On February 4th, the 2013 State Legislative Session will begin and we need your help! Together we can make progress on ending hunger and we invite you to review the Oregon Hunger Task Force's legislative priorities.

On February 1st, our website will be updated with information about the issues we will be following during the session and fact sheets will be available for downloading.

PLEASE JOIN US! The Oregon Hunger Task Force will host a briefing at the Oregon State Capital on February 14, 2013 at 9:30am. Contact Robyn Johnson, Public Policy Manager for more details and to RSVP by February 8th.

The 112th Congress voted to extend most provisions in the Farm Bill through the end of the federal fiscal year (Sep. 30, 2013) as a part of larger legislation that prevented the much-publicized "fiscal cliff":

• No cuts to SNAP benefits.
• Severe cut to SNAP-ED program (Nutrition Education).
• Extended Farm Direct Nutrition Programs for seniors

Additionally, the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and the Child Tax Credit were extended for five years and long-term Unemployment Insurance was extended for one year. Unfortunately, the payroll tax holiday was allowed to expire at the end of 2012, placing an additional financial burden on many low-wage workers in Oregon. Learn more...

Welcome new PHFO Board Members!

Jaime Arredondo is a long-time advocate of the Summer Food Program for kids, and worked with our Child Hunger Prevention Team to launch a summer meal program when he worked at the Farmworker Housing Development Corporation. Jaime is currently the Director of Special Projects for the CAPACES Leadership Institute in Woodburn.

Jaime was born in Michoacán, México, immigrating to Salem with his family when he was young. He picked crops as a farmworker for twelve years until he was 22. Jaime has a passion for Latino advocacy and has been heavily involved with several community-based groups and activities throughout the state. He served as both Community Organizer and Director of Fund Development for the Farmworker Housing Development Corporation (FHDC). In 2011, Jaime was recognized by Shelterforce, the oldest community, economic development magazine in the nation, and selected as one of the "6 Under 36 Young Leaders" in the country.

Jaime received a BA from Willamette University in 2005 in Rhetoric/Media Studies and Spanish. He is currently working on his MBA at Oregon State University.

We are excited to continue our partnership with Share Our Strength for the 2013 Taste of the Nation, an event for which Oregon's best chefs, winemakers, brewers, distillers come together to help end childhood hunger. Mark your calendars for May 7, 2013. More details coming soon!