Strengthening Local Solutions by Investing in Lane County’s Youth Farm

Every community in Oregon feels the weight of hunger. Yet the challenges and solutions look significantly different from Astoria to Bend to Ontario. That’s why Oregon Food Bank relies on the wisdom of ourregional network — including 21 regional food banks and 1,200+ food assistance sites — to identify local solutions tailored to the needs of their communities.

One local solution? 25 acres for FOOD For Lane County.

“It started with local leaders listening to community members experiencing hunger, who made it clear that securing this farmland was critical,” explained Andrea Williams, Oregon Food Bank President.

FOOD For Lane County has run a successful Youth Farm program for 25 years. The land they had rented for decades was now slated for low-income housing — an important investment to meet community needs, but with consequences. The Youth Farm was serving the community healthy food while creating opportunities for youth, new farmers and volunteers.

“We hire teens to work with us to both grow the food and to sell the food at our produce stand,” said Jen Anonia, Gardens Program Manager. “They learn how to work really hard, and they become so invested in the end product.”

The Youth Farm plays a vital role in providing fresh, locally grown produce to the community. Through its CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) program, 180 community members receive seasonal fruits and vegetables. And SNAP (formerly known as food stamps) participants benefit from a matching program that reduces their cost by half. In collaboration with Trillium, an Oregon Health Plan provider, the Youth Farm also supplies 15 produce boxes over 25 weeks to pregnant people enrolled in the Start Smart for Your Baby program – ensuring access to nourishing food during a critical time for parental and infant health.

FOOD For Lane County needed farmland, but that kind of acreage is a major expense — one perfectly suited for Oregon Food Bank’s Rooted + Rising campaign.

In 2023, Oregon Food Bank approached the Oregon Legislature with a bold ask: Move funding to projects that local communities have prioritized to end hunger. The legislature responded by designating $14.3 million to local solutions identified by the Oregon Food Bank Network of Regional Food Banks. The money has since funded many local projects, including upgrading facilities and transportation, expanding capacity for fresh foods, bolstering emergency response resources, and increasing staffing.

“Our network of Regional Food Banks were absolutely critical in achieving this victory,” said Williams. “They gave public testimony and showed up for Ways and Means road shows across the state. They submitted written testimony. They called and met with their legislators. All of those interactions were critical to achieving this huge investment in our communities.”

Through the legislature’s funding and private donations, FOOD For Lane County purchased a 25-acre piece of land to keep the Youth Farm running.

“We’re going to be surrounded by farms and agricultural producers,” Anonia said about their new location. “There’s an opportunity to learn from them. Many of them have been growing there for generations. FOOD For Lane County is focused on not only providing food to people, but also asking, ‘How do we develop food resiliency? How do we invest in our local farmers? How do we promote local food and local food security?’ And so here's an incredible opportunity to be neighbors with local farms, to collaborate and invest in each other.”

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