State of Hunger Address 2025: The case for Food for All Oregonians (SB 611)
State of Hunger Address 2025: The case for Food for All Oregonians (SB 611)
Everyone deserves nourishing food, yet many people in our communities go to bed hungry. We must connect our communities to food while also working to change what keeps people in poverty, like the high cost of healthcare and housing. Together, we are Rising for All — coming together to ensure that every Oregonian has access to the resources they need to live and thrive.
On January 27, 2025, Oregon Food Bank President Andrea Williams delivered her first State of Hunger Address on the steps of the Oregon State Capitol in Salem to kick off the Food for All Oregonians bill (SB 611) for Oregon’s 2025 legislative session. In her remarks, she not only shared the stark reality of food insecurity in Oregon today supported by new data but also lifted up a path forward, including passing Food for All Oregonians, a crucial step toward ensuring food assistance reaches every member of our communities.
Read Andrea’s full remarks and watch the video of her address below.
I’m Andrea Williams, and this is my first State of Hunger Address as the new President of Oregon Food Bank.
I want to begin by acknowledging that it’s already been a challenging year for Oregonians. People are hurting – rent is high, food is ever more expensive, and many families are living in fear with recent changes coming from our federal government. When times are tough, it’s also an opportunity for us to come together. With our community, we are Rising for All to meet the challenges and opportunities ahead — to ensure every Oregonian has access to the food and resources they need to thrive.
Let me share some critical data about hunger. Today in Oregon, 1 in 8 people experience hunger and 1 in 6 kids don’t have enough to eat. And this growing need is reflected in what we’re experiencing at food banks in Oregon. Last year, our network saw 2.5 million visits to food assistance sites across Oregon — a 31% increase from the previous year.
Let me repeat: Since the previous year, the number of visits to our food assistant sites has increased by 31%.
To put that in historical perspective – We are in the worst rate of hunger and food insecurity since the Great Depression.
While our network sourced and distributed over 91 million meals — nearly 110 million pounds of food — we’ve learned that it’s not enough. Food alone cannot solve hunger.
I think of a recent visit to one of our network's food pantries, where I saw long lines of people waiting for food. The staff and volunteers there worked tirelessly to work with every person there, making sure everyone walked away with the groceries they needed. But lines don’t disappear once the food is handed out. Tomorrow, people will likely be there again, and the next day, too.
This is a critical reminder: Oregon Food Bank and our Network of regional food banks can and will feed individuals and families today, but that doesn’t mean the need will end tomorrow. We also must address the root causes of hunger — the systems and policies that keep people from having access to the resources they need to thrive. Until we do that, those lines will keep forming.
That’s what makes our work in this building, Oregon’s Capitol, so important. It will take policy change to end hunger for good.
Today, I am proud to announce the next crucial step in this work. The Food for All Oregonians bill creates a state-based program that provides food assistance to Oregonians who are currently excluded from the federal SNAP program, including immigrant and refugee Oregonians.
This bill has strong community support — the Food for All Oregonians coalition includes over 160 organizations across the state.
This bill is part of a broader legislative roadmap, and I am pleased to share that it will be presented to legislators tomorrow as part of the Oregon Hunger Task Force’s plan to end hunger in our state.
Let me take a moment to share why this work is so deeply personal to me.
I come from three generations of farm workers who moved from Japan and the Philippines and worked in Hawaii’s sugar cane fields. Their story shaped who I am, and it has fueled my dedication to justice for immigrant and farmworker communities. Growing up in Oregon, I didn’t always feel a sense of belonging. But when I started advocating for immigrant rights, I found my purpose and my place. It feels especially full circle that Food for All Oregonians is part of a larger Immigrant Justice Package this legislative session.
Our work to advance food access for all in Oregon is especially timely. The current federal administration is threatening cuts to SNAP and vital safety nets — posing significant risks to tens of thousands of Oregonians. These harmful policies are in direct opposition to the values we hold dear here in Oregon, where we believe in supporting everyone in our community. Oregon can and must lead by example.
That’s why we need Food for All Oregonians. This bill will provide food assistance to Oregonians excluded from federal food assistance benefits like SNAP — specifically immigrants and refugees who play such a vital role in Oregon’s economy but are excluded from these programs.
The Food for All Oregonians bill is scaled to guarantee food benefits for Oregonians ages 0–25 and 55+, and the Food for All Oregonians coalition will continue to work toward an Oregon where everyone has access to the food they need.
This is not just a policy issue; it’s a moral one. I think about my own kids and the future I want for them. I want their home to be a state where hunger is not a reality for any child, no matter their background or immigration status. I want them to feel safe, welcomed and supported. That’s the Oregon I want for my family, for all of our families — a hunger-free Oregon for everyone.
The road to ending hunger is long, but I’m confident that together, we can make this vision a reality. Passing Food for All Oregonians is just the beginning.
Thank you for being here today, and for your continued support. Now, it’s my pleasure to introduce Senator Wlnsvey Campos — welcome Senator Campos!
Check out news coverage from the 2025 State of Hunger Address here:
Statesman Journal | ‘Hungry people … is a policy choice’: What Food For All Oregonians bill could do to help
Oregonian | Oregon advocates push lawmakers to provide food benefits to immigrants excluded by feds
OPB | New bill aims to support Oregon immigrants excluded from federal food benefits
Food Bank News | Food Banks and Pantries Seek to Welcome to Immigrants
KOIN | Food for All Oregonians bill proposes nutrition assistance despite immigration status
KPTV | Oregon Food Bank says hunger at its worst since Great Depression
KATU | Oregon Food Bank: hunger in Oregon at its worst since Great Depression
