Nonprofit meal programs and food banks told the Select Budget Committee that demand has risen sharply and municipal funding is needed to stabilize operations.

Rachel Chevron, program manager for a neighborhood hot-meal program, told the committee that predictable, unrestricted funds allow providers to react quickly when donations fall short: "Having access to unrestricted funds allows meal programs to purchase ingredients to fill unforeseen gaps," she said. Joe Gruber of the University District Food Bank reported a 70% increase in weekly customer visits and asked the council to preserve the mayor’s proposed food-access investments including $3 million for food banks and $1 million for additional hot meals.

Speakers also highlighted farmers-market investments targeted at food deserts (Delridge, Georgetown) and a request for funds to support a commercial kitchen in South Park to incubate food microbusinesses. Organizers said preserving these line items is important not only for emergency hunger response but also for culturally meaningful food access and local economic activity.