Expanding Food Access with a New Ontario Community Food Center

Through the Western Treasure Valley Food System Partnership, Oregon Food Bank is breaking ground on a new location for our branch, OFB Southeast Oregon Services, which will serve as a community food center in Ontario, Oregon. To date, Rooted + Rising has invested $4.5 million to establish this critical resource for Malheur and Harney counties.

Serving Malheur and Harney counties, the new facility will improve access to free food and increase capacity to process and distribute fresh, locally-harvested products — along with a community kitchen, value food market and gathering space for year-round civic engagement.

The Ontario Community Food Center will be located between River Bend Place affordable housing and the new Valley Family Health Care clinic on an innovative campus. This single destination will serve as a hub for a range of essential resources and services at the intersection of food access, healthcare and housing. While we will break ground and begin construction on our Community Food Center in late 2025, both of our partners are already open and operating on-site!

Given the remote nature of the region, food distribution often entails journeys spanning up to 300 miles by truck. Consequently, both counties face low food accessibility rates, previously termed as food deserts. Many local communities resort to gas station convenience stores (USDA, 2023) or endure lengthy drives spanning several hours to access a traditional grocery store.

With a commitment to ensuring equitable access to fresh, nourishing foods, we prioritize sourcing abundant, locally-grown and -raised products. However, our older facilities were primarily designed for handling large quantities of shelf-stable goods like dry and canned products.

To address this, the Ontario Community Food Center will significantly expand our branch, tripling the total square footage and nearly tripling food storage capacity. This includes a 60 percent increase in cold storage to safely accommodate fresh, nutrient-dense produce, meats and dairy. Additionally, a new onsite pantry will directly serve the community, while the Ontario Community Food Center will serve as a hub for mobile pantry services, offering flexible pop-up distributions to improve food accessibility and reduce isolation across the region.

The Ontario Community Food Center aims to create an inclusive food hub driving systemic changes in the local food system, benefiting marginalized communities. By expanding land access and supporting small-scale producers, it lowers barriers to food markets and distributes locally-produced foods. Prioritizing sustainability, it promotes economic growth while ensuring access to diverse, nutrient-rich foods. Ultimately, the Ontario Community Food Center seeks to reimagine food production and distribution, creating a regional food system that supports community access to fresh foods, a healthy environment, and equitable opportunities for local producers.