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Last week, Oregon Food Bank President Andrea Williams delivered the annual State of Hunger Address at the Oregon State Capitol, unveiling the State of Hunger Report and calling for passage of the Anti-Hunger Package.

Key findings from the report include:

• Food assistance visits across Oregon and SW Washington increased 51% in two years
• The Oregon Food Bank Network saw 2.9 million visits last year
• 1 in 7 people and 1 in 6 kids face food insecurity in Oregon

The data shows what our communities already know: hunger in Oregon is getting worse, and we need bold action to ensure that all of us have the food we need to thrive.

The report comes as federal cuts, including H.R. 1, which made the largest reduction to SNAP in the program’s history, make it harder for Oregonians to make ends meet, increasing pressure on local food assistance sites and highlighting the urgent need for state lawmakers to act this session.

“Hunger in Oregon is at record levels, and food banks cannot replace a system that keeps hunger growing,” said Andrea Williams, President of Oregon Food Bank. “When food assistance programs are weakened, families lose stability and pantry lines grow. Food is not a privilege or leverage. It is a basic human right. It is policy choices that decide who can eat and we must make better choices.”

Hundreds of advocates from all corners of Oregon gathered at the Capitol for a powerful day of action, kicking off this year’s Food for All Oregonians campaign to pass the Anti-Hunger Package.

Throughout Advocacy Day, over 150 advocates met with 35 legislative offices to urge them to pass the Anti-Hunger Package: policies that will feed Oregonians and help end hunger at its roots.

If you weren’t able to join us in-person, you can take action by emailing your lawmakers and urging them to support the Anti-Hunger Package.

“I’m from Eastern Oregon, and I’ve seen how hunger shows up quietly, in skipped meals and hard choices,” said Adrienne Sampson, a member of Oregon Food Bank’s Policy Leadership Council. “Hunger is a policy choice. What happens in Salem matters to families across the state, and the decisions lawmakers make this session will determine who gets to eat and who doesn’t.”

In 2025, Oregon families faced intense pressure from rising costs, harmful federal policies and climate disasters.

Your support ensured Oregon Food Bank could respond with compassion, solidarity and action. This short video shows what that commitment looked like in communities across Oregon.

You’ll see how Columbia Gorge Food Bank responded immediately when the Rowena Fire tore through the Gorge — delivering water and supplies to evacuees and supporting neighbors as they returned home. You’ll hear how rising hunger is putting unprecedented pressure on a food system never designed to carry this much need, and what it takes to keep food moving into communities across Oregon.

The video also captures the power of people refusing to stay silent about hunger. Families and advocates filled the Oregon State Capitol to demand Food for All Oregonians, making clear who is affected when policy choices push kids into hunger.

And you’ll meet leaders like Zak Mahad, whose community-rooted work helps families access food that reflects their culture and needs.

Thank you for showing up in a difficult year — and for being part of the community working to end hunger for good.

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