News Release

About Oregon Food Bank                              

Our Mission
To eliminate hunger and its root causes … because no one should be hungry.

What is Oregon Food Bank?
Oregon Food Bank is a nonprofit, charitable organization. It is the hub of a statewide network of 919 hunger-relief agencies serving Oregon and Clark County, Wash.

Oregon Food Bank recovers food from farmers, manufacturers, wholesalers, retailers, individuals and government sources. It then distributes that food to 20 regional food banks across Oregon. Sixteen are independent charitable organizations. OFB directly operates the four regional food banks serving the Portland metro area, southeast Oregon and Tillamook County. Those four centers distribute food weekly to more than 340 food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters and other programs helping low-income individuals in Clackamas, Clark, Multnomah, Washington, Malheur, Harney and Tillamook counties. Oregon Food Bank also works to eliminate the root causes of hunger through advocacy, nutrition education and public education.

Scope of the problem

• As food and gas prices skyrocket, more low-income households are struggling to stretch their dollars. More people, who never thought they would need help, are visiting emergency food pantries for the first time.

• Summer is particularly tough for low-income families with children who depend on free or reduced-price lunch programs during the school year.

• Since July 2007, requests for emergency food in Oregon have increased 4 percent, particularly in rural and coastal areas. Distribution of emergency food boxes is up 19 percent in Redmond, 4 percent in La Grande and 12 percent in Coos Bay.

• In an average month, an estimated 192,000 people rely on food from emergency food boxes to stave off hunger in Oregon and Clark County, Wash. In addition, 176 soup kitchens and shelters provided 4-million emergency meals and 378 other helping programs helped more than 88,000 people.
  
• Last year, Oregon Food Bank collected and distributed 30.8-million pounds of food. In total, the OFB Network of 919 agencies distributed nearly 55.8-million pounds of food.                                 

Who is hungry?

• Most adults who receive emergency food are working retired or disabled. 47 percent of households receiving emergency food had at least one working adult.

• Families and children face greatest need. 49 percent of households receiving emergency food are households with children. 37 percent of those receiving emergency food are children. In an average month an estimated 71,000 children eat meals from an emergency food box.

• Research shows that children who are hungry have more trouble learning in school. Early childhood hunger and malnutrition can result in irreversible health problems such as hypertension, diabetes, kidney and heart disease later in life.

• Hunger is an income problem. The high cost of housing, health care, child care, and fuel make it difficult for low-income individuals and families to have enough money to pay for food.

• Emergency food box recipients without health insurance increased. 38 percent of adults      receiving emergency food have no health insurance.

How you can help

• Donate funds. For every dollar you contribute, Oregon Food Bank can collect and distribute 5 pounds of food through its food distribution program. Admission is a donation of $10 per person, per day, which would provide enough food to fill an emergency food box, a three- to five-day supply of food for a family of four.

• Donate food. Bring two cans of nonperishable food per person per day to the festival. Most-needed foods include canned meats and fish such as tuna fish and salmon, peanut butter, stews, chili, soups, fruits and vegetables.

• Donate time. Thousands of people volunteer at the Waterfront Blues Festival and at Oregon Food Bank each year. Volunteers are vital in the fight against hunger.

• Speak up.  Write your public officials. Speak about hunger issues to others you know.

 Visit www.oregonfoodbank.org for more information about OFB.

About festival sponsors: The Safeway Waterfront Blues Festival is presented by First Tech Credit Union. Major sponsors include FedEx Freight, PacificSource Health Plans, iQ Credit Union, Daimler Truck Financial, Land Rover, The Oregonian A&E, KINK.fm and Travel Portland. Supporting sponsors include Burt’s Bees, Good Neighbor Pharmacy, Miller Brewing Co., Henry Weinhard's, Deschutes Brewery, Beringer Wine, Snapple, Pepsi, Nutrisoda, Earth2o Water, Frito Lay Snacks, Yoshida Sauce, Mission Foods, Dreyer’s Ice Cream, NW Natural, FedEx Kinko’s, Impact Advertising, Edge Design, The Boeing Company, PGE, KBOO, OregonLive.com, Blues Revue, Music Millennium, Karolyn March, Guitar Center, Lions Foundation, Cascade Blues Association, Oregon Potters Association, Cascade Zydeco and Delta Music Experience.

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