Increase Food Security in Oregon

Hello,

Our project asks to support  the immediate need of food insecurity in Oregon and Clark County, Washington.  You respond and we thank you!

Did you know that Oregon Food Bank works to eliminate hunger and its root causes.  We are having an impact on both the immediate as well as long-term efforts in hunger relief and in April, Feeding America recognized and applauded the creativity of our FEAST program.

Oregon Food Bank received a 2013 Innovation Award in food banking at the annual Feeding America Network Executive Directors' Forum  in Nashville. Feeding America presents the award to the year’s most innovative programs from the 202 food banks across the nation in the Feeding America network.

Judges awarded Oregon Food Bank for its FEAST (Food, Education, Agriculture, Solutions, Together) program, an initiative that helps to create a "big tent" approach to food banking by empowering community members to build healthier, more equitable and more resilient food systems through a community organizing model. 

During FEAST events, community members tell the story of their local food system and are introduced to community food systems organizing principles and language from throughout the area. Outcomes of the FEAST process have included partnerships between farmers and emergency food providers, new farm-to-school partnerships, new and expanded farmers’ markets, and the formation of food systems coalitions.

The FEAST program has also become a key strategy in the food bank’s work by building stronger, more-connected communities and mobilizing existing resources to improve local food systems and individual food self-sufficiency.

“Oregon Food Bank continues to show why it’s a leader in our Network,” said Bob Aiken, president and CEO of Feeding America, the nation’s leading hunger relief charity. “This award shows the innovation and creativity of the food bank’s staff to help fight hunger in their community.”

“We are thrilled to receive this national honor,” said Susannah Morgan, CEO, Oregon Food Bank. “I especially recognize the thoughtful work of OFB’s community food security team, Sharon Thornberry and Megan Newell-Ching, who have crisscrossed Oregon to introduce FEAST in more than 40 communities. The beauty of this model is that it builds on community empowerment and self-determination. It encourages people to envision – and bring about – what works best for their own special place.

Together we can make a difference in so many peoples lives.  Thank you!

Links:

• Community FEAST

OFB's 2011-12 Annual Report has been published.  Arnie Gardner, Oregon Food Bank Board Chair addresses the challenges and changes we faced and will continue to face for years to come.

"In FY 2011-12, we continued our leadership role in the fight against hunger by digging deeper. As our lagging economy forced more and more families into poverty, our commitment to innovative programs and strategic planning powered our ability to provide hope and help where it was needed most."

To support our efforts to increase the nutritional quality of the food we distribute, OFB was selected as one of 12 food banks in the nation to participate in the “Healthy Options, Healthy Meals” program, a partnership with MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger. Enhanced receiving systems and staff processes now allow OFB to track the nutritional content of food in greater detail. The two-year nutrition evaluation and policy pilot also laid the foundation for partnerships — whenever possible — with our food donors to prioritize food that is low in fat, sugar and sodium.

Our project aims to purchase emergency food but now we face the challenge to evaluate the nutritional value as well as cost.  Our soup/chili costs will be higher when we choose the low sodium, lower fat options and your donations make this possible.  

Since my last report your donations have allowed us to purchase over 50,000 lbs of shelf-stable nutritionally- sound food for emergency food distribution.  Thank you!

• OFB's Annual Report (PDF)