MOSES LAKE - The Washington State Department of Agriculture sent an estimated $18.7 million in food and funding last year to food banks and other similar organizations around the state.

The Moses Lake Food Bank was one of 450 food pantries, meal programs and tribal organizations to receive a chunk of funding from the agency's Food Assistance Programs.

Peny Archer, operations manager for the Moses Lake Food Bank, said the organization would not be able to reach as many individuals without assistance from the WSDA each year.

"At one time I looked it up, and they were supplying about 24 percent of the food that came in to us," said Archer. "That's almost a quarter."

According to the WSDA, the goal of the assistance programs is to increase access to food for Washington residents in need by supporting food banks and other organizations.

WSDA Director Bud Hover said understanding the needs of food banks around the state will help the agency know where food and funding is most needed.

Hover met with employees at the Moses Lake Food Bank Tuesday to discuss some of their needs. It was his second visit to a food bank since Gov. Jay Inslee appointed him director April 1.

"At this point I'm gathering as much information as I can," he said. "I'm trying to see what the challenges are in different areas to see what can be done on a statewide basis."

Hover said he recently visited a Thurston County food bank.

"I'm amazed at the actual footprint of this (Moses Lake) food bank," said Hover. The Thurston County food bank only serves one county, but the Moses Lake Food Bank serves residents of three counties, he said.

The Moses Lake facility is a distribution center for 12 food banks in Grant, Adams and Lincoln counties, according to the food bank's web site.

Since the Moses Lake Food Bank's reach is more widespread, their needs are very different than the needs of the Thurston County food bank, said Hover.

He said knowing how various food banks operate will be helpful to him when he returns to Olympia.

"It's important for me to understand what's going on," said Hover. "I need to know what challenges different departments face and places we need to focus on to improve."

Archer said she was glad Hover made the trip to Grant County.

"I think he has a real understanding now of what we do," she said. "His understanding will help us help the families we serve."

Hover is also visiting other industry members while on this side of the state. While in Moses Lake, he visited the Washington State Potato Commission.

He said he also met with the state Apple Commission in Wenatchee.

"I plan to be active around the state on an regular basis," said Hover. "Other people telling me about challenges can give me a perspective, but until I actually see it and understand it and talk to folks I'm not going to know how we can best utilize our resources."