Increase Food Security in Oregon

Imagine that your family loses part or all of its income and suddenly you find that you can’t pay all of your bills in full. You change your lifestyle, use your savings, sell your assets and use your dwindling credit to make ends meet. You face choices no one should ever have to make because of your limited budget. You choose toilet paper over laundry soap, electricity over food, and life-saving medication for a family member over essential, preventative medical care for yourself. Sometimes you skip meals so your children have enough to eat.

Too many of our neighbors face choices like these every day. The goal of Oregon Food Bank’s annual Voices project is to bring attention to some of their stories. In October and November of 2010, more than 50 people attended our focus groups in Albany, Beaverton, Cottage Grove, Glide and Portland.

“I got laid off at the beginning of this year after I was one of their best employees for six years. I’ve put out hundreds of resumes and gotten some interviews, but I haven’t been hired yet. I raise a little girl and it’s been hard. We got to the point where we were eating one meal a day. My friend told me about this food pantry and it has really helped. Now
we’re at two or three meals a day.”
Wesley.  Portland, OR.

With your support, people like Welsey and his daughter are being helped by the Oregon Food Bank Network.  Thank you for your continued support ...because no one should be hungry.

Links:

• Voices 2011