Farm Bill update
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Hungry Oregonians could face an uncertain future if proposed cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) in the Farm Bill are passed.
Members of the House Agriculture Committee backed more than $16 billion in cuts to SNAP over the next decade. They went even further than their colleagues in the Senate in June (Senate proposed $4.5 billion in cuts).
Lawmakers face a deadline of September 30th to agree on a new Farm Bill or extend the existing one.
A bipartisan group of 60 Representatives has urged House leaders to bring the bill to the floor for a vote. The Speaker of the House has not indicated when the bill will be up for a vote.
We'll keep you up to date on the farm bill's progress or lack of it in the coming weeks. Follow us on Facebook to make sure you don't miss out!
In the meantime, you can read more about the issue here.
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A Summer food success story in Ontario!
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Harvest House Missions in Ontario is just one example of the great work being done to help feed more kids during the summer.
With support from our mini-grants and the Oregon Department of Education, Harvest House Missions grew from five to nine meal sites this year. Renee Cummings, director of the program, says PHFO helped her collect feedback from families and children and will now be serving hot meals on 3 of their 5 serving days. The mini grant helped them repair the windshield of their van to transport meals to new locations at low-income apartment complexes and parks in both Ontario and Vale.
Renee was also able to hire 3 teens who have experienced homelessness in the last 60 days. They will receive case management along with summer employment, gaining critical skills needed to enter into the workforce.
To the sponsors across the state who are serving up summer meals, and the public and private partnerships that help us make mini grants available to them, we say keep up the good work!
Summer Food sites at a neighborhood near you! Kids under 18 are invited to have fun in the sun and receive a tasty, nutritious lunch through the Summer Food Service Program. Find locations, times and contact info in your community at Summer Food Oregon.
We invite you to help us get the word out by using our free outreach materials. This is a great way to help kids get the nutrition they need in the summer. And as always, give us a call or email if you have questions about the program. |
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Thank You!
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 Our staff sends a heartfelt thank-you to everyone who donated to our summer fundraising drive. Special appreciation to Alice Lundell, our summer Communications Intern who is volunteering her time and skills to help us get the word out about hunger in Oregon! |
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One Last Thought...
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SNAP is taking a big bite out of hunger ~
Audrey Rowe, Administrator of USDA's Food and Nutrition Service, said the following about the national food security numbers that will be released this fall:
"We'll have 2011 statistics in September and we anticipate, because of growth in SNAP, we will continue to see a leveling off, if not a slight decrease in food insecurity. It tells us that the SNAP is doing exactly what it was created to do...put food on the table."
The next e-news will highlight SNAP outreach in Oregon - don't miss it!
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