Food banks across Skagit County are facing unprecedented demand as grocery prices soar and traditional food sources struggle to keep up.
At the La Conner Sunrise Food Bank, more people than ever — including many first-time visitors — are seeking help. The food bank feeds 150 families a week, serving roughly 400 people. While some come from outside town, this still represents a significant portion of La Conner’s 982 residents.
“We are seeing a lot of vulnerability right now,” said La Conner Sunrise Food Bank Director Arin Magill. Traditional suppliers like Food Lifeline and Northwest Harvest haven’t been able to meet demand. “When that happens, government commodities step in. We’ve been more and more reliant on them. The uncertainties in government right now are making us nervous in the food bank world.”
Rising need amid inflation
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) projects food inflation will continue rising through 2025. While eggs have seen a staggering 53% price hike over last year, the overall expected increase for food prices is 2.2%, which is lower than historical averages. Still, inflation remains a heavy burden for families recovering from pandemic-era financial struggles.
Steven Fox, director of Skagit Valley Neighbors in Need in Mount Vernon, said food donations are no longer sufficient, forcing him to purchase food to meet demand. A year ago, the Mount Vernon food bank served about 350 families on any given Tuesday. Today, that number has nearly doubled to 600.
Fox attributes the rising need to two key populations: low-wage workers and seniors on fixed incomes.
“We’re seeing people we haven’t seen for five or six years coming back,” he said. “They’re working two or three jobs and still having to choose between feeding themselves and their children. But the greatest increase has been in seniors. Two-thirds of my new clients are elderly.”
Seniors face growing hardship
While overall poverty rates in Skagit County have declined since 2022, the number of seniors living in poverty has increased. According to Skagit County Public Health, the number of impoverished seniors rose from 2,372 in 2022 to 2,814 in 2023, even as childhood poverty decreased from 3,772 to 3,099 in the same period.
For seniors on fixed incomes, rising costs of groceries, housing, and utilities are becoming insurmountable. Social Security adjustments have not kept pace with inflation, leaving many older adults struggling to afford basic necessities.
La Conner’s food bank, founded in 2010, operates with about 35 volunteers and provides home deliveries to approximately 40 senior and disabled residents in addition to its drive-through food distribution on Third Street. The organization serves anyone in need, regardless of documentation status.
“Groceries are so expensive that people are turning to food banks, sometimes for the first time ever,” Magill said.
Urgent need for funding and supplies
The most pressing shortages at local food banks are protein sources and fresh vegetables. While community donations help, demand far outstrips supply.
Further compounding the problem is the impending expiration of We Feed Washington, a state-funded initiative that has been critical to hunger relief efforts. Established in 2023 with $35 million from the Washington State Legislature, the program funds food distribution to organizations serving low-income residents. However, the funding is set to run out in June 2025, with no replacement program currently in place, Fox said.
The Road Ahead
Without additional state or federal support, food banks will be forced to make difficult choices about how to allocate dwindling resources. Fox and other food bank directors are calling for more funding to sustain critical food aid programs—and for community members to step up where they can.
Magill said the La Conner food bank is able to purchase food but remains concerned about the ongoing strain.
“Not all food banks can afford to buy food. We are fortunate that we have a lot of support,” she said. “We can afford to buy what we need … but it’s hard because we don’t have much better of a break than the consumer (at food retail stores),” she said. “People are in need.”
Fox was direct about the challenges ahead.
“We need help—whether it’s donations, volunteers, or advocacy for continued funding. The need isn’t going away,” he said. “It’s growing.”
