Oregon Food Bank has been fighting hunger in Oregon and Clark County, Wash., for more than 30 years. Here are just a few of our recent accomplishments.
Emergency food distribution
Last year, the Oregon Food Bank Network distributed a record
81-million pounds of food to hungry families statewide.
This was made possible by a major 80 percent jump in U.S. Department of Agriculture commodities. And, while retailers and their customers faced a tough year, donations to OFB's Fresh Alliance program stayed even at 7 million pounds of fresh produce, meat and dairy.
Community Support
Volunteers donated 117,000 hours in 2010-11. That's the equivalent of 56 full-time employees with an estimated value of $2 million.
30,000 donors provided 71,000 gifts to help fight hunger. The average gift of a typical donor was $88.
Advocacy
OFB advocated for key food programs on the federal, state and local levels; served on Oregon's Legislative Task Force on Hunger; helped develop Multnomah County Food Action Plan goals; and grew its base of statewide "Hunger Champion" volunteers.
In addition, OFB formalized its sponsorship of the Childhood Hunger Coalition, a group working to provide ongoing education and outreach tools for clinicians in an effort to reduce childhood hunger and improve the health of children and families.
Nutrition and Garden Education
Volunteers helped OFB expand its Cooking Matters™ courses in Washington County from eight to 20, four of which were hosted at the new Kaiser Permenente Teaching Kitchen located at OFB West.
OFB's Nutrition Education program trained 660 participants through 46, six-week Cooking Matters™ courses and 17 single-session workshops. In addition, four satellite program partners throughout the state trained 51 participants through six Cooking Matters™ courses.
451 participants learned to grow their own food through Seed to Supper workshops and the Cultivating Community youth mentorship program in OFB Learning Gardens. The programs were offered in partnership with 18 different agencies serving low-income clients.
180 students and 30 teachers and parents contributed more than 1,300 volunteer hours to the Westside Learning Garden - a partnership with Rachel Carson Environmental Middle School - now in its second year.
Community Food Systems
OFB conducted ten FEAST (Food, Education, Agriculture Solutions Together) workshops to help communities improve the health, equitability and resiliency of local food systems.
Three RARE (Research Assistance for Rural Environments) AmeriCorps volunteers completed two multi-county assessments as well as a local food guide for Klamath County.
Statewide support
Last year, OFB's Network Support Fund provided $2.1 million, in grants and equipment to support the statewide regional food bank network.
