Nutrition Outreach

The Nutrition Outreach Program began in January 2009 with support from United Way of King County. The impetus for creating this program was the low rate of enrollment in the Basic Food (food stamp) Program in King County, especially as compared to enrollment rates in other parts of the state and in other major metropolitan areas across the United States. Additionally, Washington expanded income guidelines in 2008 which expanded eligibility for Basic Food benefits to many more families and provided an opportunity to reach out to thousands of newly-eligible families. This combination of great need and new opportunities called for a new way of reaching out to low-income people, and partners wanted to capitalize on WithinReach’s expertise and experience in communities across Washington to lead a focused effort in King County.

The Nutrition Outreach Program expanded in October 2009. Working with community partners throughout King County, WithinReach Nutrition Outreach staff established expanded outreach sites at 18 sites to provide information and enrollment into additional benefit programs including Apple Health for Kids, First Steps Pregnancy Medical, Women, Infants and Children (WIC) and utility discount programs.

At the same time, WithinReach was chosen by DSHS to serve as the lead agency in King County for the Basic Food Outreach Program. In this role, we work closely with the community-based agencies (like Seattle Jobs Initiative, Refugee Women’s Alliance, Public Health- Seattle & King County and others) who provide information and assistance to people who could benefit from Basic Food. Together, we share information about policy updates from USDA and DSHS, best practices in outreach, emerging community needs and gaps in service. We also are leading the effort among our partners to develop a comprehensive coordinated outreach plan in King County. Together, these expanded outreach services will increase the number of eligible people who get the support they deserve to be able to care for their families.

During the program’s first nine months, outreach staff provided information to over 8,900 individuals.

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