👻 Your guide to Halloweekend

Washington is Suing Trump Admin for SNAP Benefits

Washington and Oregon joined two dozen other states in suing the U.S. Department of Agriculture to stop the lapse of the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program, SNAP, which helps to make sure 41 million people have enough to eat. The states allege that the government is withholding funds specially appropriated for SNAP and is violating federal law. [KUOW]

• Who is Affected by the Lapse? A large number of our neighbors. Food insecurity never fully subsided after the pandemic, and 11 percent of Washingtonians relied on the program in 2024. More than 900,000 Washington residents — including 300,000 children — receive SNAP benefits, state officials said.
• WA Pledges $2.2 Million: Governor Bob Ferguson has directed the funds to be made available on Nov. 3 if a deal isn’t made to restore funding. Again, there is $5 billion in contingency funds that could be directed to benefits, but so far the USDA is not tapping into those funds. [Seattle Times]
• SNAP In Numbers: Every SNAP dollar generates $1.50-$1.80 in economic activity. It supports farmers, food distributors, and many more involved in the production of food. Healthcare costs are reduced by $1,400 per SNAP participant. [SNAP Consumer Choice Research Brief]
• Where To Find Food:
  • Seattle Community Fridge has a map of fridges as well as ways to donate.
  • Free Meals in Seattle has a list of places to get a meal each day of the week without any registration.
  • Seattle Food Committee has resources to find a food bank near you.
• Help If You Can: This is a great time to volunteer your time or donate funds to help keep the shelves stocked. Also, look at your local Facebook groups or other sites to find a way to help out. Community, Seattle! All we have is each other.

🏀 The Seattle Storm Has a New Coach: And she sounds like a real badass. A graduate of Boston College and former government employee, she’s also the WNBA’s first-ever head coach of Indian descent. [Seattle Times]

🍕 South Seattle’s Best Pizza is… Worthy of debate, and discussed in City Cast Seattle Contributor Marcus Harrison Green’s recent dispatch in The South Seattle Emerald.

🎞️ We Need More Movies Made in Seattle: Recent films like "Boys In The Band" and "Heart Eyes" are set but weren’t actually shot in Seattle. Why not? Because until recently, filmmakers haven’t been incentivized to shoot here. But since 2022, the state has offered 30% cashback on every movie shot here to boost production. One exciting result is the critically acclaimed film "Train Dreams," playing in theaters starting Nov. 7 and premiering on Netflix on Nov. 21. [KUOW]