Our Food & Support Network

Oregon Food Bank supports statewide food sourcing, logistics, infrastructure and other network functions while operating five branches. Independent regional food banks coordinate food assistance within their service areas. Partner agencies are community organizations that have formal relationships with an Oregon Food Bank branch or regional food bank. Food assistance sites are the locations or programs where people receive food. One partner agency may operate multiple sites or programs.

Please contact the Regional Food Bank or Oregon Food Bank branch that serves your area to learn whether new partnerships are currently being considered and to understand the requirements and process for becoming a partner agency.

Food comes from several sources, including purchases and donations from farms and food producers, retailers and manufacturers, food rescue, donations and government food programs. Independent regional food banks and partner agencies also source food locally. Because food comes from different sources, availability and program requirements can vary.

Food is not divided equally among organizations. Distribution can reflect community demand, the number of people served, frequency and type of service, storage and refrigeration, staffing and transportation, geography, available food and funding and requirements connected to particular food sources. The goal is to support reliable food access across communities.

There is not one formula for all food and funding. Different resources come with different requirements and allocation methods. For resources distributed through a Network allocation formula, Regional Food Banks vote on the formula used to determine allocations. Oregon Food Bank does not make those allocation decisions for the Network unilaterally. Government program allocations may use factors such as poverty, unemployment and population, depending on the program. Other food and resources are distributed based on factors such as availability, community need, regional capacity and requirements connected to specific food sources.

Not exactly. Food safety, reporting and other core responsibilities apply across many partnerships, but specific requirements and partnership processes can vary by program, food source and Regional Food Bank. Each Regional Food Bank maintains its own network based on the needs and conditions of its service area, including requirements and processes for becoming a partner agency.

Some food sources come with specific requirements related to eligibility, food handling, recordkeeping, reporting or distribution. Partner agencies and regional food banks are responsible for following the requirements attached to the food and programs they participate in.

No. Food Finder is designed primarily to help people locate food assistance. A food assistance site may have a different public name than the organization that operates it, and some organizations work primarily through their regional food bank rather than directly with Oregon Food Bank. To confirm a specific organization’s network relationship, contact the Oregon Food Bank branch or regional food bank serving that area.

A partner agency, a program and a food assistance site are not necessarily the same thing. One organization may operate several sites or programs, and a site may use a different name than its host organization. Network visit counts also represent service visits rather than necessarily representing unique individuals. These distinctions are important when comparing directories, partner lists and service data.

Organizations can work with Oregon Food Bank in many ways beyond food distribution, including organizing, advocacy and efforts to strengthen local food systems. We also convene, support and participate in coalitions and networks working to address hunger and its root causes, and welcome opportunities to collaborate when they align with our mission and values.