Columbia Gorge Food Bank Brings Essential Services to Migrant Farmworkers

“Everybody has the right to food, whatever their immigration status. Food is essential. It's not something extra that I need to be successful. Everybody needs access to food. Oregon has the resources. And we can help everybody. So why not help everybody? Why not give everybody access to the resources we already have?” — Eman Abbas, Oregon Food Bank Ambassador

Across the country, migrant farmworkers are the reason food gets from the fields to the plates of millions of Americans. Yet, the very people who feed the rest of the country struggle to feed themselves and their families.

As cherry harvest season begins in the Columbia River Gorge, food is available to migrant farmworkers and their families. In partnership with the RAMAS (Resources Available for Migrant Access to Services) coalition, the Columbia Gorge Food Bank provides food assistance to families during this transitional time.

"We provide culturally appropriate and shelf-stable food boxes to distribute to families when they arrive," Leah Hall, Community Philanthropy Manager for the Columbia Gorge Food Bank explains. "These direct distributions just allow for an efficient use of time and resources for families while also reducing some of the pressure on our public pantry partners throughout the region."

And families receive more than just food — RAMAS provides support and services in education, nutrition, health, social services, mental health and disabilities, and family engagement and education. During peak season, children receive physicals, screenings for vision, dental, hearing, lead, and tuberculosis, and developmental screenings. Services are provided by bilingual volunteers to create a welcoming and comfortable environment.

Each spring, RAMAS gathers local community partners — such as One Community Health, Oregon Department of Human Services, Adventist Health, local health departments, orchardists and food banks — to begin planning how to best reach migrant farmworkers and families with wraparound services. This collection of partners ensures families can get connected needs met — such as food, healthcare and social services.

This year, 360 boxes were packed and distributed in Wasco County, totaling over 14,000 pounds of food. Distributions meet families where they are, during head start and education program registrations, lowering barriers such as transportation and time to receive these critical resources.

Food is a human right and everyone in Oregon should have access to food. Yet many migrant farmworkers — and over 60,000 Oregonians — are excluded from food assistance, such as SNAP, simply because of their immigration status. Even for immigrant and refugee Oregonians who are eligible for SNAP and other assistance, threats to citizenship have left many afraid to apply for benefits.

While food distributions provide significant relief for families working to make ends meet, respecting and supporting everyone’s ability to choose the foods that best suit our cultural and personal needs is important. This is why initiatives like Food for All Oregonians, which advocate for broader access to food assistance and more autonomy in food choices, are so critical in supporting the dignity and well-being of our communities.

Know that food is available. For any individuals or families who did not receive a box at a distribution and need food support, we have a network of public food pantries open each weekday in Hood River and Wasco Counties. You can find food assistance in your area at OregonFoodFinder.org, which is available in 19 languages. Everyone is welcome — regardless of race, gender, religion or immigration status.

Support the Columbia Gorge Food Bank’s efforts to serve migrant farmworkers during the growing season by donating to Columbia Gorge Food Bank.

Join our organizing efforts to expand food access to all Oregonians, regardless of immigration status, at FoodForAllOR.org.