Food connects a great grandmother named Barbara and homeless young people in Eugene. Barbara is the “lunch lady” at Hosea Youth Services, a faith-based organization that provides a variety of practical services to vulnerable, unhoused teens and young adults ages 16 to 24. Hosea provides food, clothing, toiletries, showers, laundry facilities and a safe place off the streets.
Barbara prepares lunch, with help from others. Some of the food is supplied by FOOD For Lane County (FFLC). Barbara came to Hosea as a volunteer, looking for something useful to do after her husband passed away after a long illness. “I wasn’t ready to sit home alone and knit all day,” she said. She has learned to embrace her role at Hosea, which is to provide her young guests with a nourishing meal and a welcoming smile. “I’m just showing them love.”
FFLC provides food to partner organizations that operate food pantries and meal sites throughout Lane County. Most of the 8 million pounds of food we distribute each year is distributed by these community partners, who provide critical services to our community. Food from FFLC plays a modest but important supporting role.
Your donation addresses food insecurity and connects food with essential community services provided by organizations like Hosea and people like Barbara.
Thanks to the generosity of people like you, the $100,000 May challenge was met in 17 days! Your help is still needed, because the demand for food assistance is higher than it has been in years. Make a gift and make a difference.