Press Release: Young kids and families hold Capitol “snack-in” to urge passage of Food for All Oregonians (SB 611A)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 7, 2025
Contact: Miranda Brown, press@oregonfoodbank.org, 909-838-2824

Young kids and families hold Capitol “snack-in” to urge passage of Food for All Oregonians (SB 611A)

Coalition of more than 190 organizations and businesses calls on Oregon lawmakers to support Oregonians — including immigrant families — and take action against hunger

Salem, Ore. — Families and young children from across Oregon gathered at the Capitol today with snacks, signs and stories — urging lawmakers to pass the Food for All Oregonians bill (SB 611A) as part of the larger Immigrant Justice Package. This legislation seeks to ensure Oregonians — including immigrants and refugees excluded from federal programs like SNAP — have access to the resources we need to thrive. The joyful “snack-in” (as opposed to “sit-in”) highlighted the urgent need for Oregon to step up as federal safety nets are cut and threatened, and immigrant families continue to be excluded from food assistance programs.

The playful but powerful gathering, hosted by the Food for All Oregonians coalition, composed of over 190 organizations and businesses across the state, brought together children and caregivers, lawmakers and advocates. Together, they called on Oregon legislators to ensure that every young child — no matter where they were born — has access to the food they need to grow and thrive.

“Oregon can and must lead in this moment,” said Andrea Williams, president of Oregon Food Bank. “With growing threats to immigrant communities and basic safety nets at the federal level, our state has the opportunity to show what care and community look like. Senate Bill 611A is how we live our values — and how we move closer to a hunger-free Oregon.”

Hunger persists at crisis levels, with 2.5 million visits to food assistance sites across the Oregon Food Bank Network in the last year alone — a 31% increase from the previous year. With bipartisan support, SB 611A would extend state-funded food benefits to kids aged 0-6 who are currently excluded from federal nutrition programs due to immigration status. It is also part of the 2025 Immigrant Justice Package — a community-led set of policies advancing immigrant justice across Oregon.

“Oregon has always been a place where we look out for one another,” said Senator Wlnsvey Campos (OR-SD 18). “Passing Food for All Oregonians is a commonsense way to support kids, families and communities who have long been excluded.”

“We are all Oregonians and no child should go hungry,” said Senator Suzanne Weber (OR-SD 16). “Food is a basic need — and this bill is a crucial step in making sure that need is met for everyone in Oregon.”

During the event, children joined their families in sharing snacks — and sharing stories — inside the Capitol.

“I brought fruit snacks and string cheese,” said Fredi Williams, age 5, from Portland. “Everyone should be able to have snacks and food. It’s not fair if some kids can’t.”

Families also visited legislators' offices, delivering apple sauce pouches labelled with data showing the proven economic benefits of food assistance. Every dollar spent by a family on SNAP generates $1.50 in Oregon’s economy through purchases at local grocery stores, farmers markets and more.

Oregon continues to face high levels of hunger, with soaring grocery prices and record demand at food assistance sites across the state. For families who are blocked from food assistance because of immigration status, the stakes are even higher. SB 611A would help close those gaps — and follow the lead of states like Washington and California that already have state-funded food assistance programs similar to Food for All Oregonians.

For media inquiries, contact Miranda Brown at press@oregonfoodbank.org.

PHOTO CAPTION A: (Courtesy of Oregon Food Bank) - Dozens of young kids and advocates gather outside the Oregon State Capitol after holding a “snack-in.”

PHOTO CAPTION B: (Courtesy of Oregon Food Bank) – Young kids under 6 – the age group that would benefit from Food for All Oregonians – ate snacks and colored while wearing T-shirts stating “child hunger is a policy choice.”

PHOTO CAPTION C: (Courtesy of Oregon Food Bank) – Children passed out apple sauce pouches to legislators, with statistics about the benefits of food assistance on the back in place of nutrition facts.

PHOTO CAPTION D: (Courtesy of Oregon Food Bank) – Oregon Food Bank president Andrea Williams sits with dozens of kids, parents and advocates before entering the Oregon State Capitol.

PHOTO CAPTION E: (Courtesy of Oregon Food Bank) – Young advocates gather outside the Oregon State Capitol after a day of coloring, snacks, and urging lawmakers to support food for all Oregon kids.

B-roll can be found at the link here.

Additional photos and b-roll footage are available upon request.

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ABOUT OREGON FOOD BANK

At Oregon Food Bank, we believe that food and health are basic human rights for all. We know that hunger is not just an individual experience; it is also a community-wide symptom of barriers to employment, education, housing, and healthcare. That’s why we work systemically in our mission to end hunger in Oregon: we build community connections to help people access nourishing, affordable food today, and we build community power to eliminate the root causes of hunger for good. Join us online OregonFoodBank.org and @oregonfoodbank on social media.