Food Banks Navigate Uncertainty Amid Federal Funding Challenges
Across the country, food banks are facing a landscape of uncertainty as federal funding for hunger relief programs remains in flux.
March 13, 2025
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March 10, 2025
Ensuring Access to WIC Benefits for Immigrant and Mixed-Status Families
With the return of the Trump administration, uncertainty around immigration policies has once again heightened concerns for many families. Now more than ever, access to reliable information is critical for those seeking essential services.
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March 4, 2025
Building Stronger Communities Through Seattle Fitness Week: Join the Action!
Seattle Strength & Performance shares WithinReach’s commitment to building a healthier, stronger Washington.
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February 12, 2025
Beyond the Headlines: How Communities Are Stepping Up for Parents
It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by headlines about funding freezes, strained social services, and growing disparities in healthcare and child welfare. But beyond the policy shifts and systemic challenges, another story is unfolding—one of communities coming together to support parents in ways that are both innovative and deeply rooted in connection.
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December 6, 2024
A Pediatrician’s Perspective on Partnership
Our ongoing partnership with the Washington Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics (WCAAP) is dedicated to increasing awareness among pediatricians about the many ways Help Me Grow Washington supports healthcare providers and the families they serve.
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December 6, 2024
Celebrating Our First Corporate Partnership Event: Microsoft and WithinReach Join Forces to Support Families in Need
WithinReach partnered with Microsoft to assemble 50 baby bags with essentials for new parents facing challenges. Distributed in Skagit and Snohomish counties, these bags offer practical support and a sense of community, symbolizing hope. This partnership marks a foundation for future collaborations to strengthen Washington families in need.
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December 6, 2024
Celebrating 30 Years of Immunization Leadership: The Immunization Action Coalition of Washington (IACW)
The Immunization Action Coalition of Washington (IACW), led by WithinReach, celebrates 30 years of advancing public health through partnerships and high vaccination rates. Key efforts include combating misinformation, fostering equitable vaccine access, and supporting healthcare providers, with a renewed focus on expanding resources for COVID-19, flu, and RSV vaccinations.
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November 18, 2024
Shaping Tomorrow’s Leaders: Guita Taheri’s Impact and Vision
We are excited to announce Guita Taheri as the first recipient of the Kay Knox Fellowship at the University of Washington’s Evans School of Public Policy & Governance. Inspired by her father’s experience receiving nonprofit support after escaping the Iranian Revolution, Guita is passionate about creating programs that help underserved communities thrive.
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November 12, 2024
In Her Own Words: Sharon Silver’s First Year as CEO
In her reflections on her first year as CEO of WithinReach, Sharon Silver shares key insights into the organization’s growth and commitment to equity, prevention, and leadership development. She highlights the importance of centering families and amplifying lived experience in shaping systemic reform, particularly through initiatives like the Plan of Safe Care and Targeted Universalism.
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October 29, 2024
WA Voters Demand Action on Child Care Crisis: Top Priority for 2024 Elections
As Washington grapples with a growing child care crisis, voters are demanding action. With soaring costs and limited access to care, families are struggling, and the need for bold, immediate investment has never been clearer. Recent polling shows a strong majority of Washington voters support significant reforms to make child care more affordable and accessible.
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October 15, 2024
Parenting in Times of Crisis: Supporting Families for a Healthy Future
According to the U.S. Surgeon General’s office, parents are under unprecedented pressure. Many parents report experiencing significant stress compared to other adults, often struggling with time demands, financial instability, and the health and safety of their children.
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October 7, 2024
Wellpoint’s Continued Commitment to Advancing Health Equity
For over 30 years, Wellpoint (formerly Amerigroup) has been a leading provider of low-cost health insurance and a trusted partner in exploring the social and behavioral factors that create healthier futures for our community’s most vulnerable members. Wellpoint’s support of our work over the years has connected countless Washingtonians to care in times of need.
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September 16, 2024
Regional Forum on Child Welfare Transformation: Supporting Families During Pregnancy and Early Childhood
The intersection between child welfare and child well-being was brought into sharp focus at the Regional Forum on Child Welfare Transformation: Supporting Families During Pregnancy and Early Childhood we attended in Tacoma, WA in early September 2024.
