Get Involved|August: Food is Political
“Hunger is a political issue, and there are several things politically that are keeping people hungry – not funding food stamps adequately, not funding school lunches adequately. So there is a political solution to the problem of hunger.”
– Tom Colicchio, chef
This story is part of The Meaning of Food, Northwest Harvest’s yearlong exploration of food’s meaning in our lives and communities.
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“That will be 317.78.” Over $300 for only four bags of groceries.
You nod and hand over your credit card, a slight pang of anxiety caught in your chest. You’ve got two teenage boys at home, and their appetite is becoming increasingly difficult to keep up with. During the school year, they get their breakfast and lunch at school, and you’re usually able to plan meals and stretch your grocery budget. It’s August now, though, and the boys have been out of school for nearly two months. You’re cutting coupons, you don’t buy any brand name items, and you opt for frozen or canned veggies and proteins where you can. These four bags of groceries will last you a little over a week before you need to restock. You get paid in five days. You hate having to put your groceries on a credit card, but it will have to do for now.
Politicians have promised to do something about inflation and the cost of food. Instead, the news announced that $186 billion dollars will be cut from SNAP over the next ten years. Staples in your household – eggs, bread, coffee – are all significantly more expensive than they have ever been in your memory. Avian flu, increased demand, labor shortages, and increased fuel costs have caused the cost of eggs to skyrocket. Bread prices have also remained high due to grain supply disruptions caused by ongoing conflict in key wheat-producing regions. Coffee prices have also been on a steady incline since 2024, largely due to extreme weather conditions and drought in Central and South America.
Economic policy, inflation, climate crisis, global conflict, disease, and labor shortages have deeply impacted the availability of products many of us are used to seeing on grocery store shelves. The cost of food has also spiked: grocery prices overall have increased around 23% since 2021, and some items have faced even steeper price increases.
As the cost of groceries rises, so does the number of people experiencing food insecurity. What happens when people are hungry and can’t afford to buy enough food? They apply for SNAP benefits, they go into credit card debt, or they visit food banks. The hunger relief system in the United States is already dangerously close to buckling under the demand; food banks are struggling with increased food and fuel costs, fewer donations, and a decline in volunteerism.
Food shouldn’t be political – but it is.
Even legislation that has been historically reliably bipartisan is now considered controversial. The devastating cuts to SNAP, and the changes in eligibility requirements, that were approved earlier this summer spell catastrophe for hundreds of thousands of Washingtonians, and millions across the country.
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as food stamps, is the largest anti-hunger program in the United States. SNAP is the first line of defense against food insecurity and is a crucial cornerstone of our public safety net, helping more than 42 million participants put food on the table each month.
SNAP is proven to be effective in reducing hunger, food insecurity, and poverty, by providing low-income people targeted assistance to purchase food at grocery stores, farmers’ markets, and other regular commercial food outlets.
SNAP also provides economic and public health benefits. It is estimated that each dollar in federally funded SNAP benefits generates between $1.50 and $1.80 in economic activity during a recession. Local business – including 261,066 grocery stores, farmers’ markets, and other retailers which contribute to local taxes that fund services like schools and health care – redeemed a total of $114 billion from SNAP purchases in FY 2023. People receiving SNAP benefits are more likely to be able to access nutritious foods that reduce strain on public health infrastructure and improve health outcomes.
SNAP ranks third only to Social Security and Earned Income Tax Credits in its effectiveness in reducing poverty. For every meal provided to people experiencing food insecurity by the hunger relief system, nine meals are provided by SNAP.
Despite the demonstrated success of SNAP for promoting food access and providing some economic stability for people living in poverty, the federal government passed the “One Big Beautiful Bill” which included devastating cuts to SNAP and Medicaid earlier this year. The bill cuts federal funding for SNAP by $186 billion through 2034. This is the largest cut to food assistance in history.
The Dangerous Erosion of Public Benefits
Some major overhauls are coming to SNAP: who is eligible, the average benefit amount, and additional funding cuts to anti-poverty programs. 22.3 million American families would lose some or all of their SNAP benefits. In Washington state, nearly one million people rely on SNAP benefits. Under the new eligibility requirements, 130,000 Washingtonians may lose their benefits entirely. Here’s what we can expect to see in the upcoming months and years ahead:
The bill extends SNAP work requirements to more Americans than ever before. More people will need to work or volunteer at least 20 hours per week or participate in training programs to keep their benefits—and many people who were previously exempt from work requirements will now have to show they meet them or risk losing their SNAP benefits (those groups include veterans, people experiencing homelessness, and individuals who were previously in the foster care system – all groups that were previously exempt from the work requirements).
Starting in fiscal year 2028, states may be required to pay a portion of food benefit costs for the first time in SNAP’s history. Previously, states only paid administrative costs, not the actual food benefits. If the cost burdens shift more onto states, that could affect how benefits are administered in the future.
