In February, Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson presented nearly $4 billion in budget cuts to address an expected deficit of $15 billion over the next four years. Demand for food banks in the state has increased, but funding for those services is on the chopping block.
Ferguson has so far steered clear of a "wealth tax" proposed by his predecessor Jay Inslee. The 1% tax on residents with global wealth exceeding $100 million would affect approximately 3,400 of Washington's wealthiest and generate $10.3 billion over four years.
Instead, in proposing cuts, Ferguson has pointed out that funding for things such as food banks has grown because of increased federal pandemic funding that the state has since been backfilling.
In a press release, Ferguson said that in 2019, the Washington State Department of Agriculture provided $12 million in funding assistance to food banks. With the help of one-time federal funding, the food bank budget reached $128 million for the 2021-23 biennium. Ferguson's new budget proposal would limit state money for food bank programs to $82 million for the next biennium.
As the governor proposes cuts, the U.S. House of Representatives has passed a budget resolution that would require $2 trillion in federal spending cuts through 2034. The Agriculture Committee aims to cut $230 billion over 10 years. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, is expected to receive massive cuts, potentially affecting an estimated 888,300 Washingtonians (1 in 9 residents) who use the program, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. SNAP provides food benefits to low-income families.
As proposed funding cuts cause uncertainty, food costs continue to rise, and demand for food programs increases, food banks across the Inland Northwest are focused on their mission of serving the most vulnerable.
'THREE EGGS PER FAMILY'
Second Harvest Inland Northwest is a charitable organization that distributes food to more than 250 food banks and helps rural communities through its mobile food bank services. The organization serves 26 counties in Central and Eastern Washington and five counties in North Idaho.
Second Harvest spokesperson Eric Williams says the organization distributed 36 million pounds of food in 2024, or 30 million meals. He says that because of the vast agricultural network in the region, Second Harvest receives 90% of its food from private donations, 5% from purchases it makes, and 5% from government-funded purchases or food donations.
"We're in a great ag area, where farmers, ranchers, [and] grocery stores are very generous," Williams says. "We're fortunate to be where we are because of the bounty and just the generosity of the folks in the region."
Williams says there's a lot of uncertainty because the budget cuts are still just proposals, but Second Harvest is planning for any potential shortfalls. He says the real focus is filling the gaps for those potentially impacted by the proposed budget cuts.
For Second Harvest, acquiring local nutrient-dense foods like apples, potatoes, cherries and lentils is much easier in this region. Their food sourcing team and philanthropy department can find fresh, locally grown food, but the concern is often finding shelf-stable food items. Williams says there aren't large pasta manufacturers or canneries that are local and can donate food.
Mary Jo Donaldson is the food bank manager at Our Place Community Outreach in Spokane. The organization runs on donations and provides food, hygienic products, bus passes, clothing and laundry services.
Donaldson says that Second Harvest is a "rock star" organization that helps the food bank get the food they need by providing a semi-truck with pallets of food to the food bank every week, which helps sustain their operations.
Our Place serves 210 people daily each Wednesday and Thursday during its two-and-a-half hour service outside its center at 1509 W. College Ave. Due to inflation, rising housing costs, a growing refugee population and reduced federal funding for SNAP benefits (often referred to as food stamps), Donaldson has noticed a 25% increase in demand compared with previous years.
The 37-year-old organization primarily serves the elderly and children. In 2023-24, it served 688,736 pounds of food to more than 10,000 individuals.
"Probably 60% of our clientele are refugees that come through, and we have seen a steady uptick in that group," Donaldson says. "It seems like we have just enough to feed everybody every week, but with the cuts being as high as they are, it's definitely worrisome for us."
Our Place receives about 47,000 to 80,000 pounds of food every month from the USDA through Second Harvest donations and private food donations from businesses and churches, but Donaldson expects that if federal funding cuts happen, the food distributed to their organization will drastically decrease.
At one point, Our Place received up to 12 cases of eggs a week, which each hold 180 eggs, but now thanks to shortages due to the avian flu, if they're lucky enough to get eggs, they receive four 12-egg cartons.
"Last week, we didn't get any eggs, but this week, we got four dozen," Donaldson says. "We're only handing out three eggs per family right now instead of a dozen eggs.
As demand grows and funding cuts loom over organizations like Our Place, Donaldson says food donations are appreciated, but even volunteering time can help make a difference.
"That is what makes this place so special and amazing," Donaldson says. "All of the wonderful volunteers that we have in the community come in and help us." ♦
