Mayor Harrell’s directive provided three weeks of emergency food assistance totaling up to $3 million in response to SNAP funding uncertainty during federal government shutdown
Seattle—Yesterday, Mayor Bruce Harrell proclaimed the end of the City’s Limited Civil Emergency issued on October 30 in response to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) funding uncertainty due to the federal government shutdown and efforts by the Trump Administration to withhold full payments to beneficiaries. Through this executive action, the City made $1 million in emergency funding available per week to contracted agencies to meet increased food demand citywide.
“The City of Seattle will not let neighbors go hungry while the Trump administration looks the other way. Thanks to our strong, resilient network of community food providers, Seattle Public Schools (SPS), the Human Services Department (HSD), and the Office of Sustainability & Environment (OSE), we were able to implement emergency resources to support over 50,000 Seattle households that rely on SNAP for their basic food needs,” said Mayor Bruce Harrell. “Let me be clear: This was a manufactured crisis by the Trump Administration which did everything in their power to avoid making SNAP payments whole for our most vulnerable neighbors right before the holidays. Food access remains a challenge for too many, and I applaud the City Council for approving the nearly $12 million in additional funding I included as part of my 2026 proposed budget to significantly expand the successful Fresh Bucks program and solidify our critical food banks and meal programs going forward.”
The emergency funding supported additional food at approximately 30 food banks, over 20 community meal programs, over 40 preschools, and over 40 childcare programs. During the three weeks of the Limited Civil Emergency, the City supported approximately 40,000 food bank visits and OSL Serves purchased 64,000 pounds of food for distribution to meal programs.
Food banks and meal programs, already experiencing high customer volumes, saw demand increase sharply during the gap in SNAP payments with many first-time customers. Initial data shows food banks on average saw increases of 21% during the first week of the Limited Civil Emergency with one food bank seeing more customers in a single day than they would see in two to three weeks. A mobile food pantry partner reported 84% of customers were seeking services due to SNAP payment delays.
“The disruption in SNAP benefits created a crisis that caused thousands of individuals and families to struggle to put food on the table,” said Tanya Kim, Director of Seattle’s Human Services Department. “I’m grateful to City leaders and our network of community partners for responding with urgency. Together, we ensured that Seattle food banks and meal programs were able to meet the sudden, unprecedented need.”
The emergency response also supported SPS schools with high rates of SNAP eligible families. Through a tightly coordinated partnership that exists through the City’s Healthy Food in School Initiative, SPS, and Cascadia Produce, a local produce supplier, 8,800 food boxes were distributed to families at 98 SPS sites over three weeks. Cascadia prepared the boxes, SPS staff organized and transported them, and school leaders ensured they reached families —demonstrating the strength and resilience of Seattle’s local food system during the SNAP disruption. Each box was approximately 20 pounds of food and included a mix of shelf stable pantry items such as rice and beans and produce from local farmers.
“We know how much families rely on their monthly food benefits, and how important it is for children to eat nutritious meals to focus at school and fuel their growing bodies,” said Michelle Caulfield, Interim Director of Seattle’s Office of Sustainability & Environment. “I’m grateful to Seattle Public Schools, City leaders, and our food bank partners for their quick action to get fresh fruits and vegetables and pantry staples directly into the hands of those who need it most.”
Mayor Harrell’s 2026 proposed budget invests nearly $12 million in food access to combat federal program funding cuts by the Trump Administration and Republicans in Congress. The additional funding nearly doubles the successful Fresh Bucks program, adds additional support to local food banks, increases healthy meal access, and expands the Lake City Farmers Market.
On Thanksgiving Day (11/27), the City is again proud to partner with OSL Serves to provide free, hot meals to anyone who would like one from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. at City Hall. Look for the white OSL Serves truck in front of City Hall at 4th Ave & James St. – no sign up necessary. To find more information about available resources including the nearest food bank or meal program or ways to give back, visit: seattle.gov/food-assistance
What People Are Saying
Fran Yeatts, Executive Director, West Seattle Food Bank
“Families were already feeling the strain long before the SNAP pause. Our Backpack Program grew by 63% last year alone, showing just how precarious things have become for working households. With grocery prices still at all-time highs, the SNAP cuts only deepen the hardship. Thanks to City of Seattle emergency funding and strong community support, we were able to pivot quickly during the pause. We saw an immediate increase of 50% – 60% more households shopping with us, and we responded by purchasing and distributing more meat, milk, eggs, pantry staples, and an expanded variety of produce to help fill the gap left by SNAP. Support from the city and the community allowed us to offer more product, in addition to meeting the increasing demand.”
Kendee Yamaguchi, CEO, Asian Counseling and Referral Service (ACRS)
“With SNAP benefits paused, we saw more than 100 new visitors at our food bank in the first week of November alone, and those numbers are climbing. Thanks to the city’s emergency funds, we doubled our orders of culturally familiar staples like rice, ramen, noodles, tofu, and canned fish, and our food bank is now stocked to meet the surge in demand. This past weekend, we opened our food bank in the C-ID for an extra day and saw more than 300 people come through. We’re here for our community, and we’ll keep building up our supplies and ensuring our services remain accessible, so families have what they need, when they need it.”
Jeremy Vrablik, Owner, Cascadia Produce
“The response by the City of Seattle and Seattle Public Schools to the SNAP gap crisis was an incredibly innovative and thoughtful way to make sure that people were able to put food on their tables at a very trying time. As a small business in Washington, we were honored to be able to work alongside other small businesses and local farmers to make sure that those who were put in harm’s way had their needs filled, and farmers were supported and families were fed.”
Quotes from Seattle Public Schools Leaders
“So needed right now! Thank you!!”
“All boxes claimed/picked up in less than a day!”
“Families really appreciated the food boxes. It was gone within minutes when we handed out after school on Friday.”
“Families have been picking up the boxes and are very happy that this resource is available.”
“This has been extremely beneficial to our school families who have food insecurity. The food delivered on Week 2 had the perfect ingredients to make a meal at home. Thank you on behalf of our school families. Basic needs of rice, beans, onions, carrots and potatoes are perfect.”
“Our families are full of gratitude for their needs being recognized by the broader community. Our school also created their own temporary food pantry which included gift cards of various denominations to give families that we know don’t qualify for SNAP or if experiencing food insecurity. Your food boxes just escalated the attention and care for our families in the community! So grateful for the collaborative efforts of SPS abroad and locally. We printed a listing of food banks throughout WA state for all our folks receiving food.”
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