NEWS & EVENTS

Recent News:

One Step Closer to Strong Child Nutrition Programs!

Thanks to all of your hard work and strong voices of support, we are one step closer to passing vital federal child nutrition programs! Just last week, the House Education and Labor Committee approved Child Nutrition bill H.R. 5504 which would make strong strides against child hunger.

Stop Cuts to Food Stamp Benefits

Currently, Senate leadership is looking for new ways to pay for a federal jobs and program extenders bill, which would help continue extended unemployment insure and enhanced Medicaid funding. Though passing this jobs bill is important, the Senate has suggested cutting billions of dollars from future SNAP (food stamp) benefits in order to help finance the package. If the Senate does opt for these cuts, the cut in benefits is estimated to total $9.56 billion!

Last Chance for County Funding

The King County Executive introduced a proposal for a public safety sales tax increase of .2%, which the Council will vote on May 17. The County has the authority to expand the proposal up to .3%. By exercising full authority and adding another .1%, the Council could secure $25 million in funding for community health and human services.

Improving Child Nutrition with Postcards

Small postcards made a huge difference! Food Lifeline staff recently delivered a huge stack of postcards to Congressman Jim McDermott at his district office in Seattle. Staff, volunteers, and local community members signed these cards, which were just a fraction of the more than 1,000 that have been collected during our ongoing campaign.

Food Lifeline's President & CEO, Linda Nageotte, Named Feeding America's Executive Director of the Year

Food Lifeline, the largest hunger relief organization in Washington and local Feeding America member, announces President & CEO Linda Nageotte as the recipient of the highly-coveted, national award for Executive Director of the Year from Feeding America. This prestigious award honors the leader of a Feeding America network member, who has contributed an extraordinary effort to the network’s viability and momentum. This network includes more than 200 hunger relief organizations throughout the nation.

The 2010 Legislative Session Has Come To An End!

On April 13 at 1:00 am, the State Special Session came to an end. After many deliberations, the House and the Senate came to an agreement on the budget and revenue package. Tough choices had to be made in determining where to make cuts and where to raise new revenue. Ultimately, the Legislature approved $757 million in new revenue to help bridge gaps in the budget during this difficult economic time.

A Strong Network Comes Together

We work to provide our agencies with the tools and knowledge they want and need to be successful in their work, to operate with the best practices in our industry, and to build their capacity as highly functioning, thriving organizations. One of the ways we do this is by holding an Annual Agency Conference, where each of the nearly 300 food banks, meal programs and shelters we serve throughout Western Washington can come together to learn best practices of the network. This year’s conference, held on March 22nd, included the presentation of our Agency Excellence Awards...

Prevent Devastating Cuts to Essential Services!

Since March 15, the Washington State Legislature has been in a Special Session to finalize the unresolved state budget. The past few weeks have been full of deliberations as the House and Senate have struggled to find a revenue package they can agree on.

Community Members Urge Lawmakers to Make Child Nutrition a Priority

Community members petitioning for an end to child hunger presented US Congressman Jay Inslee with nearly 1,000 signed postcards at his district office in Shoreline. Each postcard had a simple message asking lawmakers to make child nutrition a priority.

The Child Nutrition Reauthorization Process Begins!

On March 17, Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Blanche Lincoln released her “mark” for Child Nutrition Reauthorization, signaling the start of real action on this important federal legislation. Though bills have been introduced for a while, the first hearings will likely start next week, so now is the key time to take action and contact your members of Congress.

There are Just a Few Days Left!

Thursday, March 11 is the last day of the 2010 State Legislative Session. These next few days are a key decision-making time and legislators want your input while making these vital choices. Currently, there are many important programs at stake in the budget. Now is the time to let your lawmaker know that these programs are a priority.

Draft Budgets Released by the House and Senate

On February 23, the House and Senate released their versions of the State Budget. Thanks to phone calls and emails from concerned individuals like you, both the House and Senate preserved all funding for local food banks and tribal food bank voucher programs.  While the House version of the budget protected almost all of the hunger relief and safety net funding, the Senate budget made some troubling cuts to vital programs.

The 2010 Legislative Session is in Full Swing

On January 29, over 150 people from across the state gathered in Olympia for Hunger Action Day, the Anti-Hunger and Nutrition Coalition’s annual lobby day. The day was a tremendous success. Advocates from 32 of the 49 districts met with their lawmakers to urge them to protect funding for hunger relief programs and prioritize nutrition when difficult decisions are being made. Thank you to all those who participated, either in Olympia or by writing or calling your lawmakers!

