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News
How WA food banks are handling a hunger cliff
March 8, 2023 | KUOW
The state of food insecurity in Washington state, as changes in federal law that will end $95 million a month in food assistance. Recently published new data from a UW and WSU survey highlights that food insecurity was highest in households made up of people of color, families with children, and among renters.
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Survey shows food insecurity remains high in Washington state
March 8, 2023 | KOMO News
UW associate professor Jennifer Otten was interviewed in this video and article from KOMO News about the recent results from the WAFOOD survey the impacts on low income households, particularly those with children. How Washingtonians are copying with food and fuel costs is highlighted.
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Fund food insecurity response in WA — and demand national fix
March 6, 2023 | Seattle Times
Editorial featured in Seattle Times highlights legislative House bill 1784 which provides aencies charged with making sure those who are food insecure are asking the state for an emergency infusion of $28 million to help increase inventories at food banks and other agencies purchasing food and supplies, help manage storage facilities, food delivery and logistics, and maintain outreach to those who may not have access or know about such services.
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Food insecurity remains high in Spokane and statewide, UW-WSU survey shows
March 5, 2023 | The Spokesman-Review
Dr. Marie Spiker is quoted in this article which highlights the increasing costs of groceries and cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Food Assistance Program (SNAP), and the most recent data from the WAFOOD survey conducted by UW and WSU in December 2022 – January 2023.
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Food insecurity persists in WA, just as emergency benefits expire
February 28, 2023 | Seattle Times
Story provides insight into the region’s looming hunger relief problems citing new data from the UW & WSU WAFOOD survey, and the concern that pandemic-era meal assistance benefits run out this week.
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SNAP cuts lead to warning of “hunger cliff”
February 27, 2023 | AXIOS Seattle
Story highlighting how pandemic food aid is ending nationwide, and this change in the federal law means more than half a million households in Washington will lose a total of about $95 million a month in food assistance even as food and fuel costs remain high or increase. Data cited in the article was recently published by the UW & WSU WAFOOD survey.
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Low-income Washington state households still struggling with food insecurity as pandemic protections end
February 23, 2023
Affording food is such a challenge in Washington state that residents who experience food insecurity say their grocery bills are their biggest source of financial stress, more so than paying for rent or utilities. That’s one of the findings of a food survey of Washington residents from December 2022 to January 2023, run by researchers...
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The pandemic is supposed to be over. Why is Pierce County food insecurity still so high?
February 23, 2023 | The News Tribune
Story highlights WAFOOD research published in 2023 which finds almost half of responding households reported experiencing food insecurity in the past month — with the highest occurrences among BIPOC respondents, households with children and renters. Meanwhile, the overall reliance on food assistance programs and food banks remained high.
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Nutritional Sciences faculty joins Washington State Food Policy Forum
January 10, 2023
Jennifer Otten, a faculty member and food systems scholar in the University of Washington School of Public Health will begin a new appointment in January 2023 as a member of the Washington State Food Policy Forum, a cross-sector group formed by the WA State Legislature in 2016 which makes recommendations for improving the food system...
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How to Get Connected And Fight Food Insecurity
December 8, 2022 | Seattle Medium
Marie Spiker is quoted in this article which highlights ways to help fight food insecurity in the Greater Seattle area in a meaningful way during the holiday season. Spiker says, “It’s not just about ‘not having food’ — people may find themselves skipping meals, reducing the size of their meals or choosing non-preferred foods for financial reasons.”
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