Help is on the way

November 3, 2017 – Oregon Food Bank lends a hand to communities affected by natural disasters.

The summer of 2017 may be remembered for deadly hurricanes and devastating wildfires. Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria wreaked havoc on Texas, Florida, Puerto Rico and surrounding regions. In Oregon and northern California, wildfires forced hundreds from their homes and destroyed thousands of structures and beloved natural areas. Your support of Oregon Food Bank has been instrumental in helping the people affected by these disasters.

Response to hurricanes in the South were coordinated by our national organization, Feeding America. In early September, volunteers at Oregon Food Bank packed 1,776 emergency food boxes for delivery to Beaumont, one of the hardest hit areas in Texas. Each box contained shelf-stable foods that did not need to be heated.

The Chetco Bar fire impacted 300 people near the southern Oregon coast. Donations from you allowed additional shipments of food and water to be delivered to South Coast Food Share in Coos Bay. Water and snacks were also sent to The Dalles for use by those affected by and helping manage the Eagle Creek fire. In October, wildfires raged through northern California. Many residents lost everything. Oregon Food Bank volunteers assembled two truckloads of emergency food boxes in two days.

Feeding America also put out a request for personnel to help fellow food banks who were overwhelmed by their own losses and the devastation in their communities. A total of eight staff went to Texas to help recovery efforts from Hurricane Harvey. An additional two staff, who are fluent in Spanish, went to Puerto Rico.

Oregon Food Bank is a leader in food distribution methods and part of statewide emergency response efforts because of your donations. If an incident happens in the northwest, Oregon Food Bank can respond quickly and effectively.

CORRESPONDING ARTICLE:
A light in the storm: Food banks quietly join forces in the wake of disaster
By David Sarasohn