March 2026 Community Cultivator: Valley Fresh Produce

Oregon Food Bank is proud to recognize Valley Fresh Produce as our March 2026 Community Cultivator.

Valley Fresh Produce is a small, independent grocer in Tillamook. Run by Jesús Sosa Soto and his family, Valley Fresh provides an impressive array of Mexican and Latin American foods, a bounty of fresh produce and a selection of home goods. In a region with few grocery options, it provides a welcoming environment and affordable groceries to Tillamook communities. But Valley Fresh also has an impact that reaches beyond their doors.

For years, Oregon Food Bank has relied on the team at Valley Fresh to quickly and reliably deliver culturally familiar food for a food distribution project. Thanks to their support, this program now serves more than 140 food-insecure families across Tillamook County, connecting participants with culturally specific foods that can’t reliably be found on pantry shelves. The Valley Fresh team works with Oregon Food Bank’s Tillamook County Services warehouse to get foods that can be otherwise difficult to source. They regularly make large donations of apples and other fresh produce.

At a time when many Hispanic and Latine families don’t feel safe accessing food pantries or spending time out in public spaces, the culturally familiar food box program has created a lifeline for people in need. This kind of creative problem-solving is central to addressing hunger, and it is only made possible through the tireless efforts of community partners like Valley Fresh Produce.

Thank you, Valley Fresh Produce, for your ongoing support and partnership!

Have questions about the Community Cultivator program or how your organization can get involved? Please don’t hesitate to reach out!