What does food mean to your family during the holidays?  

Which meals do you most look forward to?  

   

For my family, food is at the center of everything,  

especially this time of year. 

 

Shauna Petchel "Food brings us together and makes the time we have together more memorable."

Whether it's the turkey at Thanksgiving, the cookies exchanged with neighbors, or the potluck with friends as we count down the minutes to the New Year, it's food that brings us together and makes the time we have together more memorable. 

 

Without food, these occasions wouldn't be the same. 

  

This season more than 200,000 families in Oregon will struggle to afford the food that is meaningful to them. Instead of strengthening family and friendships, holiday mealtime will bring anxiety, sacrifice and isolation. 

 

We share a lot of numbers with you about hunger and poverty. It's good to be reminded that behind those numbers are families, like yours and mine. Families with their own food traditions, passed down from parents and grandparents; their own memorable treats shared with neighbors and friends. 

 

We rely on support from people like you to prevent hunger. There are still 13 days left to make a tax-deductible donation this year. While we work all year long to prevent hunger, this time of year is especially important, and not just because of the place food holds in our holiday traditions.

You probably know that in early November all families who rely on SNAP (food stamps) - including mostly young children, seniors and people with disabilities - had their food benefits cut. 

 

For many of these fellow families, this means their money for food runs out earlier in the month - possibly today. Even deeper cuts have been proposed by our country's leaders and may soon pass. This goes against our most basic value of fairness. 

 

That's why I'm asking for your strong support right now. Please consider making a gift today. Your generous donation will help build a community where every family can celebrate the season without the stress of hunger. 

From all of us at Partners for a Hunger-Free Oregon, I wish you and your family the happiest of holidays.

Thank you,