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 do incredible work, but they cannot replace SNAP, school meals, senior nutrition, or the other programs families depend on every day. I would protect those public programs first and make sure Washington uses every federal dollar available to us. I also support making enrollment easier so families who qualify are not losing help because of paperwork or confusing rules. At the same time, the state has to invest directly in our food banks and pantries. In the most recent budget, we protected $93 million for emergency food assistance organizations, and here in the 23rd District we helped secure $2.5 million to expand a community resource center and food bank. I also supported free school meals for Washington students and expanding the Working Families Tax Credit to more families. Those policies matter because helping a family afford groceries is not only about what happens at the food bank. It is also about making sure kids can eat at school and families have enough money left after paying rent, utilities, childcare, and healthcare. When federal support is threatened, Washington needs to be ready to step in and protect people from going hungry.

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 as part of a much bigger affordability problem. I have lived through poverty and housing instability myself, and I know what it is like when there is simply not enough money to cover everything your family needs. I also hear directly from people in my district through town halls, constituent calls, emails, and meetings about what rising costs are doing to their families. Food, housing, healthcare, childcare, utilities, and transportation all compete for the same paycheck. That is why my work in Olympia has focused on lowering those basic costs. I supported expanding the Working Families Tax Credit, free school meals, childcare investments, energy assistance, and housing programs. I also passed legislation expanding hospital charity care so more working families can receive free or reduced-cost hospital care. I want us to keep attacking hunger from both directions: make sure people have food today, and lower the other costs that force families to choose between groceries and everything else. Nobody should have to skip meals because rent went up, a child got sick, or the electric bill came in higher than expected.

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?

Washington grows an incredible amount of food. It makes no sense for good food to go to waste while families are hungry and farmers are struggling to make ends meet. I support expanding programs that buy Washington-grown food and move it directly into food banks, pantries, schools, and other community programs. That gives families fresh, healthy food while also creating reliable markets for local farmers. We should also invest in the infrastructure farmers and food organizations need, including cold storage, processing, transportation, and distribution. Small farms can lose opportunities simply because they do not have access to the equipment or storage needed to get food to market. I also support Washington’s food rescue programs, which purchase produce, dairy, grains, proteins, and other food that might otherwise go to waste and distribute it through hunger-relief organizations. Here in Kitsap, we have also invested in preserving local agriculture, including funding for Suyematsu Farm on Bainbridge Island. To me, these goals belong together. We can reduce food waste, strengthen local farms, and get more healthy Washington-grown food onto the tables of families who need it.