"Voices from Across Washington"

Today I've invited our programs manager, Elise DeGooyer, to guest blog for me.

"A couple months ago, Northwest Harvest held our annual focus groups in five communities around the state. This year we visited Hoquiam Food Bank, Okanogan Food Bank, Yakima Food Bank, Thurston County Food Bank in Olympia and Skagit Valley Neighbors in Need in Mt. Vernon.

We listened as food bank clients spoke about their experiences of hunger and securing enough food to feed themselves and their families. One of the most powerful things we came away with was seeing the increasing insecurity and worry among those whose depend upon public assistance to meet minimum basic needs.

We learned a great deal from these focus groups and will share the results with our coalitions, legislators and others who can help fight hunger. I wanted to share with you a few comments we heard from participants in every group. I’ll share a few today and then a few more later on. I hope you'll think about them this holiday season.

• "The price in the stores goes up but the money doesn't. My husband worked for several years and then they cut his salary because it was hard times. But food prices keep going up and up. "
• "There is a perception that you are deadbeats and stupid, but I have a college degree and my husband can’t find work. There is no work in this county— the unemployment is 14%. But just because you are on food stamps does not mean you are a deadbeat, does not mean you are stupid and does not mean you are scamming.”
• "The money doesn't reach far enough. We are waiting for the day of the food bank so we can go and get food. We never suffered this much. I've always had food and a good job."

Previous focus group reports are available online if you'd like to take a look, and our latest one will be available in January. There's nothing more powerful than hearing from people who are really in need."