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Food Security in Oregon – Needs, Gaps and Opportunities Additional Resources

Food Security Overview and Statistics:

  • A new report by Oregon State University shows that around 25% of Oregonians experienced food insecurity in 2020.
  • This averages to about 1 million Oregonians.
  • Black, Latinx, and Indigenous households have been hit especially hard.
  • Even when Oregon’s overall food insecurity rate was at a record low in 2019, that improvement in access to food did not extend to all communities equally.
  • Roughly 20% of Black, Latinx and Indigenous households experienced food insecurity in December 2019, compared with 10% of the white population.

Read the full report here.

The following panelists and their affiliated organizations are all working to increase food security in Oregon: please read more about them below.   

Main Session (Recording can be found here. Due to technical difficulties, the recording for the main session begins about 5 minutes into the program.)

Rima Green

Organizations/Affiliations: Growing Gardens, Lettuce Grow Director

Growing Gardens uses the experience of growing food in schools, backyards and correctional facilities to cultivate healthy and equitable communities.

Carina Miller

Organizations/Affiliations: Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, Member

Summary: The Government of the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs is charged with securing and protecting the perpetual health and prosperity of the Confederated Tribes. The government fulfills its mission by preserving and strengthening the sovereign status of the Confederated Tribes, protecting the treaty and legal rights and interests of the Confederated Tribes, and creating a community and economic environment which affords every member of the Confederated Tribes the opportunity to attain good health, self-sufficiency, pride and self-esteem.

  • Contact: 541-553-1161

Susannah Morgan

Organizations/Affiliations: Oregon Food Bank, Executive Director

Summary: OFB collects food from farmers, manufacturers, wholesalers, retailers, individuals and government sources. They distribute that food through a statewide network of food banks serving all of Oregon and Clark County, Washington.

Aaron Vargas

Organizations/Affiliations: Ecotrust, Food Equity Manager

Summary: Ecotrust’s mission is to inspire fresh thinking that creates economic opportunity, social equity, and environmental well-being. Their goal is to foster a natural model of development that creates more resilient communities, economies, and ecosystems here and around the world.

  • Contact: 503-227-6225

 

Breakout Sessions:

FARM-TO-SCHOOL (recording can be found here)

Farm-to-school summary: Bringing locally grown produce into schools is a fun and healthy way to get youth excited about where food comes from, how it grows, and eating fresh fruit and vegetables. Join us to learn more about successful farm to school initiatives and partnerships.

Stefan Aumack - Organizations/Affiliations: Kalapuya High School/The Bethel Farm, Co-Principal

The Bethel Farm is the result of Kalapuya High School’s sustainable agriculture class and their research into the feasibility of creating a district farm. After several attempts to locate a farm nearby for the district to purchase, it was realized that they could use the extra field space between Kalapuya HS and Prairie Mountain School.

  • Contact: kyle.ryan@bethel.k12.or.us

Jaime Arredondo - Organizations/Affiliations: Oregon Farm to School and Garden Network, Board Member; CAPACES Leadership Institute (CLI), Executive Director

The Oregon Farm to School and School Garden Network’s (OFSSGN) mission is to improve the health and well-being of youth, families, farms, and the environment by supporting members of Oregon’s farm to school and school garden community the their work to incorporate healthy, local food into school meals and implement food and garden-based education.

  • Email: megan@oregonfarmtoschool.org

CAPACES Leadership Institute (CLI): The CLI builds leadership in the Latino and farm working community. The CLI is a permanent part of the Oregon farmworker movement, led by PCUN. The Institute will build the leadership capacity and political consciousness to sustain and expand that movement and to propel a host of related struggles, such as immigrants’ rights

Audrey Tehan - Organizations/Affiliations: Seed to Table, Executive Director/Farm Director

Seed to Table envisions a healthy and resilient community where all people, regardless of race, gender, geography, or socioeconomic status, have access to fresh produce that is nourishing, locally grown, and keeping with their culture and preferences. From their 1.5 acre farm plot they strive to model a sustainable food system while providing equitable access to fresh foods and opportunities for all to engage positively with nutritious foods

  • Contact: 541-203-0152

FOOD EQUITY

Food Equity Summary:  We believe all people have the right to grow and consume healthy, affordable and culturally specific foods. Join us to learn how communities are addressing food equity and striving to provide good food to everyone.

