A plan to cut funding to emergency food systems in Seattle was met with opposition Wednesday night at the first public hearing on the city’s budget. A representative from theĀ Volunteers of America GreenwoodĀ Food Bank made a plea to the City Council.
A crowd lines up to speak at Wednesday night’s budget hearing in Northgate
“I don’t know what I’d do without Food Resources.Ā We’re going to be there when it’s time for a disaster,” said the official from Greenwood.
Under the mayor’s proposal, Food Resources and Meal Partnerships would be cut by $40,000 with only one of the programs selected to support both coalitions.
“We’re different coalitions. We’re all trying to end hunger. But putting us under one coalition will undo years and years of hard work to be efficient in the fight against hunger. We can not afford this.. especially when we know the need is so great,”Ā a representative of theĀ Ballard Food Bank told the Council.
In other budget issues facing Greenwood, the Greenwood Neighborhood Service Center at 8515 Greenwood Ave. N. would close and the wading pool at Sandel Park would stay shut down next summer.
To see more on the mayor’s proposed budget, click here.
The next public hearing on the budget takes place Wednesday, October 13 at South Seattle Community College at 5:30pm. The City Council has also set up a web page where you can submit ideas to balance the budget and vote on other suggestions.