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September 3, 2024
Social Emotional Development’s Vital Role in Kindergarten Readiness
Recent surveys show that teachers are prioritizing social emotional learning above academics when determining how ready children are for school. And it’s not just teachers. These skills will continue to be assessed when our kids go off to find jobs.
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September 3, 2024
The Importance of Vaccinations for Preschool and Kindergarten Children: Ensuring a Healthy Start to School
With the new school year here, families across Washington are busy preparing their children for a successful academic journey. Amid these preparations, ensuring that children are up to date on their vaccinations is especially important.
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July 25, 2024
First Center of Excellence for Perinatal Substance Use Certification Recipients
This June, the Washington State Department of Health (DOH), Washington State Hospital Association (WSHA), and the Washington State Health Care Authority (HCA) announced the first Center of Excellence for Perinatal Substance Use certification recipients. WithinReach is honored to play a key role in the criteria for this certification and proud of our ongoing partnerships with all three recipients.
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June 28, 2024
DOH’s New Perinatal Dashboard Offers Insights Into Pregnancy, Birth & Parenting in Washington State
The new dashboard complements existing resources, which WithinReach helps families connect to every day, including Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Nutrition Program and Watch Me Grow Washington, which provides health and safety information to parents and caregivers of children aged 0 to 6.
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June 4, 2024
Reflections and Resources from the 2024 Learning Series
These thought-provoking conversations challenging our biases and celebrating the strengths of those overcoming systemic barriers offered hope and actionable steps toward healthier futures.
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May 30, 2024
SUN Bucks: Part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s New Suite of Summer Nutrition Programs
SUN Bucks will start in June 2024, providing vital food benefits to eligible children during the summer months.
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August 30, 2023
Honoring Kay Knox
We are thrilled to present the 2023 Cynthia F. Shurtleff Leadership Award to former WithinReach CEO, Kay Knox.
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September 22, 2022
WithinReach State of the Union: Growth, Opportunities and New Initiatives
Last week, we hosted Cynthia Circle members, past and present WithinReach Board members, and other partners for a virtual State of the Union.
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August 22, 2022
¿Necesita apoyo con comida? Ayúdame a Crecer Washington puede ayudar
Tener acceso a alimentos nutritivos es importante para usted y su familia, y puede ayudar al desarrollo de su hijo y a su éxito al volver a la escuela. Estamos aquí para ofrecerle apoyo a medida que navega los programas de alimentos y nutrición para su familia.
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August 12, 2022
Need support with food? Help Me Grow Washington can help!
Check out this list of food programs, resources and benefits you can access all year long. We are here to provide support to people who are food insecure.
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July 25, 2022
Q&A with Neil Kaneshiro: Celebrating National Immunization Awareness Month
We spoke with Dr. Neil Kaneshiro, about why vaccines are important for people of all ages, and what we can do right now to protect our family’s health.
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May 17, 2022
Want to learn more about your child’s development?
Developmental screenings are activity-based questionnaires that can be completed by the person who knows your child best, YOU.
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May 17, 2022
¿Quiere aprender más sobre los cuestionarios del desarrollo infantil?
Los cuestionarios del desarrollo infantil son una serie de preguntas y actividades que pueden ser completados por la persona que mejor conoce a su hijo, USTED.
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April 13, 2022
Celebrate National Infant Immunization Week with Routine Immunizations for Your Child
This year, in particular, it’s critical to ensure that families stay on track for children’s routine checkups and recommended vaccinations!
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March 10, 2022
Reflecting on Food Access is Community Care
Read about our reflections and takeaways from last month’s Food Access is Community Care series event.
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December 17, 2021
Celebrating the Life’s Work of Our Founder, Cynthia F. Shurtleff
WithinReach was born out of Cynthia’s hard work, and we are excited to take this opportunity to honor her and further her vision.
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December 13, 2021
Help Me Grow Washington Serves Families Through Plan of Safe Care
Plan of Safe Care was officially launched on December 1 and will help more WA families can get connected to vital resources.
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September 20, 2021
Knock Out Flu: Think of It as Your Best Defense
This year, it’s more important than ever to get vaccinated against the flu. Read our blog to get the answers to common questions about the flu vaccine.
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August 26, 2021
Need support with food? WithinReach can help!
There are programs and resources to help your family get the food they need, and WithinReach can help you get connected to these benefits. Check out this list of food programs, resources and benefits that you can access.
