WA Food Fund

Together, we can keep food on every table.

Nearly 1 million Washingtonians dependent on SNAP benefits, WA Food Fund is raising money to meet that critical need.

Our neighbors are going hungry, and we can help. Now is the time to act to make sure everyone in our state has enough to eat.

What is the WA Food Fund?

WA Food Fund is a relief fund that supports food banks and pantries across the state so they can maintain their food supply. Three Washington-based organizations working on the frontlines of food insecurity – Food Lifeline, Northwest Harvest and Second Harvest – will use these funds to distribute food to hundreds of food banks across the state from our cities to our most rural communities.

Originally launched in 2020 to help stabilize Washington’s food system during the pandemic, the WA Food Fund has been reactivated to bring together philanthropy and community partners to keep food flowing across Washington, raising more than $4 million to date.

The fund coordinates resources statewide to meet urgent needs, strengthen the food-bank network and ensure every Washingtonian has access to food.

Who Needs Our Help?

The uncertainty of SNAP put an additional burden on an already strained food system. Inflation has made groceries increasingly unaffordable and worsened food insecurity. Even before cuts in federal funding, one in four Washington residents visited a food pantry in the last year.

The recent uncertainty of federal nutrition programs threatened the food security of Washingtonians:

930,000 Washingtonians receive food assistance, 11% of the state’s population
1 in 3 of those are elderly or disabled
33% are children
30,000 Washington veterans rely on food assistance

Washington’s philanthropic community is stepping up once again to fill critical gaps and support our communities. These efforts are a bridge, helping communities weather the recent uncertainty of federal nutrition programs.