The bill restricts future updates to the Thrifty Food Plan, which determines how much money people get in SNAP benefits. This means SNAP benefits may stay stuck at a meager $6.20 per day despite rising food costs.
A community member in rural eastern Washington named Meredith, shares how inadequate SNAP benefits are, even before the federal cuts were approved earlier this summer: “With my income, I only plan for two meals a day. After the middle of the month, I don’t have any fresh produce. I mostly eat canned soup and cook frozen food in my air fryer. These aren’t necessarily foods I enjoy, and I know they aren’t the foods my doctor recommends that I eat, but it’s what I can afford. What is someone in my situation supposed to do?”
The bill limits SNAP eligibility to U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents. Previously, certain immigrant groups like refugees, people seeking asylum, survivors of domestic violence, and victims of trafficking who haven’t become permanent residents were eligible for benefits.
The bill cuts federal spending on Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program benefits by over one trillion dollars. By 2034, at least 10.5 million people across the country will no longer be eligible to receive Medicaid benefits. Currently nearly two million Washingtonians —roughly 1 in 5—are enrolled in Apple Health, the state’s Medicaid program. Kaiser Family Foundation estimates Washington will lose between $31 billion and $51 billion in federal Medicaid dollars over the next 10 years, or at least $3 billion per year. Nearly 500,000 Washington residents could lose their medical coverage altogether.
It is almost impossible to overstate how catastrophic these changes will be to working families, and vulnerable communities in Washington and across the United States.
“We are at the center of a lot of wealth (in Washington state), and yet we have almost a million people who don’t have enough to eat. It’s simple – if you’re hungry, you should get to eat. That’s my view. I don’t think we suffer from scarcity in the United States – I think we suffer from greed.”
— United States Representative Pramila Jayapal
Food in politics is a big business – in 2024 alone, food and beverage companies spent a whopping $29.6 million dollars on lobbying to promote and protect corporate interests. Food systems workers (people who grow, pack, transport food, food service workers, fast food employees, and grocery store workers) are roughly twice as likely to need SNAP as the average US worker.
Food insecurity is an inevitability in the context of a political and economic system designed to create scarcity and maximize profit. When there’s money to be made, there’s money to be spent creating the conditions that cause hunger in the first place. SNAP benefits have always been lean: the average SNAP benefit ends up being less than $6 per day, per person and 86% of surveyed SNAP users say their benefits don’t last through the month.
“Cost is always the thing that gets me, and beats me over the head – you think you’ve purchased enough, but it goes by quickly, and then the last week of the month comes and fear kicks in,” shares Dante, a community member with two daughters relying on SNAP to help him put food on the table. “So much time and energy goes into making sure there’s food on the table. You can’t think straight when you’re hungry.”
Communities that are more likely to experience food and other basic needs insecurity will be hit the hardest, particularly seniors and people with disabilities living on a fixed income.
“Every penny I receive from disability benefits is spoken for before I even get it,” says community member Brian. Brian was the victim of random violence years ago that left him permanently disabled and unable to work. Brian lives on a fixed income from Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and receives SNAP benefits. “I’m capped, I can’t ever move forward or do anything financially constructive to invest in myself,” he says. “I’d love to be able to buy clothes, get a haircut, or get dental work done, but that’s not realistic for me on my income. There’s no money left over to prepare for an emergency expense or take care of car maintenance. I’m always just staying ahead of next month’s bills.”
These numbers and stories represent the bleak reality faced by millions of people across the country – and those numbers will only continue to worsen in the wake of sweeping and cruel cuts to SNAP.
“Food justice is not just about feeding the hungry; it’s about empowering communities and creating lasting change.”
— Leah Penniman, Co-Founder of Soul Fire Farm, activist
Ending hunger is not a problem of feasibility – it’s a problem of political will. But the will of the people is mighty and a collective movement for justice and dignity is growing. Communities across the United States and around the world have fought for food justice for centuries, often at great personal risk. From enslaved Africans and indigenous communities displaced from their ancestral lands to migrant farmworkers organizing for their rights, people have always advocated for their right to food.
The movement continues: states across the country are working to officially realize the Right to Food. The Right to Food is a call to action and a legal framework for coordinated reform in food, agriculture, health, labor, and the environment. For the Right to Food to be realized, food must be universally available, accessible, adequate, and sustainable. Read our recent blog post The Right to Food: Building a Future Where Everyone Has Enough for a deeper dive into what exactly this means and how we can make it happen.
Achieving the Right to Food in Washington state will require all of us, working together and alongside each other. The movement recognizes that food security cannot be separated from other forms of justice – housing, healthcare, fair wages, and environmental protection are all interconnected.
The Right to Food is more than a policy goal – it’s a vision for a world where access to nourishing food is guaranteed for all people, regardless of their circumstances. This future is possible: it requires all of us working diligently and in community to make it a reality. When we work toward the Right to Food, we’re not just addressing hunger – we’re building a more just and equitable society where everyone has the foundation they need to thrive.
