Oregon Declares 60-Day Food Emergency: $5 Million Directed to Statewide Food Bank Network
Oregon Governor Tina Kotek declared a 60-day statewide food security emergency on October 29 in response to the federal government shutdown halting Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. More than one in six Oregonians relies on SNAP to buy groceries, including children, working families, older adults and people with disabilities, and state figures estimate the program drives about $1.6 billion a year into Oregon's economy.
The declaration establishes a statewide incident command organized by the Oregon Department of Emergency Management (OEM) and authorizes state agencies to coordinate with local governments, nonprofits and private-sector partners so emergency food reaches vulnerable families; it also positions the state to turn SNAP benefits back on as swiftly as possible when the shutdown ends. The Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) leads statewide coordination of food assistance programs.
Kotek directed ODHS to deploy $5 million from Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) carryover funds to Oregon's network of food banks, supporting food purchasing, distribution and local operations. She also called on Oregonians to donate, give food or volunteer at local food banks; the Oregon Beverage Recycling Cooperative is activating its Emergency Fund from October 30 to November 30 in support of 12 emergency food assistance organizations. Residents who need food can find nearby resources through the state's food resource hub or by calling 2-1-1.
"It's unacceptable that families are being used as leverage in a political standoff in Washington, D.C.," Kotek said. "While the Republican-controlled Congress fails to do its job, Oregon will do ours. We stand up for each other, whether it's fires, floods, or any other crisis."
Related: Two federal judges rule USDA must use contingency funds to pay November SNAP benefits
Source: Office of the Governor of Oregon and the Oregon Department of Emergency Management.
Source: GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 俄勒冈州州长 Tina Kotek 官方肖像。公共领域，经Wikimedia Commons。 / Official portrait of Oregon Governor Tina Kotek. Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
