By CHERYL ROMANO/YachatsNews
Two young boys and their parents came to the Yachats Food Pantry recently to get groceries. Pantry leader Pam Luderitz was working the counter that day, and finished up the order by asking the boys what kind of cereal they wanted. As they pondered, she opened the freezer for another client, and the boys saw the frozen pizzas inside.
“Can we have a pizza?” one of them stage-whispered to his father. Luderitz gave them two.
Another day, a rumpled weather-worn man showed up at the pantry located inside Yachats Community Presbyterian Church. “How can I help you, sir?” asked the volunteer on duty. The man’s eyes welled up and tears ran down his cheeks. When he could speak, he replied, “No one has ever called me sir.”
Incidents like these get buried in the acres of statistics on food insecurity in the U.S., Oregon and Lincoln County. And the statistics are swelling this year, as inflation and cuts in government benefits drive more people with subsistence jobs to seek free food.
The numbers from just three local organizations illustrate the need:
- At the Yachats Food Pantry, the monthly client load rose to 389 this November, compared with 293 last November.
- At Waldport Food Share, the number of people seeking food rose by 15 percent. “I don’t think the population has grown 15 percent,” says manager Linda Ballas. “These are folks with sometimes multiple part-time jobs, and they still can’t pay for essentials.”
- At Food Share of Lincoln County, the regional food bank in Newport that distributes food to various agencies, executive director Nancy Mitchell says “Demand is up; we’re still extremely busy.”
Mitchell says food banks in their network are serving about 1,600 families each month, up from 1,500 families last year.
What is noticeable, say pantry workers, are the number of people seeking food who are already working.
“We’ve had a big jump in clients among the working poor,” says Luderitz. “A pandemic-era bonus for kids and food was dropped this year, so they’ve lost that support.”
That decreased support happened on not just one, but two fronts. The first was in the federal Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program that occurred in March, when the average household allocation dropped from $450 a month to about $300. The second was the expiration in October of extra Oregon-funded food benefits for low-income families with young children.
More need, more cost, more demand
It all adds up to more cash-strapped people seeking more food that cost agencies more.
Statewide, the Oregon Food Bank has reported an 11 percent jump in food distributed around the state, according to the Oregon Capital Chronicle. Citing high housing and fuel costs, inflation and the drops in benefits for those in need, the statewide organization said more than 104 million pounds of food were distributed during the 12 months ending in July.
“Housing struggles are still very real,” said Mitchell, who has led Food Share of Lincoln County for 26 years. The balancing act of paying rent versus food, medicine and utilities is still striking three main groups, she says, “the hospitality industry, where work drops in winter; the fishing industry, and seniors on a fixed income.”
On an international note, Mitchell reports that “This year we also had a pretty large group of Ukrainians brought in to work the fish plants.”
“People going to food pantries get a minimum of $50 worth of food” in the county’s Food Share network, Mitchell said. “That’s quite significant: they can then buy gas, medications, or help pay a utility bill. This has a significant impact on peoples’ budgets.”
$1,000 weekly food bill
The rise in demand and costs is keenly felt everywhere — and especially at the Yachats Food Pantry, which depends entirely on private and community donations. Unlike Food Share banks, the Yachats operation doesn’t participate in U.S. Department of Agriculture food allotments. That would require it to ask clients for proof of residency, which organizers reject.
“From the beginning, we didn’t get connected to any agency in the USDA program because of those restrictions,” says Jim Finlayson, the pantry’s food buyer and like everyone there an unpaid volunteer. “All we ask our clients is, ‘How many are you feeding?’ so we can track demand.”
That demand costs more this year. In late fall 2022, Finlayson estimated he spent $900 a week to help stock the pantry. This fall, the tab is up to $1,000 a week.
“We have a number of folks who’ve never been to a food pantry before,” he said. “We have to urge some of them to take what they need. Some just don’t want to have someone else miss out; some are proud, and feel the stigma that still exists around needing to ask for food.”
Contrary to stubborn myths, homeless people do not comprise the bulk of food bank clients. According to Feeding America, a Chicago-based nonprofit, “Most of the households we serve are not experiencing homelessness, and they have at least one working adult.”
