Food bank study suggests positive effects on local economy, crime rates

A study by students at Western Washington University indicates Skagit County food banks have a positive effect on the economy and may reduce crime.

Commissioned by the Helping Hands and Neighbors in Need food banks, the study is an effort to prove something the food banks have always believed, said Rebecca Larsen, director of Helping Hands.

“(The study) was truly to validate that we aren’t just a charity,” she said.