Promising Practices - Washington

Washington – Old Town Christian Ministries in Bellingham, a contractor for the State’s Region 3 Basic Food Education and Outreach, says their car magnets are an excellent way to advertise the program while on the go. (The Basic Food Program is the name of the Food Stamp Program in Washington). “When you drive over 100 miles in a day to do outreach, it makes sense to advertise while you go.” The magnets attach on the outside of the car doors and are priced at $50 for two. For more information, contact: Patti Clark, DSHS Basic Food Education and Outreach Program Manager, 360-725-4613, clarkpj@dshs.wa.gov.

Washington – In 2003, the Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition, which operates a State-wide, toll-free maternal and child health information and referral line, began providing callers with information about the Food Stamp Program. Their purpose is to raise awareness of Food Stamp Program benefits and connect vulnerable populations to resources to alleviate food insecurity. They offer income eligibility screenings, information about program benefits, and referrals to local outreach projects and community service offices. According to a 2004 survey, over 50 percent of those they referred had successfully applied for and received Food Stamp Program benefits. HMHB provides information on a wide variety of interconnected resources State-wide including FSP, WIC, Medicaid, SCHIP, maternity support services and free developmental screening for children. For more information, contact: Sharon Beaudoin, Nutrition Coordinator, Healthy Mother, Healthy Babies Coalition, sharonb@hmhbwa.org , 206-830-5166; Patti Clark, DSHS Basic Food Education and Outreach Program Manager, clarkpj@dshs.wa.gov, 360-725-4613.

Washington – Since October 2004, King County has conducted Food Stamp Program outreach under contract with Hopelink, a non-profit service agency, and its seven subcontractors. When clients contact a worker at an agency affiliated with Hopelink - whether for emergency food or energy bills or another concern - they also receive information on Food Stamp Program benefits, along with bi-lingual materials and assistance completing the application and the application process. In addition, workers go to non-agency locations in the county where they would be likely to talk with low-income clients, such as food banks, community health clinics, parent meetings for Head Start/ECEAP, congregate meal programs, and low-income housing complexes. From October through December of 2004, 46 percent of submitted applications resulted in clients receiving Food Stamp Program benefits. For more information, contact: Patti Clark, DSHS Basic Food Education and Outreach Program Manager, clarkpj@dshs.wa.gov, 360-725-4613.

Washington – To reach a varied population of clients who were unaware of newer income guidelines for the Food Stamp Program, the Lower Columbia Community Action Council (LCCAC) contacted everyone registered with the Emergency Food Assistance Program/Commodities (TEFAP). When TEFAP cards came up for renewal, each client was asked if they were receiving Food Stamp Program benefits. Some took FSP applications with them after visiting the office; others received a direct mailing. LCCAC sent out 257 application packets with information brochures and procedures for making application. LCCAC contracts with the Washington DSHS to provide FSP outreach for several counties in the State’s Region 6. Response to the mailing was described as “tremendous”. LCCAC is working with DSHS now to devise a method to track the number of FSP applications which result from their outreach efforts. For more information, contact: Colleen Dean, Basic Food Coordinator, LCCAC, Longview WA, 360-425-3430 extension 282, colleend@lccac.org.

Washington – Old Town Christian Ministries (OTCM), an outreach contractor for DSHS in the State’s Region 3, says one of their most successful media strategies has been to utilize Register Tape Advertising to print Food Stamp Program ads on grocery store receipts. Approximately 50 percent of the calls received by OTCM have come from people who saw their ad on receipts from six Albertson’s/Food Pavilion Stores in the region. For more information, contact: Patti Clark, DSHS Basic Food Education and Outreach Program Manager, 360-725-4613, clarkpj@dshs.wa.gov.

Washington – Old Town Christian Ministries, an outreach contractor for the DSHS in the State’s Region 3, successfully conducts outreach events at stores of Grocery Outlet, an authorized Food Stamp Program retailer. They have found that the best method for convincing local store managers to allow outreach activities at the stores is by showing them that more people enrolling in the Food Stamp Program equals more revenue for the store. For more information, contact: Patti Clark, DSHS Basic Food Education and Outreach Program Manager, 360-725-4613, clarkpj@dshs.wa.gov.

Washington – Rural Resources of Eastern Washington is the Food Stamp Program outreach contractor for the DSHS in Region 1 covering 13 counties. Rural Resources currently has 19 service delivery subcontractors for 2005 providing either direct services, or one-on-one client services. Each subcontractor is distinct with its service delivery approach, and may include any combination of the following: clients seeking services in a traditional office setting, food banks, outstations, in-home meal provisions, senior meal services at central locations, and/or clinics. To meet the growing needs of their multicultural and diverse populations, several facilities have bi-lingual staff. They attribute their success to timely and thorough communication with the local CSOs and to the management skills of the Outreach Program Manager at DSHS. For more information, contact: Leigh Ann Brooks, Basic Food Education and Outreach Coordinator, Rural Resources of Eastern Washington, 956 S. Main, Colville WA 99114, lbrooks@ruralresources.org, 800-776-3857.

Washington – The Bellingham office of DSHS outstations staff at the Lummi Tribe, Blaine School District and Opportunity Council. These practices have been considered by the community to be valuable in terms of meeting the needs of potential Food Stamp Program applicants. For more information, contact: Bellingham DSHS, 360-714-4000; or Old Town Christian Ministries, 800-600-6494.

Last modified: 04/30/2009