, farmers markets, mobile markets, and other community-based approaches, particularly in communities without convenient access to full-service grocery stores. Finally, reducing food waste should be part of our food-security strategy. Washington should invest in gleaning, food rescue, refrigeration, transportation, and partnerships that redirect edible food to people before it becomes waste. These policies can accomplish several goals at once: reduce hunger, support Washington producers, strengthen local economies, reduce food waste, and build a more resilient food system.