Despite a strong economy, about 40 percent of American families struggled to meet at least one of their basic needs last year, including paying for food, health care, housing or utilities. That’s according to an Urban Institute survey of nearly 7,600 adults that found that the difficulties were most prevalent among adults with lower incomes… Read more »
In rural Oregon, trips to food banks are the new normal
In towns such as Junction City, rising housing costs push families to pantries to fill monthly budget gaps Walking through the immaculate, well-organized aisles of Junction City Local Aid’s food pantry, Jeanie Burr chatted happily with volunteer Peggy Saltz about produce. “OK, so I got a cauliflower,” Burr said, clutching three bags. “Look at the… Read more »
FOOD for Lane County Partners with Trillium Community Health Plan to Grow Produce Plus and Veggie Rx Programs
EUGENE, OREGON – (June 25, 2018) – Trillium Community Health Plan is partnering with FOOD For Lane County to expand the Produce Plus Program and improve health through a new pilot project that will integrate free access to fresh produce with Type 2 diabetes prevention education. As a result of this partnership, Produce Plus is… Read more »
Lane County ranks high in food insecurity, study shows
Oregon’s economy is booming, with a record number of people employed, increasing minimum wages and housing developments springing up. Yet come meal time, many Oregonians are struggling to put food on the table in every county, especially in Lane County. The county ranks second among Oregon counties, with 15.4 percent of residents not having access… Read more »
Kids eat free this summer
More than 1 in 5 Lane County children (22%) don’t have access to adequate nutrition, and more than half (53%) qualify for free school meals during the school year. But when school is out, families with children need help filling that meal gap. FFLC’s Summer Food Program helps. We operate one of the largest free… Read more »
‘There’s no registration, it’s simply: Are you Hungry? Come on in’
LANE COUNTY, Ore. – School is out for the summer, but for many kids, that means losing access to breakfast, lunch and after school meals that are available during the school year. A long running program in Lane County was started to help bridge the gap. Food for Lane County invites all children ages 18… Read more »
An honor to serve
For volunteer pantry manager Cheri Harrison, the opportunity to serve is an honor and a privilege. “I’ve been a member of Eugene Faith Center for over 36 years,” said Cheri. “During those years I’ve had a lot of roles and done all kinds of volunteer work. About three years ago I was asked to manage the… Read more »
The recession is not over for working families.
44% of Lane County Households can’t afford basics needs. That alarming statistic is according to the 2018 ALICE Report released in May by United Way of Lane County. ALICE — or Asset-Limited, Income-Constrained, Employed — is a study of financial hardship in Oregon. “Just three years ago, our region was first introduced to a population that many of… Read more »
“I had to choose between medicine and food”
Cindy is 43. She lives alone with her dog Vido at Redwood Park Apartments in Eugene. When we spoke in November she had just gotten into Cornerstone Community Housing, which provides quality affordable housing and partners with FFLC to distribute food. She was just beginning to start her life again. Eight years ago she learned that… Read more »
Serving up help and hope
Poverty takes many forms. It can mean living in your car or in a shelter or on the street, everything you own in a backpack. It can be a paycheck that is not enough to cover your basic needs. It can be a disability check or a Social Security check or SNAP benefits that run out… Read more »
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