The Crisis is Ongoing. Congress must act now.

by Susannah Morgan, CEO

It’s no secret that thousands of families are in crisis throughout the region. Estimates from Oregon State University show that food insecurity has doubled since the start of the pandemic. The state Department of Human Services reports that 120,000 more people needed SNAP food assistance (sometimes called food stamps) in June when compared to February.

On average, Oregon Food Bank has seen a two-fold increase in demand across our network of 1,400 pantries and meal sites. At the same time, states across the country face serious revenue shortfalls due to the ongoing pandemic.

Here in Oregon, our state legislature just met to make a series of incredibly tough decisions as they work to fill a billion-dollar budget hole. And while we’ve seen incredible support from state leaders in our shared effort to #EmergeStronger, we missed some important opportunities in this special session — and vital programs were cut as a result.

One example: emergency income assistance for struggling families — referred to by the acronym ‘TANF’ — took a $14 million hit at time when the need for assistance is at an all-time high.

Another is the ‘Farm-to-School’ program — which brings nutritious food from local farmers into school meal programs throughout the region — was cut by more than $5 million. That’s 1/3 of its overall budget!

These decisions might not have been necessary if leaders in our nation’s capital could come together and pass a new coronavirus relief package. That’s why Oregon Food Bank joined our congressional delegation and a host of community leaders this week in a call to action.

With one in five Oregonians out of work and more than 22,000 confirmed COVID cases in our area, people can’t afford to wait any longer for relief. If there was ever a reason for state and federal leaders to put aside partisan differences and act decisively in support of our communities, this is it.

So if you haven’t yet had the chance, I hope you’ll join us in making your voice heard.

Our communities face the worst food insecurity in a generation — and our elected officials need to know that inaction is no longer an option. Call your legislators. Email your members of congress. Tag leaders in social media. Our online tools make it easier than ever to urge electeds to take bold, immediate action.

Thousands of you have already made your voices heard — and thousands more no doubt will do the same in the coming weeks.

Thank you so much for all you are doing to help us all emerge stronger from this crisis.