Washington: Local Impact

Hunger Statistics in Washington:

Hunger affects communities across Washington, touching people of all ages, backgrounds, and zip codes.

According to this latest data, 13.2% of Washingtonians—about one in eight people—experienced food insecurity, while 17.1% of children lacked reliable access to enough food. (Feeding America’s Map the Meal Gap 2025, based on 2023 estimates.)

That child food insecurity rate represents an estimated 247,039 Washington kids (17.1% of the 2023 child population)—enough to fill Alaska Airlines Field at Husky Stadium in Seattle (70,138 seats) about four times.

About 1,027,920 people across Washington face hunger. This challenge exists in every county, affecting urban, suburban, and rural communities alike.

Many households experiencing food insecurity earn too much to qualify for federal nutrition programs and instead rely on Washington food banks and their network of local partner agencies to meet basic food needs.

Partner Stories

Northwest Harvest

Through Nourishing Neighbors, our funding supports Northwest Harvest’s efforts to help families across Washington better access federal nutrition programs that provide consistent, reliable food support. By investing in clear, multilingual outreach materials and community‑based education, this project helps families understand how to apply for programs like SNAP, WIC, EBT, and school meals—reducing confusion and making it easier to connect to the resources available to them.

Our support also strengthens collaboration and coordination across the hunger‑relief network. By bringing together trusted community partners, improving outreach strategies, and working alongside public agencies, Northwest Harvest is helping create more efficient, accessible pathways to food assistance statewide. This work ensures families can meet their immediate food needs today while building more stable, sustainable access to nutrition for the future.