August 2021 – Oregon Food Bank is delighted to honor Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Oregon as our August 2021 Corporate Donor of the Month. Over the past year, Regence quickly and generously responded to the need for food assistance in the wake of COVID-19. Regence awarded Oregon Food Bank with a $50,000 grant for pandemic relief, which supported our rapid response efforts. In addition, 442 Regence employees stepped up to give over $56,000, which was then matched by the company, totaling $113,112 through their workplace giving program. “As nearly 1 in 5 Oregonians experienced food insecu ..read more

Oregon Food Bank’s commitment to equity and racial justice drives our work in partnership with communities that are too often overlooked, systemically disadvantaged and disproportionately affected by hunger. We fully recognize that food banking has historically focused exclusively on providing people food today, without sufficient attention to addressing the underlying challenges that drive hunger and poverty. That’s why we take a holistic approach to ending hunger and its root causes. We work toward long-term policy and systems change while doing all we can to create inclusive spaces th ..read more

John Nguyen was introduced to food banking the way many people are. On Saturday mornings, he and his fellow middle schoolers would make the trip to Oregon Food Bank’s warehouse in Beaverton to don hairnets and latex gloves to pack carrots, onions and potatoes and label cans for food distributions in their community. Through that experience, John saw the community-wide effort to get food to those who need it. He also saw the meaningful impact of bringing people together to focus on a common goal.  Today, John is a college musician using his talents to give back to his community. A fluti ..read more

“Love is profoundly political. Our deepest revolution will come when we understand this truth. Only love can give us the strength to go forward in the midst of heartbreak and misery. Only love can give us the power to reconcile, to redeem, the power to renew weary spirits and save lost souls. The transformative power of love is the foundation of all meaningful social change. Without love our lives are without meaning. Love is the heart of the matter. When all else has fallen away, love sustains.” – bell hooks THE PROFUNDITY OF LOVE In January 2020, the Community Philanthropy team at Oregon ..read more

Oregon Food Bank is excited to announce our newest addition: Andrea Williams!  Andrea joined the OFB team this month as Deputy CEO, bringing a wealth of experience and knowledge that will play a pivotal role in advancing our vision of communities that never go hungry. We sat down with Andrea to learn more about her story and what drives her work in social justice and community resilience. Oregon Food Bank: Welcome to the OFB team, Andrea! Tell us a little about yourself.  Andrea Williams: Thank you! I’ll start off by saying that I’m an Oregonian through and through. I was born ..read more

Our communities have faced unprecedented challenges over the past year. Upwards of 3,000 people lost their lives, and tens of thousands more lost jobs and income. Nearly 1 in 4 Oregonians struggled to afford food, many for the first time. And the pandemic worsened existing health and economic disparities among people of color, immigrants and refugees, single parents and caregivers, and our trans and gender non-conforming neighbors. The 2021 legislative session offered an opportunity to pass policies and investments that we know are critical to our recovery efforts. We set out an ambitious age ..read more

July 2021 – Oregon Food Bank is happy to recognize First Tech Federal Credit Union as our Corporate Donor of the Month for July 2021. As a longtime partner, First Tech is committed to our mission to eliminate hunger and its root causes. “First Tech is lucky to have a strong community and volunteer partnership with Oregon Food Bank. We know that hunger doesn’t exist in isolation and that addressing systemic inequities is vital to addressing hunger. Which is why we’re proud to support Oregon Food Banks efforts to drive community-led change and increase access to healthy food for families ac ..read more

Based in Ontario, Southeast Oregon Services provides food to 33 partner agencies in Malheur and Harney counties. In addition, Southeast Oregon Services supports 6 local programs, including summer food programs for children as well as other supplemental programs. It is one of the five Oregon Food Bank locations in addition to a statewide network of 21 regional food banks and more than 1,400 food assistance sites. “I love my job. I love what I do. I love that we provide for the community in both Malheur and Harney County. ” – Sheila Hiatt, Branch Services Manager “Our community does work toge ..read more

The oldest nationally-celebrated commemoration of the end of slavery in the United States, Juneteenth is both a day of remembrance and celebration of how far we’ve come – and a day to recognize how far we have yet to go. Across the country, celebrations are held to mark the day that, more than 150 years ago, Black enslaved Americans were freed from the barbaric practice that is slavery. It was June 19, 1865 when troops arrived in Galveston, Texas to announce that the Civil War had ended and Black Americans had been freed.  But that was not the true end of slavery in America. Many of tod ..read more

Every Thursday morning Taunya Golden-David arrives at Mt. Olivet Baptist Church in North Portland. Volunteers help Taunya set up boxes and produce and prepare to help distribute food and additional support to local families.  The Free Food Market, run by Black Mental Health Oregon, has been operational for two months and already they serve about 100 families a week. The community rallies together to provide support in every way possible, from food resources to emotional support and advice. The volunteer team is made up of family, friends and neighbors, creating a community-driven envi ..read more