By Chastity Haxton
In just two years, visits to the Oregon Food Bank Network increased 51 percent, reaching 2.9 million visits last year. This is a record number of visits. This means that food assistance sites are serving more people than ever before. Yet despite the increased number of visits to our Network in the past two years, food assistance is under threat at the federal level. In response, Oregon Food Bank, with the support of our community members, continues to make every effort to provide food assistance to ensure no one goes hungry.
This year is the 23rd anniversary of the KGW Great Food Drive, an event to collect food donations and raise critical funds to support Oregon Food Bank. Through Oregon Food Bank’s purchasing power, critical funds raised through the KGW Great Food Drive have an even greater impact, stretching each dollar to purchase more food than an individual shopper can buy at a grocery store.
KGW is a dedicated partner of Oregon Food Bank. Over the past 10 years, the KGW Great Food Drive has raised more than $5.5 million with growing community support every year. Last year, Oregon Food Bank selected KGW as a Community Cultivator for leading the way in advancing food justice.
Our Network runs on volunteer power and our anti-hunger advocacy efforts. With the support and dedication of community members and partners, we can expand our reach and share food with more families. Currently, 1 in 7 people and 1 in 6 children across Oregon and Southwest Washington face uncertainty about where their next meal will come from. This makes getting involved more important than ever.
We invite you to join us and get involved in ways that are most meaningful to you. Together, we can make lasting progress toward ending hunger in our communities!
“Too many families are forced to make impossible choices between food, housing and healthcare. The KGW Great Food Drive helps ease that burden by providing support through trusted community connections. As uncertainty at the federal level limits what families can count on, local partners are stepping up to fill the gap. During times of uncertainty, Oregon comes together to address hunger together.”
—Andrea Williams, Oregon Food Bank President
Learn more about the KGW Great Food Drive at KGWfood.com — and get involved in our shared vision for resilient communities that never go hungry.
Join our partners at Rivermark Credit Union, Safeway-Albertsons, Toyota Dealerships, Pacific Office Automation, Pacific Foods and the Columbia Sportswear Employee Store in supporting this work with a secure online donation.
Help ensure nourishing food reaches hard-hit communities throughout the region by signing up to volunteer.
Take action on anti-hunger policy efforts at the local, state and national levels.
Sign up to receive emails with updates, resources and ways to get involved.
