Food Lifeline is pleased to share we are receiving $3.5 million from WSDA through HB1784 to address food insecurity. We are applying these funds two ways through a phased approach.
First, we are immediately spending $500,000 on food purchases to increase the volume of foods we can offer, including canned proteins, Halal proteins, fish, and canned fruits and vegetables. These items will be made available to all network partners through over the next month.
Secondly, we will use these funds to address the elevated needs we anticipate having over the coming months. We are seeking reimbursement for foods we have previously procured and distributed this fiscal year given the spending deadline of June 30th. We will then utilize the offsetting funds for food procurement in FY 2024 (July 1, 2023 – June 30, 2024), enabling us to sustain higher volumes of food for a longer period.
We will prioritize the foods our partner food banks have shared are the most important for the communities they serve. We appreciate the WSDA’s commitment to addressing food security, and we look forward to providing additional food resources because of this opportunity.
The Washington State House of Representatives and Senate unanimously passed the bill to provide additional hunger relief funding following the Feb. 28 expiration of federal supplemental SNAP benefits.
