Let's Build A Bigger Table-Community Resources

LET’S BUILD A BIGGER TABLE-Community Resources

When more people are in need, we don’t turn them away —   
we build a bigger table.” — Dona Ponepinto, President & CEO

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If you’re affected by the government shutdown or loss of benefits, help is available.
 

Help build a bigger table to include everyone in need of support:

WHY CASH MATTERS MOST?

  • Food banks can stretch your dollar further — turning every $1 into up to FIVE  
    meals for local families.
  • Cash donations also help them purchase exactly what’s needed most —  
    fresh produce, protein, baby formula, and culturally specific foods — while  
    keeping operations running smoothly.
  • Every dollar stays local, supporting local farmers and suppliers, and every  
    meal stays in Pierce County.

PIERCE COUNTY FAMILIES NEED US NOW
When crisis hits — from federal shutdowns to benefit suspensions — our community’s most vulnerable
families feel the impact first. United Way of Pierce County is mobilizing local partners, donors, and
volunteers to ensure no one is left behind.

WHY IT MATTERS
Pierce County already faces a fragile safety net:

  • 1 in 3 households are ALICE — working yet unable to meet basic costs of living.
  • A single disruption — a furlough, missed benefit, or emergency expense — can push a family from
    stability into crisis.
  • Food insecurity doesn’t just mean hunger; it impacts children’s health, workforce productivity, and
    overall community resilience.

HOW YOU CAN HELP

THE LOCAL IMPACT AT A GLANCE
Federal Workers

  • 14,000 + federal civilian employees work in Pierce County — primarily at Joint Base Lewis-McChord
    (JBLM), plus VA, SSA, and other federal sites.
  • Thousands more contractors and military households are affected by delayed pay or service reductions.
  • Shutdown ripple effects: missed paychecks strain local food banks, childcare centers, and small
    businesses.
  • SNAP (Food Assistance)
    ≈ 115,000 Pierce County residents rely on SNAP benefits — about 1 in 9 people locally.
  • Without new federal funding after Nov 1, these households risk losing monthly food support that
    averages ≈ $180 per person.
  • Local pantries are already seeing demand increase by 15–25 %.
  • LEARN MORE - “SNAP Myths vs Facts”

WIC (Women, Infants & Children)

  • ≈ 24,000 mothers, infants, and young children in Pierce County receive WIC nutrition and formula
    benefits.
  • Loss of WIC funding would jeopardize access to healthy food, baby formula, and breastfeeding support
    for thousands of families.