At Food Share of Lincoln County, Mitchell estimates unhoused people comprise 10-15 percent of people seeking food. At the Yachats Food Pantry, some 14 unhoused people were “regulars” among the 389 served in November. And at Waldport Food Share, Ballas pegs the unhoused clients at approximately 10 percent of their base.
Contributions from all
If there’s any good news to report, it’s that individuals, community groups and businesses continue to open their wallets for those less fortunate.
One annual holiday drive is in its 30th year of bringing Thanksgiving and Christmas food baskets to families. At South Lincoln Resources in Waldport, an umbrella nonprofit providing a range of goods for the needy, the Holiday Food Baskets program is growing strong.
This year, according to coordinator Sue Booth, volunteers collected funds and food to fill 215 baskets at Thanksgiving compared with 187 last year, and more than 250 Christmas baskets versus 220 last year. Applications are taken through early December for south county families who need some holiday cheer; the boxes will be picked up or delivered Saturday.
Although not a year round food bank, the program counts on the generosity of businesses, civic organizations and individuals to keep the operation humming. Some 45 volunteers pack and deliver the goods.
“Some people who give us money to help pay for food say, ‘There but for fortune go I,” says Waldport Food Share’s Ballas.
There’s a man in Montana who donates $100 every month via PayPal. Several of the Waldport operation’s volunteers donate cash as well as their time. And 1st Security Bank in Waldport donated $5,000.
Among the companies stepping up for the Waldport food bank are Beachside Buzz, Café CHILL, Seal Rock Bakery, Grocery Outlet of Newport, Dollar General, Lil Swiss Farms in Waldport and River Wind Farm in Yachats. In addition, the Overleaf Lodge in Yachats conducts a winter canned food drive every year.
“We received over one ton of canned food so far this winter — 2,600 pounds,” says Ballas.
Grocery Outlet in Newport in particular gets singled out for its generosity.
“They’re just fantastic,” enthuses Luderitz. “We buy all our food there.”
Throughout the year store manager Donna McCrea donates food that has passed its “sell-by” date, but is still safe for consumption, including frozen goods, boxed foods, meat and produce. And, she occasionally discounts the pantry’s food purchases.
Another example of giving is the Yachats Lions Club. The service group upped its $1,500 donation to the Waldport food bank by an additional $1,400 this year. The money will be used to install raised beds for growing produce behind the Food Share building on Crestline Drive, with planting expected in the spring.
The Yachats Food Pantry is also pursuing more grants. Luderitz said the pantry received a $6,200 grant from Lincoln County, and a $3,500 grant from the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians.
The smaller contributions help, too.
“We’ll get donations of $25, or $50, or $100 from people,” says Finlayson. “This is such a tremendously giving community.”
How to help
- Yachats Food Pantry, Yachats Community Presbyterian Church, 360 W. Seventh St. Open 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and 5-7 p.m. Wednesdays. Phone: 541-547-3400. Food and/or cash can be donated most days. Make checks to Yachats Community Presbyterian Church and note “Food Pantry” in memo line. Address: P.O. Box 285, Yachats, OR 97498.
- Waldport Food Share, 3710 Crestline Drive. Open noon to 3 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays. Website here. Phone 541-270-4927. Food can be donated from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays. Make out donation checks to Waldport Food Share, PO Box 2231, Waldport, OR 97394.
- Food Share of Lincoln County, 535 N.E. First St., Newport: Open 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday-Friday. Phone 541-265-8578. Website here. To donate, visit the website, or send a check to Food Share of Lincoln County, 535 N.E. First St., Newport, OR 97365. Cash donations accepted during business hours.
- South Lincoln Resources Holiday Food Baskets: Financial contributions welcome; make check out to South Lincoln Resources, note “Holiday Food Baskets” on memo line, mail to South Lincoln Resources, P.O. Box 1638, Waldport, OR 97394.
For a county-by-county breakdown of people experiencing food insecurity go here
- Cheryl Romano is a Yachats freelance reporter who contributes regularly to YachatsNews.com. She can be reached at Wordsell@gmail.com
If you’re trying to feed hungry families it doesn’t make sense to me to turn down USDA food supplies because the USDA wants proof of residency? If it will cause people in need not to come in then it makes sense, otherwise no.
A great Christmas gift for your family member or friend who has everything is a donation to a food share program in their name. Thank you to the folks who man these banks for all they do.