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August 19, 2021
WithinReach State of the Union: Learning from the past as we look to the future
At a recent virtual event, we had a chance to share some of our biggest successes and challenges this past year, what we’ve learned, and what’s on the horizon.
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July 29, 2021
Need support with food this summer? WithinReach can help!
WithinReach is here to help you get connected to food benefits. Check out our list of food programs, resources and benefits you can access this summer and all year long.
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June 30, 2021
Partnering with the Albertsons and Safeway Foundation to Fight Hunger in Our Community
Thank you to Albertsons and Safeway foundation for awarding us a $100,000 grant to help connect our community with federal meal programs. Read more about what we hope to accomplish with this grant.
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June 2, 2021
2021 Legislative Wins to Support Washington Children and Families
During this year’s legislative session, WithinReach advocated for many important priorities related to equity, food access, physical and behavioral health, and early learning.
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February 19, 2021
WithinReach Steps Up for Families During COVID: A Conversation with Director of Programs, José Villalobos
Learn more about the ways WithinReach is mobilizing around critical outreach efforts statewide.
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January 13, 2021
Knock Out Flu: Think of It as Your Best Defense
It’s not too late to get your flu vaccine to protect yourself, your family and community. Learn more about where and who should get a flu vaccine this year.
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October 21, 2020
Knock Out Flu: Think of It as Essential
It’s more important than ever to get vaccinated against the flu. Read this blog to get answers to commonly asked questions about the vaccine.
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September 8, 2020
How Does COVID-19 Affect Early Childhood Development?
COVID-19 is shining a light on how important it is for families to access the resources they need, when they need them, as well as the barriers that impact healthy early childhood development.
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July 8, 2020
AmeriCorps and Direct Service Teams Respond to Families Affected by COVID
Our team experiences firsthand how barriers faced by families are exacerbated by social and racial inequities in our food system.
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April 14, 2020
Achieving Health Equity for Black Moms and Babies: A Conversation with Nurse-Midwife, Victoria Fletcher
We had a chance to talk with former WithinReach board member, Victoria Fletcher, about Black maternal health.
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January 16, 2020
MLK Jr. Day: Honoring All Aspects of His Legacy
As an organization, we hope to bring forward Martin Luther King Jr.’s radical work to help lead our own work with families and communities across the state.
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December 20, 2019
Project Pilgrimage: Building Our Stamina for Racial Justice
We breathed in the power and joy of our newfound interracial and intergenerational community, as a pathway to racial justice stamina and enduring hope.
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October 17, 2019
Marking My 20th Year Anniversary with a Civil Rights Pilgrimage
Believe it or not, I am celebrating 20 years of service at WithinReach this month! Over the years, what I have appreciated most is the opportunities for professional and personal growth…
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August 19, 2019
Well-Being is Vital at WithinReach
We believe all people thrive when they experience balance in body, mind and spirit and feel connected to purpose, people and community. We strive to build pathways to health and well-being for ourselves and the people we serve.
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July 1, 2019
Responding to the Measles Outbreak: Perspectives From a Clark County Nurse
Learn about the process local public health staff went through during the measles outbreak, as well as reflection and insight from a Clark County Public Health nurse.
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June 27, 2019
A Community Conversation Highlighting Health Equity
Last month, WithinReach held its very first Learning Series event centered on health equity and the obstacles families and individuals face when accessing the resources they need…
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June 14, 2019
Dads Make a Difference
About the time I started at WithinReach, Governor Gary Locke created the Commission on Early Learning, with the goal of making sure every child in Washington was ready to learn when they started school…
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May 9, 2019
Food Insecurity on College Campuses
My name is Tom and I am a recent college graduate serving as an AmeriCorps member at WithinReach. As part of my job, I go to colleges around King County and connect students with resources needed for a healthy and thriving life…
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May 2, 2019
Happy “Mothering” Day!
Every year on Mother’s Day I am reminded of a quote from Martha Beck’s book, Expecting Adam: A True Story of Birth, Rebirth and Everyday Magic…
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April 22, 2019
Belonging Starts with Sawubona
If I were greeting you on the street in passing, or at Starbucks for coffee today, I might say: “Sawubona!”…
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March 15, 2019
Celebrating AmeriCorps Week 2019: Reflecting on my Service at WithinReach
When I made the decision to join AmeriCorps, I had just graduated from college and had no idea what I wanted to do with my degree…
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January 28, 2019
Baby Jeremy joins the WithinReach team (and everyone wins!)
