Going hungry: How food insecurity affects families and where to get help

No one should have to worry about where their next meal will come from, yet this is the reality for many individuals and families in our communities.

In Washington state, one in 10 people experiences food insecurity — lacking consistent access to the food they need to live a healthy life.

Many issues over the past few years, from the COVID-19 pandemic to supply chain disruptions to inflation, have made it challenging for people to afford nutritious food. In fact, a University of Washington survey identified grocery bills as the biggest source of financial stress for Washington residents facing food insecurity.

That stress affects the entire household, including children.

“Often, kids living in food-insecure households aren’t concerned about themselves,” says Juanita Silva, community health coordinator at MultiCare Yakima Memorial Hospital. “They’re worried about what their little brother or little sister is going to eat, or they’re worried that their parents are going to be upset. All that worry can really just shut them down from learning and socializing.”

The lifelong impacts of food insecurity

In his poem “The Great Tablecloth,” Pablo Neruda wrote that “Hunger feels like pincers, like the bite of crabs,” and it’s an injustice that one in seven children in Washington state endures.

Food insecurity not only leads to hunger in the present — which in turn affects behavior, emotional development and academic performance — but can also have lifelong impacts. Not having regular access to quality food is associated with an increased risk of many chronic diseases, such as diabetes, obesity and heart disease, and can affect mental health across the lifespan.

“Children who grow up in food-insecure households can develop unhealthy eating patterns that follow them into adulthood,” says Erica Lewis, RD, health promotion manager at the MultiCare Center for Health Equity and Wellness. “Living with that constant stress of not having enough to eat can lead people to hoard food or obsess about food waste to the point of overeating.”

For some families, the struggle to put food on the table got even harder in February 2023 when temporary pandemic-related increases to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) expired, resulting in a loss of $95 dollars or more a month per SNAP recipient.

Not just about food quantity, but quality

When we talk about fighting food insecurity, the emphasis is often on quantity — ensuring people have access to enough food — but other factors sometimes get overlooked.

“It isn’t just about ensuring people have access to any kind of food — it needs to be quality, nutritious items, including fruits and vegetables,” says Colleen McMeen, RD, CD, wellness dietitian at the Center for Health Equity and Wellness. “And it also needs to be culturally appropriate. Food and eating are part of a person’s identity, and any nutritional support they receive should be respectful of that.”

Aside from being the right thing to do, providing quality, culturally relevant food to families helps reduce waste and supports long-term health and well-being.

Supporting access to nutritious food

Effectively fighting food insecurity requires both vision and collaboration among many individuals and organizations. In 2015, Yakima Memorial began distributing weekly $10 vouchers to qualifying families for the purchase of fruits and vegetables.

Funded by the Washington Fruit and Vegetable Incentives Program (FVIP), the vouchers are available to food-insecure participants enrolled in select Yakima Memorial community education programs, including Actively Changing Together (ACT!), the Diabetes Prevention Program and the Pre-Diabetes Program.

“When we first started out, we had 500 vouchers available, and now we have 3,800,” says Silva, Yakima Memorial community health coordinator. “People get really excited to use them and talk about the new recipes they’re trying. Our program has one of the highest redemption rates for these vouchers in the state.”

Yakima Memorial is also collaborating with three local Rotary clubs and Northwest Harvest to deliver food, cooking utensils and healthy recipes — packaged in reusable shopping bags — to eligible families facing food insecurity. The items are available to graduates of the ACT! program or to those who have participated in nutrition programs with other local organizations.

“It can be hard for families with limited resources to try new foods, because if they don’t like them or their kids won’t eat them, then that’s money down the drain that they can’t afford to waste,” says Erin Black, chief executive officer at Memorial Foundation. “These baskets give people an opportunity to try new healthy foods, like sweet potato tacos, without that risk.”

About 155 miles across the state, the WIC program at MultiCare Mary Bridge Children’s provides food on a monthly basis, in addition to other benefits, to eligible families. The program serves children up to age 5, pregnant people and postpartum individuals. It’s important to note that any caregiver, including dads and grandparents, can enroll a child in WIC.

“We know that our communities are not using our WIC program as much as they could,” says wellness dietitian McMeen. “We encourage anyone to reach out who thinks they might qualify. In addition to food assistance, WIC provides nutrition education, breastfeeding support and more.”

Sign up for WIC or other nutrition services

To enroll in WIC, contact a WIC location near you. To learn more about WIC support outside Pierce County, call 800-841-1410.

The WIC Farmers Market Nutrition Program issues additional benefits to eligible participants to be used at participating farmers markets, roadside stands and farms. Many farmers markets are open from June through October.

In addition to WIC, Mary Bridge Children’s also offers a Pediatric Wellness Program, which supports whole-child health.

Where to turn for help across Washington

If you’re struggling to access nutritious food or would like to get involved in fighting food insecurity, many resources are available. A good place to start is the food justice organization Northwest Harvest.

On their website, you can find locations and contact information for meal programs and food banks in counties across the state. Region-specific resources are listed below.

Olympia and Thurston County

• Thurston County Food Bank. This food bank has distribution sites in Olympia and Lacey. The food bank is also seeking donations for school supplies and birthday bags for children.

Tacoma and Pierce County

• Emergency Food Network. Enter your location on their website to access their network of local food pantries.
• Nourish Pierce County. Use their locator tool to find locations and hours of Nourish food bank distribution sites.

Seattle and King County

• United Way of King County. This organization provides free grocery delivery to families in need. While the grocery program is currently at capacity, you can join their waitlist.
• Hopelink Food Program. Hopelink operates food markets at locations across King County. They also provide a home delivery service for those who cannot leave the house.
• Maple Valley Food Bank. In addition to a grocery store-style food bank, this organization offers other kinds of financial assistance.
• Rainier Valley Food Bank. This food bank provides food and other essential items to the South Seattle community.
• The Auburn Food Bank. In addition to food bank services throughout the week, this organization also delivers food to homebound clients (applications required).

Spokane

• Second Harvest. A recipient of MultiCare’s Community Partnership Fund, Second Harvest uses a variety of strategies to fight food insecurity in the Inland Northwest. Use their locator tool to find food near you, or learn more about Second Harvest in this video.
• Spokane Valley Partners. Another recipient of MultiCare’s Community Partnership Fund, Spokane Valley Partners provides access to food, clothing, household goods and more.
• Nuestras Raíces. This organization operates a culturally appropriate Hispanic/Latino food bank, in addition to a clothing and diaper bank. Learn more about Nuestras Raíces in this article.

Yakima

• Yakima Rotary Food Bank. A member agency of Northwest Harvest, this food bank distributes food on Friday mornings.
• Fruitvale Community Market. Operated by Northwest Harvest, this food bank is in the style of a grocery store. At this time, it’s drive-thru only, providing boxes of fresh produce and other items.
• Sunrise Outreach. This organization operates food pantries at multiple locations in Yakima County.