In Pierce County, our military community is a significant part of our region. Active-duty service members and their families, civilians working on base, and veterans all call the area home. Yet, food insecurity is a hidden struggle for many military-connected households. Emergency Food Network (EFN) supports military families through our food pantry partnerships and programs, including those on and around Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM).
A Hidden Struggle
The Military Family Advisory Network’s 2025 survey of more than 10,000 military families found that more than 40% of respondents experienced low or very low food security, up from 15.6% in 2023. Housing costs added to the strain: 84.4% said housing, rent or utilities cost more than they could comfortably afford, including 59.3% of active-duty families who paid more than their Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) covered.
With roughly 31,000 active service members at JBLM, food insecurity is impacting thousands of people in the military community around us.
So why does military hunger happen? Military-connected households can face many of the same financial pressures as their neighbors, along with a unique set of challenges. According to the Military Family Advisory Network, active military families move an average of every 2.5 years. A variety of factors make this movement a difficult financial event:
- Spouses have trouble finding and maintaining employment.
- A network of support from friends or extended family, which can be a saving grace in periods of financial hardship, is more likely to be absent.
- Moving often comes with significant costs, including gas and transportation, restocking household essentials and, if moving to a new climate, an updated wardrobe.
Challenges don’t end when military service does. Veterans transitioning to civilian life can face difficulties translating their military experience into civilian careers, while others encounter disabilities or health-related barriers to employment. These challenges can make veterans particularly vulnerable to financial hardship during and after the transition out of service, increasing the risk of food insecurity and, in some cases, housing instability.
Additionally, Pierce County’s cost of living is high among counties in the country, and especially difficult considering the relatively low salary of lower-ranked service members. This all ends up creating financial strain for Pierce County service families, even if they are provided with a consistent military income.
How EFN Supports Military Families
For military-connected households experiencing food insecurity, having reliable access to food can provide an important source of stability during periods of transition or financial uncertainty. Through our network of more than 75 food pantry partners across Pierce County, EFN helps make that support available to military families wherever they live.
Some of our partners serve communities on and around JBLM, while others provide food support to military-connected households throughout the county. Nourish Pierce County, for example, operates a mobile food bank inside the base once a week.
The importance of this network became especially clear during the government shutdown in 2025. EFN partner Tillicum Woodbrook Community Center, located just outside the gates of JBLM, saw food pantry visits nearly double as families sought help. “We had a lot of military families come in, a lot of people who were stressed and scared,” said Executive Director Jesse Black. EFN supplies more than half of the pantry’s food, helping to ensure the Center remains a source of stability and support for its neighbors during uncertain times. “Sometimes we would run out of food, or get low on food. EFN always responded immediately. I know I can call them anytime, let them know what I need, and they’ll make it happen.”
EFN also serves 7 households, totaling 31 individuals, on the JBLM military base through our Home Delivery Program, which delivers food boxes directly to the homes of families in need.
How to Support
Here are a few ways you can support military families facing food insecurity:
- Volunteer with or donate to EFN: Help sort, pack, distribute, or donate food that reaches military and veteran families through our network of partner programs.
- Break the stigma: Food insecurity can affect anyone, including people who serve or have served our country. Talking openly about food insecurity, advocating for food access, and sharing available resources can make it easier for families to ask for help when they need it.
- Advocate: Tell our leaders in Pierce County, Olympia, and D.C. that food insecurity is impacting the livelihoods of thousands of local military-connected individuals and families.
Food insecurity among military families is often hidden, but it is happening in our community. By supporting food access, we can help ensure that military-connected households have one less thing to worry about during times of transition and uncertainty.