Hunger is a solvable problem: we produce enough food to feed everyone. No one needs to go hungry. The conditions that create hunger can be changed by re-building strong regional food systems, investing in common sense safety nets that promote a path out of poverty, developing legislation that is co-created with the people most impacted by food policy, and taking the lead from other countries across the globe that have achieved a Right to Food. We have the tools to grow a rich and fruitful food system for all of us. Now is the time to dream, organize, and build – the power is already ours.
Anti-Hunger and Nutrition Coalition [Washington state]: The Anti-Hunger and Nutrition Coalition (AHNC) is a statewide coalition of organizations and individuals committed to ending hunger and fighting poverty in Washington state. The Coalition brings the voices of hungry Washingtonians to policy makers to ensure that public policy leads the response to hunger in our state of plenty. Together, the Coalition supports state and federal policies, and investments that directly impact Washington’s ability to end hunger in our communities. AHNC has successfully advocated for strategic policy and funding to maximize federal nutrition programs (including food stamps, school meals, WIC, and more); reinforce our community-based emergency food assistance system; and link local farmers with the needs of hungry people.
AHNC actively advocated against the federal cuts to SNAP and Medicaid, saying:
SNAP is our most effective anti-hunger program, serving more than 1.1 million Washingtonians last year alone. This final budget bill jeopardizes access to food for millions, increases administrative burdens, and weakens states’ ability to respond during times of crisis. More egregious than the earlier House version, the final bill immediately ends the bipartisan exemptions for veterans, people experiencing homelessness, and former foster youth aging out of the system from SNAP’s 3-month time limit — protections that were hard-won and are currently helping tens of thousands of Washingtonians, including 42,000 veterans who get help from SNAP a year. Historic cuts to SNAP will result in staggering harm: Washington will lose billions in federal SNAP benefits over the budget window. The economic ripple effect will include job losses for farmworkers, truck drivers, grocery store clerks, and retail workers. Grocery stores will close, food deserts will expand, and already-overwhelmed food banks will face unsustainable demand. It is a profound disinvestment in families, seniors, veterans, people with disabilities, and working parents. Washingtonians deserve better — nutrition, dignity, and economic stability must remain a priority.
Sequim Food Bank [Sequim, WA]: The Sequim Food Bank, located at the north end of the Olympic Peninsula, is committed to ensuring that no one goes hungry in their community. They approach their work guided by five core values: compassion and respect, stewardship and sustainability, education and prevention, collaboration and cooperation, and diversity and multiculturalism. This means that they do not turn anyone away from receiving services, are responsible stewards of resources to minimize waste, empower people to prepare and eat nutrient-rich foods, work with and alongside community members, and understand and celebrate the cultural diversity of their visitors. The Sequim food bank knows that we must understand, eliminate, and prevent the root causes of hunger to fully address food insecurity in Washington. Recently, the Sequim Food Bank shared this story, illustrating the increased reliance on food banks in the wake of federal SNAP cuts and a parallel increase in community care:
Like many food banks across the state, we are experiencing record-high numbers of individuals and families seeking food assistance. In past years, the summer season typically brought a modest dip in need, but this year the demand has remained steady and strong. More working families and seniors on fixed incomes are turning to us as rising costs for groceries, housing, and healthcare continue to strain limited budgets. At the same time, we’re seeing increased momentum around local food systems. Since 2017, our Local Farm Purchasing Program has allowed us to contract directly with nearby farms to provide fresh, locally grown produce to the community. This effort continues to thrive, providing nutritious food to families while helping sustain local agriculture.
Community engagement is also on the rise. Whether it’s volunteering, organizing food drives, or finding creative ways to contribute, people are showing up. We’re grateful to be a trusted hub where that generosity can grow and make a meaningful impact. We recently had a mom of two visit our Food Bank for the first time. She was surprised to find shelf-stable staples, milk, fresh protein, and also fresh produce including a recipe card! “I used to think food banks only had canned stuff,” she said. “I didn’t realize I could actually cook a full, healthy meal for my kids with what I got here.” Moments like that highlight the value of thoughtful programming and partnerships that prioritize dignity and nutrition. Another heartening moment came during our mobile food pantry visits. A first-time visitor at one of our new rural stops said: “I didn’t think anyone would come all the way out here for people like us. You have no idea what this means.” That kind of feedback keeps us going.
Want to help keep the Sequim Food Bank’s work going? Support them with a financial gift or the gift of your time.
The conditions that cause hunger are economic, social, and political. Some of our most powerful tools for addressing food insecurity are governmental food assistance programs. We need political leadership that is committed to creating functional and equitable food systems today, tomorrow, and always. Now is the time for common sense investment in public safety nets – not the time to gut the programs that help people make ends meet. Food shouldn’t be political—but it is. What do you want our political leaders to change about our food system?
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