Shantae Johnson - Organizations/Affiliations: Mudbone Grown, Unity Farm Manager; Black Oregon Land Trust, OFB Pathways to Farming Program

Mudbone Grown is a black-owned farm enterprise that promotes inter-generational community-based farming that creates measurable and sustainable environmental, social, cultural, and economic impacts in communities

The Black Oregon Land Trust (BOLT) is a nonprofit creating opportunities for Black farmers in Oregon to collectively own land, build generational health and wealth, and birth sovereign, thriving communities

Javier Lara - Organizations/Affiliations: Anuhuac Program at CAPACES Leadership Institute

The Anahuac Project, formed by Capaces Leadership Insitute and supported by FHDC and Evolve with land, resources, volunteers, and residents is providing much-needed healing opportunities through a reclamation of land, identity, and history in a manner that honors indigenous farming and community traditions, while acknowledging the dynamic between land-owner and worker; privileged and oppressed.

REGIONAL FOOD SYSTEMS (recording can be found here)

Regional food systems summary: Regional food systems are increasingly important to individuals, families and communities for social, economic and environmental reasons. Join us to learn how local and regional food systems support community vitality and improve food security.

Alex Adame - Organizations/Affiliations: Jefferson County School District, Family Access Network Advocate

Family Access Network’s mission is to offer assistance, possibility and hope to Central Oregon families in need by connecting them with crucial resources that will help children flourish in school and in life.

  • Contact: 541-693-5675

Jordan Haas - Organizations/Affiliations: Gorge Grown Food Network, Food Security Coalition Coordinator

Gorge Grown Food Network is a group of farmers, eaters, policy-makers, educators, healthcare providers, chefs, grocers, makers, and food enthusiasts. Collectively, they aim to ensure that everyone in the community has access to fresh, healthy, local food, and that farmers have the skills, support, and infrastructure they need to succeed

  • Contact: 503-981-1618

Rick Gaupo - Organizations/Affiliations: Marion-Polk Food Share, President & CEO

Marion-Polk Food Share's mission is to bring people together to end hunger and its root causes. Every month, more than 46,000 people – including 15,000 children – will access emergency food through the Marion Polk Food Share partner network. This food may be a hot meal served at a shelter, a free community meal served at a church, or an emergency food box from a food pantry.

  • Email: info@marionpolkfoodshare.org

Lauren Sorg - Organizations/Affiliations: Food Roots, Tillamook, Executive Director

Founded in 2006, Food Roots has helped build linkages among farmers, processors, educators, agencies, nonprofits, farmers markets, schools, youth groups, local government and anyone else interested in making our local food economy stronger

  • Contact: 503-815-2800

Tom Mulhern - Organizations/Affiliations: Food for Lane County, Executive Director

Food for Lane County is dedicated to reducing hunger by engaging their community to create access to food. They accomplish this by soliciting, collecting, rescuing, growing, preparing and packaging food for distribution through a network of 163 social service agencies and programs; through public awareness, education and community advocacy; and through programs designed to improve the ability of low-income individuals to maintain an adequate supply of wholesome, nutritious food.

  • Contact: 541-343-2822

Margaret Davidson - Organizations/Affiliations: Community Connection of NE Oregon, Executive Director

The mission of Community Connection of Northeast Oregon, Inc. is to advocate for and assist senior citizens, children, low-income persons, and persons with disabilities in attaining basic human needs and in becoming more self-sufficient. This will be accomplished by providing direct client services; stimulating a more efficient use of existing resources; broadening the available resource base; and providing decent, safe, sanitary and affordable housing for low and moderate income persons

  • Contact: 541-963-3186

INDEPENDENT FOOD PANTRIES

Independent food pantries summary: From the basement of a church to the community kitchen, independent food pantries are a lifeline for communities. Learn how these community-led and community supported organizations are increasingly relied upon to provide basic needs across Oregon.

Ranae Staley - Organizations/Affiliations: The Giving Plate, Executive Director

The Giving Plate provides food to over 3,500 individuals a month, between three hunger-relief programs. Their goal is not just providing food, but offering piece of mind to their guests and allowing them to focus their resources on more than just their next

Isaak Oliansky - Organizations/Affiliations: Ashland Emergency Food Bank, Director

Ahsland Emergency Food Bank's mission is to provide food, free of charge, to residents of Ashland, Talent and surrounding rural communities, and to do so in a way that conveys respect and dignity for those being served.  The Food Bank is set up as a grocery store. People sign in – and then get a shopping cart and can shop once per month for their families.

Donna Parks - Organizations/Affiliations: Tillamook Adventist Community Services 

Tillamook Community Services is a local relief agency that provides free clothing, food, and small household goods to those in need.  This group also makes and distributes quilts and layettes for the newborn.  Shower and laundry facilities are available for the homeless population by appointment. They are an Oregon Food Pantry, the local agency for Salvation Army, as well as part of the global organization, Adventist Community Services.