OFB Community,
Thanks to your advocacy and action, we were able to secure major anti-hunger investments and policy wins during the state legislative session — despite the weeks-long dysfunction and last-minute decisions forced by the Senate Republican walkout.
And yet, it’s hard to contain our disappointment that Food for All Oregonians (SB 610) did not pass. This important legislation would ensure everyone who needs food assistance can access support, no matter where we’re from, and is a priority for Oregon Food Bank and over 125 allied organizations throughout the state. Despite significant progress, Democratic leadership unfortunately did not prioritize Food for All for passage in the final days of voting before the legislative session closed.
You can learn more about our policy victories and the work ahead here.
It takes a true movement to take on systems that exclude so many people in our communities, and we know that movements take years of effort and heart to build. We should all be proud of the landmark changes we passed this session — as well as the strong foundation we built to pass Food for All in the future.
Nearly three decades in food banking has taught me that there is power in persistence. It takes time to achieve big things — and our mission to eliminate hunger and its root causes is most definitely big. I’m beyond proud of all we accomplished together this session, despite the odds. If we stay the course (and I know we will!), there’s no limit to what this community can achieve. I’m inspired for the work ahead!
With love and appreciation,
Susannah Morgan
President, Oregon Food Bank
Between the sunset of pandemic emergency support and the rising cost of food and housing, we expect a sharp increase in demand for food assistance throughout the region. Legislative action is more important than ever as we work to meet evolving needs and address hunger at its roots.
Our advocacy efforts are focused on ensuring food is available to all who need it. Food is essential to our daily lives — and our freedom, our health, our ability to thrive all depend on access to food that is both nutritious and familiar.
Yet we know we can’t truly end hunger for good through food alone; we have to take action to prevent hunger from happening in the first place. That means addressing the policies and systems that drive hunger and poverty in our communities.
There’s no one better to name solutions to hunger than those of us who have experienced it first-hand — and the Oregon Food Bank Policy Leadership Council is made up entirely of community leaders with lived expertise in hunger from across our great state. With the Council’s leadership, we’re shortening the distance between people who experience food insecurity and the decisions that affect us.
Our Policy Leadership Council has endorsed a host of anti-hunger policy and investment priorities across seven key issue areas for the 2023 legislative session:
Thousands of Oregonians face hunger each day — simply because of where we were born. We're building community power to make food assistance programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (sometimes called "SNAP" or "food stamps") available to all who need it.
One in eight Oregon kids live in a household that struggles to afford food. Targeted investments in our food assistance network will improve outcomes in education, health and our economy.
Everyone deserves a safe place to call home. We need action to address the skyrocketing price of housing and make sure that no one has to choose between paying rent and putting food on the table.
The most resilient food systems are built on clean, sustainable and healthy food production strategies. We support legislative action to promote healthy, food secure communities.
There is a clear link between inequities in our legal system and higher rates of hunger. Through key reforms and investments, we can build safer communities for all of us.
Oregonians of Color experience hunger at over twice the rate of those who are White. We can address systemic inequities by ensuring everyone has a voice in decisions that affect us.
Direct assistance is the most effective path to ending hunger and poverty. Through targeted investments, we can help Oregonians make the best choices for our families.
Single moms, trans and gender-diverse Oregonians face significantly higher rates of food insecurity. By ensuring access to quality childcare and a full range of healthcare services, we can help close the gap and ensure everyone has the opportunity to thrive.
Legislative action is more important than ever as we work to meet the increasing need for food assistance and address hunger at its roots. We hope you'll get involved in whatever way is most meaningful to you!
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