Congresswoman Kim Schrier Tours Auburn Distribution Center

This Monday, April 6, we were honored to welcome Congresswoman Kim Schrier to Northwest Harvest’s Auburn Distribution Center. During her visit, she toured the facility and learned more about our ongoing efforts to combat hunger throughout Washington state.

Congresswoman Schrier serves the 8th Congressional District which covers the eastern portions of King, Pierce and Snohomish Counties and spans across the Cascades to Wenatchee and Ellensburg. She’s heard a lot of concern about food affordability from her constituents, and the concerning increase of households experiencing food insecurity in her district.

Touring the Warehouse

Congresswoman Schrier and her staff enjoyed a tour of the Auburn Distribution Center warehouse, where they gained a firsthand look at the day‑to‑day operations and collaborative logistics that help get food into the hands of our food bank partners throughout Western Washington. Rep. Schrier showed particular interest in the Harvest Pantry Program and had the chance to see pallets of food ready for partner pickup. Heartfelt thanks to Auburn Operations Manager Richard Jones for leading the tour and for so thoughtfully showcasing the dedication and hard work of our Auburn DC team.

Gaps in TEFAP- When Federal Funding Is Cut, People Go Hungry

As Congresswoman Schrier toured the warehouse, she stopped at the site of the empty shelves where TEFAP food would normally be stored. Devastating cuts to the Emergency Food Assistance Program means less food for our food bank partners and the communities they serve. This moment allowed us to share with her the impacts of these cuts to households across the state. As grocery prices continue to rise, more people will lean on food banks to feed their families but food banks aren’t able to keep up with demand, especially as aid from the federal government waivers.

Northwest Harvest Response to Federal Actions- Filling the Gaps to Address Hunger

In contrast to the nearly empty TFAP shelves, Congresswoman Schrier noted the abundance of food procured by Northwest Harvest. Northwest Harvest CEO Thomas Reynolds explained how the organization has stepped in to fill critical gaps by increasing food purchases, ensuring that families can continue to access nutritious, culturally relevant food despite the ongoing economic challenges.

Sharing Our Concerns Over SNAP Changes, Immigrant Safety and Anti-DEI Policies for Non-profits

After the tour, we were given the opportunity to share our concerns with Congresswoman Schrier. Northwest Harvest Director of Public Policy, Anna Nepomuceno brought up the impact of the new SNAP work requirements and the cost-sharing increase for states. She also shared how fear of ICE is discouraging people from accessing food and how anti-DEI requirements to obtain federal funding would hurt many organizations that do work vital for supporting marginalized communities.

Building Relationships with Lawmakers and Advocating for Change

The site visit and tour with Congresswoman Schrier provided a wonderful opportunity to highlight the incredible work of our Auburn Distribution Center staff and to showcase Northwest Harvest’s commitment to expanding access to healthy, culturally relevant food while addressing systemic barriers within our food system. Constituent concerns about food access prompted Congresswoman Schrier and her team to connect with us to learn more about our work and to better understand the impacts of recent federal actions on hunger and food security.

Are you a constituent of the 8th Congressional District? If so, you can send your concerns or share your lived experience story with Congresswoman Schrier. Let’s keep food security on her mind and remind her to fight for an equitable and just food system where no one goes hungry.

Click here to write Congresswoman Schrier.

Not sure which district you live in? You can find out by visiting this district finder.