Governor Challenges Food Industry to Partner with Oregon's Food Bank Network to Fight Hunger

Joined by Oregon food industry companies, the Governor challenges others in industry to help meet growing demand

May 29, 2008 -- (Portland) – Oregon Governor Ted Kulongoski today issued his final challenge of Hunger Awareness Week, asking the food industry to find creative ways to partner with the Oregon’s Food Bank Network to feed hungry families.

Creation of these partnerships will help the Network, representing more than 900 food distribution sites across Oregon, provide families with well-balanced, nutritious foods.

“With the increase in costs of food and fuel, more families are turning to food sites to help feed their families,” Governor Kulongoski said. “Oregon’s food industry can help meet this demand by partnering with the Oregon Food Bank Network. Together, we can help the network collect the expected need of 64.2 million pounds of food over the next five years.”

Joining the Governor today were several food industry companies that are already helping the food bank network provide nutritious emergency food boxes. With the help of two local chefs, the Governor helped to prepare a meal for a food box the network would like to provide every family that turns to a food site for assistance.

The fruits and vegetables in the food box were donated by the Pacific Coast Fruit Company. The company has donated more than 500,000 pounds of nutritious, high-quality food to the Oregon Food Bank Network.

The Governor also highlighted another partnership that will provide hungry families with high-quality, nutritious sources of protein. Farmers Ending Hunger, Threemile Canyon Farms and Walt’s Wholesale Meats have collaborated to donate 10,000 pounds of ground beef every month to the Oregon Food Bank Network. Threemile Canyon Farms donates 25 cows every month and Walt’s Wholesale Meats donates the processing.

As part of the Governor’s challenge, Walt’s Wholesale Meats will join with Threemile Canyon Farms and Farmers Ending Hunger to encourage Oregon dairy farmers to match its monthly donation to the Oregon Food Bank Network to double meat donation from 10,000 to 20,000 pounds of beef per month.

In addition, the Oregon Department of Corrections (DOC), Truitt Brothers and local growers have formed a partnership with Marion-Polk Food Share to provide green beans.

The DOC will provide land near Santiam Correctional Institution and local farmers will donate their time and materials to grow the beans. Truitt Brothers will can the beans and half of the crop, or nearly 200,000 cans, will go to Marion-Polk Food Share to provide three cans of beans for every emergency food box in Marion and Polk counties. Truitt Brothers will sell the remaining beans. Marion-Polk Food Share in Salem is one of 20 member regional food banks of the statewide Oregon Food Bank Network.

“We look forward to building on those partnerships and developing even more creative ways to address hunger in Oregon. And if there is someone we are not already working with, we welcome the chance to find an opportunity for every member of the food industry in Oregon to play a part,” said Rachel Bristol, executive director and CEO of the Oregon Food Bank.

To learn about creative ways to donate food, call Mike Moran or Bob Morris at Oregon Food Bank, (503) 282-0555 or visit www.oregonfoodbank.org.

Source: Oregon Governor

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