Chef Thierry Rautureau is on Top Chef Masters!

We have exciting news! Renowned Chef Thierry Rautureau, a Food Lifeline board member and avid supporter, will be showing off his magnificent skills on Top Chef Masters Season 2. Read more information and be sure to tune into the show on Bravo, April 7th at 11p.m. Donate now and join in Thierry’s support of Food Lifeline

Jamar Adams, Kevin Calabro discuss Food Lifeline on 710 ESPN

Your Support During the Holidays

Thanks to your generosity, we were able to provide more than 37,300 holiday meals for hungry people in local communities. The special “Giving Opportunities” email we sent you last month was a huge success because of your support, and we raised more than $9,300! On behalf of the more than 675,000 people we serve, thank you. Donate now if you missed the email or didn’t have the chance!

Food Lifeline is Excited to be Involved in the Pound for Pound Challenge!

Now in its second year, this exciting fundraising program was formed by a partnership of NBC’s The Biggest Loser, General Mills and Feeding America to encourage Americans to “Lose Nationally, Feed Locally.”  Sign up and pledge your weight loss goals at www.pfpchallenge.com.

Take Action and Join Us for Hunger Action Day 2010

The 2010 Washington State legislative session begins January 11! In these challenging economic times, the State Legislature is faced with a deficit of $2.6 billion and must make difficult decisions in order to balance the budget. Unfortunately, the Governor’s proposed budget makes cuts to many programs that support low income people. These cuts to vital services combined with the difficult economic climate will result in even longer lines at food banks and meal programs across the state. Therefore, we must urge our State lawmakers to protect these hunger relief programs when they are needed most.

Sharing Food, Smiles and Thanks

Nearly 350 individuals from local Food Lifeline meal programs shared a hot meal at the Thanksgiving Gathering Day hosted at Rock Bottom Restaurant. The turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing and gravy were passed abundantly, and there was no short supply of smiles and gratitude.

The Numbers Are In

Washingtonians are struggling to feed their families. One in nine, (or 11.1%) of Washington’s households are “food insecure,” meaning they lack the resources to ensure that all family members will not go hungry, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s latest report on food security. In addition, 4.3% have “very low food security,” meaning at least one family member has gone hungry due to a lack of resources for food.

Food Banks Go High-Tech to Feed the Hungry

Food banks across the country are undergoing a high-tech revolution, adopting sophisticated databases, bar coding, GPS tracking, automated warehouses and other technologies used in the food industry that increasingly supplies their goods.

Food Lifeline's 2009 Holiday Card Now Available

Do you send out cards every year during the holidays? We have a great way for you to make yours stand out in the crowd! Food Lifeline’s holiday card is now available for you to order. This is a great way for you to support your neighbors in need this winter as you wish your friends and family a warm and happy holiday season.

Take Action to Save Human Service Funding in King County

These budget cuts would be detrimental to several vital services and the people who use them, including domestic violence shelters, senior centers, homeless shelters, legal advocates for victims of sexual assault, programs for youth at risk, as well as Food Lifeline and the hunger relief services we provide. In these tough economic times, these important services are needed now more than ever and cutting them would impact us all.

Your Voice as a Donation

Are you interested in donating something in addition to your donation of time or money during Hunger Action Month? You can donate your voice to give hungry children access to nutritious food so they can grow strong and learn well in school. Many of the families we serve utilize federal nutritional programs for children, including school meals, the Summer Food Service Program, and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC).

Volunteering is for All Ages

Seeing Food Lifeline Everywhere You Go!

Speak Up and Help Out!

You Helped Us Break Records in King County!

Food Lifeline Receives National Recognition

Peanut Recalls: What happens when a food bank staple is pulled from the shelves

Food Lifeline Privacy Policy
Food Lifeline is committed to your privacy and not only maintains strict customer privacy policies, but also ensures a safe environment when you make a donation. We are also proud...

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Profiles in Ending Hunger: The Many Faces of Ben Morris
When you watch Ben Morris, Volunteer Operations Coordinator extraordinaire, in action you will immediately notice his amazing sense of rapport with every single volunteer that...