Initiatives

Northwest Harvest believes that advocacy must center the lived experience of people most impacted by food injustice.

Through our initiatives, we create spaces to cultivate leadership with individuals with first-person experience with hunger and food insecurity. We also hold space for community navigators and directly impacted people to provide feedback on state programs to increase access to public resources.

Community Advisory Network (CAN):

CAN is a coalition comprised of ​individuals who receive or recently received the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. The coalition provides strategic guidance on implementing, evaluating, promoting, and sustaining SNAP incentives, including the Fruits and Vegetables Incentive Program (FVIP) and SNAP Education services in Washington State.  CAN exists to improve access and contribute to planning for future development of the FVIP program by centering the voices of those using FVIP programs. Through a partnership with the Department of Health and Department of Social & Health Services. Northwest Harvest coordinates and convenes CAN by facilitating meetings, coordinating communication, and recruiting members.

Leadership in Advocacy Fellowship (LIA):

LIA is a cohort-based fellowship supporting a statewide network of community organizers and advocates with first person experience of hunger.​ Throughout the 12-week fellowship, participants cultivate skills to organize for change around issues in their own communities. Fellows are matched with mentors who assist with everyone’s professional development during and after the fellowship.

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Outreach Coalition:

The SNAP Outreach Coalition is a group designed to reach individuals and families who are eligible though not currently enrolled in SNAP. This groups meets on a bi-monthly basis to share resources, provide support, encourage enrollment, and discuss the barriers in relation to the enrollment process and the program itself. These meetings are open to anyone interested in learning more about the benefits of SNAP or getting involved in outreach efforts.

Right to Food (RTF) Coalition:

The RTF Coalition is a grassroots coalition of community partners across WA state that co-design public policy that removes barriers to accessing adequate food.

Focus on Food Security:

Northwest Harvest conducts listening sessions biannually across the state of Washington with individuals with lived experiences of hunger and food insecurity to better understand the impact of policies on Washingtonians. Learnings are compiled in the Focus on Food Security Report, which also identifies the policy solutions that can help us achieve advancements in food security and economic stability for every person in Washington.

Regional Policy Summits:

These biannual gatherings bring together policymakers, lived experience experts, and service providers to collaborate on policy research and engagement on both federal and state legislative priorities. For people with lived experience, these policy summits provide a pathway to contribute to valuable policy development discussions without stigma.

Voter Engagement:

Partnering with food banks across Washington state, Northwest Harvest provides technical support and training to community partners to host voter registration drives. This outreach is integral to providing support to register voters with first person experience with hunger and food insecurity.