WithinReach has always tried to create a work environment that supports women, moms and families…
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January 23, 2019
Meeting Students Where They Need Us: A Quick Guide to Benefits Hub
According to The Seattle Times, Seattle has the greatest number of college students living below the poverty line out of the 50 largest U.S. cities…
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December 13, 2018
30 Years of Women in Leadership Makes a Difference
As we come to the end of our 30th year anniversary, I continue to reflect on the ways WithinReach has grown and changed over the years to help hundreds of thousands of families live healthier, safer and more hopeful lives…
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December 10, 2018
Public Charge
WithinReach envisions healthy, vibrant communities in Washington where all families have the opportunity to thrive…
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November 6, 2018
Taking a “Both/And” View
So often, especially now, it seems we are pulled to live in a binary world – things, people, places, opportunities, opinions are either good or bad, right or wrong, racist or non-racist, etc…
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September 10, 2018
Suicide and Des-pair
I’ve learned a lot about suicide over the last several years because my spouse works with college-aged students, and regularly counsels students who are considering suicide…
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July 25, 2018
The Resilience of Brotherhood Goes Viral
Over the last year, I have volunteered as a mentor with Year Up: an amazing, yearlong program that provides low-income young adults with a combination of skills-based learning, coursework eligible for college credit, corporate internships and tons of support…
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July 19, 2018
A Board Abroad Travelogue
My husband, John, who serves on the WithinReach Board of Directors, and works in the Kindle division at Amazon, recently received word that he needed to leave for a business trip to the Middle East with only 10 days’ notice…
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June 27, 2018
A Story of Service
Howdy! My name is Samuel, and I am a specialist serving as an AmeriCorps on the Healthy Connections team whose mission at WithinReach is to connect families and individuals all over Washington State to basic resources to achieve healthy living…
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June 19, 2018
Families Belong Together
For 30 years, WithinReach has been connecting families to the resources they need to be healthy and safe. We envision a Washington State where all kids and families are growing and thriving…
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June 18, 2018
Being an Anti-Racist Takes Muscle Building
I have come to understand that it is not enough to wake up, learn, and care (or just consider myself ‘not-a-racist’), I must work to be an anti-racist…
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June 4, 2018
To Know Us is to Love Us
My dream is for everyone to get to know WithinReach better, because … to know us, is to love us … and our “badass love” for Washington families…
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April 24, 2018
Podcast: Help Me Grow with Founder Dr. Paul Dworkin
During the Help Me Grow National Forum, WithinReach’s Chief Strategy Officer, Sharon Beaudoin, sits down with Dr. Paul Dworkin to discuss the Help Me Grow model and importance of its key components and the work happening in our state…
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April 3, 2018
An Opportunity to Advance a “Child-First” Agenda
As debate rages on as to how best reform our health care system, we ask, “What about our children?”…
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March 30, 2018
Partnership Spotlight: Rebecca Hendricks & The End-FLUenza Project
On December 19, 2014, my 5-year-old daughter, Scarlet Anne, died. She died from the flu…
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March 2, 2018
My Year of Waking Up – Series: Part 5 of 5
The final piece in this reflective series on my recent learning about individual and institutional racism, about the difference between equality and equity, and about myself, is dedicated to hope…
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February 28, 2018
My Year of Waking Up – Series: Part 4 of 5
My past ‘year of waking up’ was not only enhanced by Bryan Stevenson, author of Just Mercy, and my gym pal and local high school teacher, Eddie Stead, but by many others I was fortunate to meet throughout 2017…
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February 23, 2018
My Year of Waking Up – Series: Part 3 of 5
I started this series by saying that 2017 was a big year of learning for me about individual and institutional racism, about the difference between equality and equity, and about myself as a white person of privilege…
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February 20, 2018
Why WithinReach? Why Now?
When the opportunity to serve as a WithinReach Board member presented itself, I asked these same questions: Why WithinReach? Why now?…
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February 15, 2018
My Year of Waking Up – Series: Part 2 of 5
As I described in the introduction to this series, this has been a year of deep learning for me – about racism, bias, inequity and myself…
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February 8, 2018
My Year of Waking Up – Series: Part 1 of 5
Over the last year, I have experienced deep learning about racism, bias, inequity and myself…
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