Oregon Community Foundation Financially Supports Food Banks – KXL

PORTLAND, OR –  The Oregon Community Foundation says they have partnered with donors to raise $1.9 million for organizations that help get food to Oregonians who need it.  The effort to keep people fed in response to the recent disruption in federal food assistance and rising prices.

They say donations began to increase between October 1st and November 17th through Donor Advised Funds, Corporate and Community Advised Funds and donations to the Stronger Together Fund of OCF.  In addition, the OCF Board of Directors has approved a $250,000 special grant from to counter food insecurity in Oregon and 18 grants totaling $300,000 to food-related organizations through the OCF Community Grants program.

Financial support for food and nutrition services spiked in mid-October when news broke that a federal government shutdown would disrupt federal food benefits known as SNAP for 757,000 Oregonians. In response, donors began making grants to nonprofits that feed Oregonians as visits to those organizations increased sharply.

“Oregonians help their neighbors in times of need,” said Lisa Mensah, President and CEO of Oregon Community Foundation. Mensah also serves on the board of Feeding America, a nationwide network of 200 food banks and 60,000 food pantries and programs.

“When our food bank system said, ‘We have lines out the door and not enough food on our shelves,’ our donors heard the call and said, ‘Not on our watch,’” she added. “I’m so grateful to our donors, philanthropic partners and the nonprofit partners and volunteers who do the hard work of feeding our communities day after day.”

OCF leaders say there is no plan to end the efforts to help people put food on their table, even though the federal government is now reopened and SNAP benefits have resumed.