Press Releases

SEATTLE – Congresswoman Suzan DelBene (WA-01) today visited FareStart, an eligible recipient for part of the $22 million job-training pilot program she secured for Washington state. DelBene met with students who could benefit from the pilot program.

“Helping people find good-paying, long-term employment in a high demand industry is the best way to ensure everyone has access to economic opportunities,” DelBene said. “These funds will help those on nutrition assistance become self-sufficient by giving them the specialized training and education needed to increase their earning potential. What’s more, this pilot will help reduce federal spending in the long run, while reducing hunger and unemployment in our state.”

As a member of the Agriculture Committee, DelBene helped shepherd a five-year Farm Bill to final passage last year by serving on the conference committee. Using criteria from Washington’s successful Basic Food Employment and Training (BFET) program, the Congresswoman was able to include $200 million for  U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) competitive grant pilot programs to expand job-training opportunities for recipients of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as food stamps, in 10 states over three years.

In addition to Washington, projects in California, Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Mississippi, Virginia and Vermont were chosen.

“It’s important to remember that these investments we make not only have an incredible effect on our economy, but also on people’s lives,” DelBene said. “This is a prime example of how investing a little money in a targeted way can save the government money in the long run.”

During the Farm Bill negotiations, DelBene fought Republican attempts to cut $38 billion from SNAP. Nearly 400,000 Washingtonians receive SNAP benefits, many of them children.

FareStart is a culinary job training and placement program for homeless and disadvantaged individuals. Since 1992, FareStart has provided opportunities for nearly 7,000 people, while also serving 6 million meals to the most in need in our community.

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