At first glance, it's hard to believe that a state like Oregon could have a hunger problem. After all, isn't this the home of the Willamette Valley, one of the most fertile ag valleys in the country? Acres upon acres of wheat, fruit trees, vegetables, rangeland for cattle? Is it not also home to a thriving local food scene, a bevy of community gardens, and all manner of community-based food recovery initiatives?

Well, it's also a place where rural residents might live 20, 30, 60 miles – or more – from a full service grocery store. Where those same folks might live the same distance from even a food pantry or DHS office (where they could sign up for SNAP – food stamps). Where a strong sense of personal pride can prevent folks from asking for help from friends or family.

It's also, according to USDA's latest data on national food security, the state with the second-highest rate of hungry people in the country. From OFB's release:

An average of 6.6 percent of Oregon households (about 95,000 households per year), between January 2006 and December 2008, experienced times when they were hungry but did not eat because there was not enough money for food. That compares to 3.9 percent in 2003-05 – a statistically significant 2.7 percentage point increase. These households fall into a group technically called “very low food security,” but better known as “hunger.” These households ate less, skipped meals or sometimes went without food for whole days. [...]

A larger group, 13.1 percent of Oregon households experienced food insecurity, meaning that these households lack consistent access to adequate amounts of nutritious food. That compares to 11.9 percent during the 2003-05 period – a 1.2 percent increase.

(Note that these figures were taken before the worst of the recession, too.)

There's an interesting conversation to be had about the root causes of hunger in Oregon, which includes some of the points I made above. Like other symptoms of poverty, hunger stems from a complex set of issues that compound one another. A family living on the edge of poverty must balance rent, vehicle, child care, health care, and food costs, and if anything happens to upset that balance – an accident, getting sick – folks are left scrambling to meet their family's needs with limited financial means. Access to a local food pantry can be crucial for families in need looking to keep food on the table.

More and more nonprofits like OFB and its statewide partners are looking to combine emergency food resources with self-sufficiency skills like home and community gardening, gleaning, and cooking, and to truly end hunger, we must address the broader issue of poverty itself.

But in the meantime, emergency food providers like Oregon Food Bank provide a critical stopgap to these folks in need.

From February 15 to March 15, Oregon bloggers are participating in an effort to support the Oregon Food Bank in its mission to feed everyone in Oregon who needs a meal. OFB and its state network of over 900 partners is now distributing record amounts of food to families impacted by the current recession.

The simplest way to help is to donate directly to OFB. Join me in donating to the food bank here, on OFB's donation page. When it asks who you’re giving in honor of, say “Blog for Food.” Short on funds? You can always contact your local food pantry as a volunteer, or donate food directly.