Lawmakers are debating ways to adopt a balanced budget by March 11th—they can either cut services, raise revenue, or do a combination of both. We support a balanced approach that includes significant new revenues. Delaying action is not an option. Read more about why kids need revenue now.

Washington State U.S. Representative Rick Larsen, from the 2nd Congressional District, has co-sponsored legislative to expand access to afterschool meals and snacks for low-income children and reduce paperwork for providers.

Here's a quick fact sheet for the “Ensuring All Students Year-round (EASY) Access to Meals and Snacks Act of 2009,” (H.R. 4274).

Kids who rely on school meals during the school year often go without
the nutrition they need during the summer months. A small, up-front investment can draw millions in federal funds to help curb summer hunger for Washington kids. By chipping in $250,000, the state could leverage up to $4 million in federal funds to expand summer meal sites in a dozen communities across Washington.

Read about our 2010 state legislative priority in childhood hunger.

Of the 300,000 Washington children who got free or reduced-priced lunch on an average day in the 2008-09 school year, only 11 percent of them got summer meals through the federal Summer Food Service Program. While the recession is pushing the need for meals up, many programs sponsored by school districts, parks departments and other organizations cut the number of days they were open last summer.

Read the report.

A new report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture confirms that hunger in Washington is on the rise as the effects of the recession take their toll on Washington families. The Children's Alliance's analysis of the data, Hungry in Washington, says that hunger was up 24 percent in December, 2008, compared to the prior year, and 13 percent more Washington households struggled to put enough food on the table.

Find out how your state legislators voted on bills that supported kids in the 2009 session. Includes legislator ratings and voting records.

Read the Scorecard.

The House and Senate budget proposals contain a reduction in state funds for the WIC Program of $1.01 million. This level of reduction will jeopardize WIC client services AND result in a significant reduction in the WIC Farmers Market Nutrition Program.

More than 40 organizations have signed on to a letter to legislators urging protection of the WIC funding. Read the letter and see the list of organizational supporters.

Proposed Budget information:

To see budget details visit the Washington State Office of Finanical Management.

Read more about the preservation of health coverage for kids in the proposed budget.