What’s Happening in Olympia?
Hunger Action Day was Monday, Feb. 5 – hunger relief advocates from across the state convened in Olympia to meet with legislators, hear from legislative champions, and celebrate the pending passage of the Breakfast After the Bell bill. Every single state lawmaker received a visit on Monday from hunger advocates, including Food Lifeline staff.
Bills that already passed the legislature this session include:
– A capital budget that includes funding to support the Healthy Kids/Healthy Schools project, which helps schools equip and remodel their kitchens to prepare healthier meals on-site.
Bills expecting final passage soon include:
– Breakfast After the Bell to allow high-needs schools to provide breakfast or snacks after the start of the school day, a change that affects up to 150,000 kids.
– Farm to School program, which will restore funding to this program that allows the Department of Agriculture to connect small farmers to new markets, including schools, to increase kids’ access to fresh produce.
Bills that are still pending include:
– Washington Food Policy Forum, a bill to establish a statewide coordinating body to evaluate food access and identify opportunities for improvements and collaboration.
Be sure to visit our advocacy page to stay in the loop on all the latest hunger-fighting action taking place!
