Being a VISTA AmeriCorps volunteer is hard work and not always easy. However, living on the stipend has the benefit of qualifying for Food Stamps. But are you a pro at making the most of this challenge?

1. You stock up on free food at work meetings and go back for seconds & thirds
2. You organize & attend potlucks to split leftovers
3. You are notorious for only getting drinks at happy hour, then going home to eat
4. Peanut butter & jelly are your best friends
5. You have an extremely

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On Wednesday, April 11, the Washington state Legislature reached agreement on a supplemental budget plan. The final budget will preserve funding for many services crucial to building and supporting our thriving community. This means food on the table, places to call home and early education support for thousands of Washingtonians.

We’re proud that several programs relating to United Way of King County’s priorities (meeting basic needs, ending homelessness and giving every child an equal chance for success) will continue to receive funding. Thank…

As we all already know, many people in Washington State and across the country have been severely affected by the recession that began in 2008.  It is evident, with high foreclosure rates, slow job growth, and rising unemployment, that families are struggling; however, one of the more tangible consequences of the economic downturn is the number of hungry people.  Since 2008, the number of people experiencing food insecurity in Washington has doubled: from 88,000 in 2008 to over 160,000 in the close…

At first glance it is easy to make the connection between hunger and agriculture – after all, our food comes from farms, so if there is hunger there must be something wrong with our farming practices, right?  However the nuances of this web of relationships are more complex and meaningful than meets the eye.  From the selective subsidies in the Farm Bill to poor working conditions and pay for farm workers to the consolidation of “Big Ag”, the way we have been producing our food…

United Way of King County is shining a bright light on hunger and we’re asking everyone including teenagers and children to think about their relationship to food.   Who has food, who doesn’t, where does your food come from?

As parents or educators you might be wondering how you can get your children/students involved in Hunger Action Week. Whole families can participate in the Hunger Challenge (eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner, spending only $7 a day—the same amount allotted to a single person on food stamps),…

This post was written by guest blogger, Erin Milliren, an AmeriCorps volunteer with the Bridge to Basics program, a partnership between United Way of King County, Within Reach, the City of Seattle and Americorps 

Hi, my name is Erin Milliren. I am one of the four AmeriCorps service members who staff the Bridge to Basics outreach team. Based out of WithinReach in North Seattle, we travel all throughout King County. We visit food banks, public libraries, WorkSource offices and public service centers.…

I’ve gotten many questions from people about the $7 a day allotment for the Hunger Challenge and why a two-person household gets $12 and not $14, etc. etc.

I’m no expert on Washington’s Basic Food Program (what we call food stamps in this state), but Liz Jaquette at the nonprofit WithinReach is. So I gave Liz a call and got a brief, but illuminating, education on food stamps. Here’s what I learned.

$7 a day is the MAXIMUM benefit for a single…

Note: I saw a tweet from Larissa Long that said, “As a former single mom of low income, I’m a bit offended by #HungerChallenge posts w/ complaints about giving up lattes & organic food.” I responded, and after chatting for a bit, I invited Larissa to share her viewpoint on our blog. Here is her guest post.

I couldn’t pay my bills. I was a single mother of two children, one with a disability. I longed to qualify for food stamps.

That was…

On day 2 of Hunger Action Week, Publicola’s Erica Barnett wrote an opinion piece that called the Hunger Challenge an insensitive and distasteful exercise in “poverty tourism.” She writes:

“There’s something off-putting about watching privileged people play at being poor, and it isn’t just that their complaints amount to whining about five days without $12-a-pound coffee and $9 sandwiches from the Dahlia Lounge. It’s that ‘living on food stamps’ isn’t the same as actually being poor. People in poverty lack many advantages besides the

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Bananas, bread—and a Bridge to Basics

If you’re looking for a new volunteering opportunity, consider the Bridge to Basics program. In just a few hours a week, you can help connect low-income people with things like food stamps, utility assistance and low-cost health care.

I work full-time as a writer at United Way of King County. It’s been two years now, and it’s been a great experience. Through United Way, I’ve discovered so many programs and services available for people who need the help.  The…