September is Hunger Action Month – a combined effort by Feeding America member food banks across the country to raise awareness about hunger and motivate people to take action in their communities.

Locally, Oregon Food Bank helps 1 in 5 of our neighbors who face hunger by distributing food through a network of 21 regional food banks and approximately 970 partner agencies serving Oregon and Clark County, Washington. Additionally, the hunger-relief organization leads statewide public policy efforts, local food systems work, nutrition and garden education, health care screening and innovative programming.

Oregon Food Bank’s mission: To eliminate hunger and its root causes… because no one should be hungry. The organization believes hunger starves the human spirit, communities thrive when people are nourished, and that everyone deserves healthy and fresh food.

With the help of people like you, Oregon Food Bank has supported our local communities since 1982. This month of September, they are asking us to take action to help feed the human spirit of our neighbors in need.

September is Hunger Action Month: Donate. Volunteer. Advocate.

Donate. A $50 donation provides the equivalent of 150 meals! In addition to purchasing food, your donations help fund programs that build skills and resiliency in hundreds of people. Feeding people will always be the core of Oregon Food Bank’s work, but through cooking, nutrition and gardening classes, your community will become more sustainable and connected.

Volunteer. Two to three hours of your time goes a long way to putting food on the tables of thousands of our neighbors. Oregon Food Bank operates many volunteer shifts through the week to help repack food in our warehouse, and there is sure to be one that fits your schedule. It’s easy to sign up. Looking for a different opportunity? From office tasks to special events, you can lend a hand in many ways.

Advocate. Your lawmakers need to hear from you about the issues that matter most. Oregon Food Bank makes it easy. Sign up for the Action Alert list and you will be kept in the loop about upcoming legislation that affects people struggling with hunger. There is also a quick form for you to fill in and send out if you want your representative to know how you feel.

Think beyond the can.

Oregon Food Bank’s approach to ending hunger includes providing food for today, food for tomorrow and food for all. The only statewide food bank in the country, they do this by providing nutritious, fresh food and thinking beyond the can.

Oregon Food Bank’s Fresh Alliance program brings some of the most nutritious food to one in five Oregonians facing food insecurity by partnering with local grocers and retailers to secure donations of produce, meat, dairy and more.

Its nutrition and garden education programs and community food systems activities increase self-reliance and improve the health of communities. Its partnerships with heath care providers focus on screening for hunger during medical visits and providing tools to improve patients’ diets and access to healthy food.

Oregon Food Bank also advocates for public policies that address hunger at its root causes, urging lawmakers to make food a priority by investing in programs that reduce hunger and build resilient communities.

Take action this September.

Help 1 in 5 Oregonians experiencing hunger.

Feed the Human Spirit at oregonfoodbank.org.