What are Oregon Food Bank’s Equity Constituencies?

Anyone can experience hunger, regardless of identity, and it’s important to recognize that food insecurity is often invisible. Food is a human right.

Every single person deserves nourishing, culturally-relevant food regardless of their identity. We focus on equity constituencies because gender, race, immigration status and single parenthood should not determine someone’s ability to access food — yet people with these identities face systemic injustices and discrimination that do prevent them from accessing food.

Oregon Food Bank is dedicated to food access for all and ending hunger for good. We recognize that people who do not hold those identities may also experience hunger. Yet we know that those of us who do not hold these identities do not experience hunger because of our race, immigration status or gender identity.

Itsa Ortiz, Oregon Food Bank HR Manager, describes how her family’s experience as undocumented immigrants made accessing food harder:

“From my experience — being the child of immigrants who were not documented for some time — a lot of it is rooted in fear. My mom has been an American citizen for almost a decade. She was a legal permanent resident for over 20 years prior to that. And she still is fearful of utilizing any kind of resources, that she is going to get her citizenship revoked. For my family and a lot of other immigrant families, there is fear of deportation, being found, being separated from your family. As I became older and started utilizing food pantries, I realized, this is my right. I shouldn't be afraid to utilize a benefit or any kind of program that is meant to help me. There's so much stigma around poverty, but it's something that's created by our own country. And it’s something that can be solved.”

We know that food is abundant worldwide, there is enough to feed every person. Yet as many as one in eight Oregonians experience hunger. We cannot end hunger by simply providing enough food. Instead, we must look at the systems and structures that put people in poverty in the first place, that make us afraid or unable to access food.

We do this by working through an equity lens. Equity acknowledges how race, gender, socio-economic status and other identities impact opportunities and privileges. Equity is not the same as equality. Individuals do not receive the same or equal resources but rather, resources are distributed according to need. In an equitable society, everyone receives the resources, knowledge and support necessary to create an equal playing field for all to be successful and thrive.

In Oregon, gender expansive and Two-Spirit individuals face significantly higher rates of food insecurity. According to a survey conducted in 2022 by the Williams Institute at UCLA, 20 percent of transgender adults compared to eight percent of cisgender adults experienced food insecurity. This alarming disparity emphasizes the need to dismantle cis-sexism and other root causes of hunger.

In a survey conducted by the National Transgender Discrimination Survey, 20 percent of respondents reported experiencing mistreatment or harassment when seeking food assistance. This alarming statistic and the lived experience of gender expansive folks in Oregon demonstrates the importance of providing culturally appropriate, safe spaces where people can equitably access food.

Taking action: How does Oregon Food Bank prioritize trans and gender expansive communities?

Organizing and advocacy for gender-affirming healthcare: Trans and gender expansive communities face disproportionate rates of food insecurity here in Oregon and across the country. A lack of access to comprehensive healthcare services places a significant financial strain on families facing food insecurity, worsening hunger and poverty. In August 2023, we joined a coalition of partners to advocate for a policy change, which protects abortion and transgender healthcare providers who have been increasingly coming under threat and attack and makes life-saving gender affirming care more affordable and accessible.

Hunger and poverty disproportionately impact BIPOC communities in every corner of Oregon and Southwest Washington. According to data from the Oregon Center for Public Policy, Black and Latine households in Oregon are twice as likely to experience poverty as White households.

Systemic racism and historical injustices create barriers to education, employment and healthcare for BIPOC communities — including Oregon’s history of redlining and discriminatory housing practices. Indigenous communities experience continued disproportionate rates of hunger and poverty due to a long and ongoing history of genocide and colonialism operationalized through harmful federal policies, environmental racism and erasure of Indigenous peoples.

Taking action: How does Oregon Food Bank prioritize Black, Indigenous, and all People of Color (BIPOC) communities?

• Local Food Purchasing and Community Grower Support: As of 2024, Oregon Food Bank has invested $2.8 million in local food production, supporting over 155 BIPOC farmers and Native and Tribal fishers. Boosted by $7 million in local food purchasing grants from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the fund is helping launch and expand farming businesses focused on fresh, culturally familiar foods across 19 counties from BIPOC communities and socially disadvantaged communities, as defined by the USDA. Food purchase dollars ensure that food produced by BIPOC fruit and vegetable growers, ranchers, herbalists, dairy farmers, bakers, and Native and Tribal fishers is distributed to underserved rural, remote and urban areas throughout the region.

One in 5 Oregonians born outside of the United States live in poverty. And over 60,000 Oregonians are excluded from food assistance and other vital programs today — such as SNAP — simply because of their immigration status.

Policies such as the Trump administration’s changes to public charge threaten citizenship and spread fear about accessing benefits. Forty-six percent of immigrant families who needed assistance abstained from applying due to concerns over immigration status (Protecting Immigrant Families).

Taking action: How does Oregon Food Bank prioritize immigrants and refugees?

• Food for All Oregonians Campaign: Oregon Food Bank is a proud member of the Food for All Oregonians coalition, where we advocate for policy change to ensure everyone has access to food assistance regardless of our place of birth, immigration status or documentation.
  
  To support Food for All Oregonians, sign the support pledge at FoodForAllOR.org/Pledge.

Single moms face the highest food insecurity rates in the United States and the majority are paid below the poverty line. In Oregon, one in three single mothers lives below the poverty line. For Black, Indigenous and Latine single mothers, that figure is one in two.

No one should have to choose between healthcare and rent, or child care and food. We center single moms and caregivers because they face these impossible choices every day.

Taking action: How does Oregon Food Bank prioritize single mothers and caregivers?

• Organizing and Advocacy for Real Policy Change: In the 2024 Oregon legislative session, we fought for and won several policy changes that will ease poverty and hunger for single mothers and caregivers, including:

  • Summer EBT (SNAP) Funding: 294,000 Oregon kids can receive more food benefits starting summer 2024, with households receiving an extra $40/month for groceries. This is especially important for families who rely on free meals at school.

  • Access to Childcare: The legislature allocated approximately $169 million to bolster the Employment Related Day Care program, acknowledging its crucial role in supporting families afford child care. Additionally, funding was approved to enhance access to meals for children at eligible daycare providers through the Child and Adult Care Food Program.