Partners' staff attended the National Anti-Hunger Policy conference in March, sponsored by the Food Research & Action Center (FRAC).

Take Action - a vote is expected on Thursday that will restructure the SNAP program, causing serious harm to Oregonians who need food assistance. Learn more.   

• Call your Representative today to voice your opposition to the House/Ryan Budget Plan: 1-800-826-3688  
• Find your Legislator.

Message: SNAP is helping Oregon families and children put food on the table. Please vote against the House Budget Proposal that would make disastrous changes to SNAP.

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The Legislature made some changes to the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program during the short session in February. Advocates and legislators fought against a number of proposed cuts (with mixed success) and some new investments were made to the JOBS program.

Read the TANF Wrap-up report to learn more...

Executive Director Patti Whitney-WIse will head to Minnesota along with Oregon's first lady Cylvia Hays for the Northwest Area Foundation's 2012 Grassroots and Groundwork Conference in June.

They will co-present the 5-year plan, Ending Hunger Before it Begins: Oregon's Call to Action. The conference shines a light on "what's working and what's promising" to reduce poverty and build prosperity.

For 2012, a family of three earning $19,090 is considered to be at 100% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL). Poverty Guidelines are used to determine financial eligibility for a number of programs that help Oregonians, such as:

• SNAP (food stamps)
• Oregon Health Plan
• Temporary Assistance for Needy Families

Many programs set the threshold higher than 100% FPL, acknowledging that families earning more often need assistance to cover their basic needs. In Oregon, for example, SNAP (the food stamp program) uses 185% FPL.

Many advocates believe the FPL is an out-dated model that doesn't fully capture those in poverty. Stay tuned next time for an overview of one alternative, the Supplemental Poverty Measure.

Thanks go to Oregon Food Bank, for contributing to our Summer Food Support Fund. OFB's contribution will help feed more children who live in rural communities this summer.

If your organization, faith group or family would like to help fight childhood hunger this summer, make a donation and help us meet our goal of supporting 20 NEW Summer Food Program sites across the state. Only one out of five eligible kids in Oregon get free, healthy meals, often because there isn't a meal site near them. Together, we can change that. Our goal is to raise $150,000 by the end of April and we're halfway there!

Can you run a meal site to feed kids in your neighborhood this summer? Apply for a small start-up grant from our Support Fund. Be sure to fill out an online application before April 20th.