Know someone who should receive this newsletter? Sign them up here.

The Oregon Hunger Task Force, Partners for a Hunger-Free Oregon and Oregon Food Bank emphasize that the latest U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) report on food security confirms hunger remains a persistent challenge statewide for Oregon families.

According to the USDA Household Food Security in the United States Report released December 30, 2025, roughly 1 in 8 Oregonians experienced food insecurity during the most recent reporting period. That means hundreds of thousands of families across the state struggled at some point during the year to afford enough food. For children, the risk is even higher, with about 1 in 6 facing food insecurity.

The USDA report comes at a time when hunger is already getting worse. Families across Oregon are struggling with higher food and housing costs, and recent federal actions — including the passage of H.R. 1, the largest cut to SNAP in history — are reducing food assistance for many households. Because the report only includes data through 2024, it does not yet reflect how these SNAP cuts are deepening hunger right now.

“The report makes clear that hunger remains a persistent challenge and that current policy decisions risk pushing more Oregon families into crisis. Oregon will need a strong response from the legislature in the upcoming short session to protect and strengthen food assistance to prevent hunger from deepening across the state.”

– Oregon Food Bank President Andrea Williams

Oregon Food Bank’s January 2026 Community Cultivator is a name people will likely recognize across the nation — Harry & David, a Medford, Oregon-based company made famous by its juicy pears, crisp apples and towering gift packages perfect for any occasion.

The 2025 season presented many challenges to pear growers in the Pacific Northwest. Record-breaking crops left many growers scrambling to find homes for their fruit. Rather than let the fruit rot in the field or in controlled-atmosphere storage, the team at Harry & David decided to put labor and resources into donating the excess fruit. The results were staggering!

In addition to over 351,000 pounds of pears donated directly to Oregon Food Bank, local partner ACCESS in Medford and to pantries in their neighboring counties, they donated an additional 1,376,925 pounds of pears outside of Oregon. With the help of our friends at Washington-based Feeding the Northwest, 35 truckloads of pears were shipped to 11 states over the course of three weeks in December 2025. Food banks in California, Washington, Utah, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Arizona, Idaho, Kansas, Missouri and Idaho all received loads. Families across the country celebrated the holidays with delicious, fresh fruit thanks to the collaborative partnership of Harry & David.

Thank you, Harry & David, for your ongoing support and partnership!

Oregon Food Bank
7900 NE 33rd Drive
Portland, OR 97211-1918
United States