Barney Lerten
REDMOND, Ore. (KTVZ) — New data calculated this week by NeighborImpact reveals a record-breaking rise in demand for food across Central Oregon – at the same time the organization deals with a reduced federal food supply.
In the most recent quarter, the organization’s Food Bank and its partners served an average of 83,000 individuals per month—the highest in its history. That equates to a 13.7 percent increase over the previous quarter’s 73,000 individuals served.
This surge in need comes as the food bank grapples with a 17 percent drop in federal food supply, the result of the U.S. Department of Agriculture cutting commodity distribution.
This freeze has already canceled orders through July, slashing a key supply of dairy, eggs, meat, and produce relied on by food banks, including NeighborImpact, across the country, the organization said in a news release Wednesday that continues below:
In response, members of Oregon’s congressional delegation have called on the USDA to reverse the freeze. A joint letter—signed by Congresswoman Janelle Bynum, Congresswomen Suzanne Bonamici, Val Hoyle, Maxine Dexter, and Andrea Salinas, as well as U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley—urges Secretary Brooke Rollins to immediately restore the flow of federal food assistance.
“We urge you to take immediate action to correct course and ensure that the communities we represent do not face heightened food insecurity because of your official actions,” the lawmakers wrote.
Congresswoman Janelle Bynum, who represents the Bend and Redmond areas in Congress, visited the regional Food Bank in Redmond last week. During her visit, Bynum met with food bank staff and community partners, including The Father’s Group, Mosaic Community Health, Madras Community Food Pantry, Redmond City Council, and Latino Community Association, and representatives from local food pantries, among others.
“We are grateful for Congresswoman Bynum’s advocacy and her commitment to standing with us in the effort to fight hunger and feed hope in Central Oregon,” said NeighborImpact Executive Director Scott Cooper. “As need continues to rise, so does the importance of this work—and the need for sustained support from federal partners.”
Congressman Cliff Bentz, who represents most of Central Oregon’s geography, did not join in the delegation letter, but his staff met with NeighborImpact representatives in March in Washington, D.C. and expressed concern for having an effective means of addressing hunger in the region.
NeighborImpact operates the regional food bank for Central Oregon, distributing over 6 million pounds of food through 57 partner agencies across Crook, Deschutes, and Jefferson counties, as well as at the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs.
The organization urges community members to take action as Central Oregon faces a deepening crisis in meeting food demand. To help meet the record demand, donations can be made at neighborimpact.org/donate. Every contribution helps provide critical food resources to individuals and families across the region.
However, donations alone cannot make up for the gap created by federal funding cuts. To continue meeting the need at scale, NeighborImpact—and food banks across Oregon—require restored support from the federal government. Constituents are encouraged to contact their elected representatives and demand immediate action to reinstate USDA funding for food assistance programs.
Cooper noted that while NeighborImpact is managing the current situation with reduced allocations of food to partners, he worries about just how deep the crisis could go.
“If unemployment rises or if the cost of food rises more, due to tariffs or other economic policies or if rumored cuts of 30 percent to SNAP benefits are enacted or the enhancements to SNAP benefits implemented in 2021 are reversed, that would drive even more people into food banks,” he said.
“The food supply doesn’t magically expand. What do we do then? Without federal partnership, we simply cannot keep pace with the growing need. We need both the compassion of our neighbors and the commitment of our leaders.”
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April 7 news release from Rep. Bynum:
Following Visit to Redmond Food Service Facility, Bynum Leads Letter Demanding USDA Reverse Funding Freeze
“We urge you to reverse this funding freeze immediately to ensure that Oregon families—and families across the country—do not face disruption to essential food distribution services.”
Washington, DC – Today, Congresswoman Janelle Bynum (OR-05) led the bicameral, Democratic Oregon Congressional delegation in sending a letter to the Secretary of Agriculture, Brooke Rollins, strongly condemning the administration’s payment freeze to a set of food assistance programs funded by the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) after her visit to NeighborImpact in Redmond, OR.
During her visit to NeighborImpact’s new food service facility, staff told Rep. Bynum that due to the freeze, they are telling partners to expect a 20% decrease in food aid. Purchases made by the CCC account for around 18% of the food distributed by the Oregon Food Bank, the largest food bank network in the state. If the freeze continues, the equivalent of 30 truckloads of food – including dairy, meat, eggs, and produce – will be impacted as soon as this month.
“This misguided freeze is actively impacting the ability of Oregon food banks to place food orders and worsening food insecurity in our communities,” the Members wrote. “We urge you to reverse this funding freeze immediately to ensure that Oregon families—and families across the country—do not face disruption to essential food distribution services.”
The Local Food Purchasing Assistance program, which supports the sale of fresh, locally grown foods to food banks, also receives funding from the CCC. Without it, local farmers will also face interruptions.
“President Trump and his administration have a stated goal of lowering prices for American families,” the Members continued. “Cuts to food assistance programs like food banks push that goal further out of reach for the families that rely on these essential services.”
The CCC provides payments to food assistance programs including the Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP), Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDIPR), and the Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP). At the date this letter was sent, all CCC TEFAP orders have been cancelled through July.
Read the full letter here and below:
Dear Secretary Rollins:
We, the undersigned members of the Oregon congressional delegation, write to condemn in the strongest terms the ongoing payment freeze issued by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to a set of food assistance programs funded through the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC). This misguided freeze is actively impacting the ability of Oregon food banks to place food orders and worsening food insecurity in our communities. We urge you to reverse this funding freeze immediately to ensure that Oregon families—and families across the country—do not face disruption to essential food distribution services.
As you are aware, USDA announced in early February 2025 that it would suspend CCC payments to food assistance programs, including the Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP), Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDIPR), and the Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP). We are gravely concerned about the impact of these funding freezes on the families that we represent. Our state’s largest food bank network, Oregon Food Bank, distributed 73 million meals in 2023 and saw 2.5 million visits to its food assistance sites last year. CCC purchases account for about 18% of the food the Oregon Food Bank distributes to its clients, and as of the date of this letter, all CCC TEFAP orders have been cancelled through July.
If the funding freeze is not lifted, the flow of dairy, eggs, meat, and produce – the equivalent of 30 truckloads of food – to neighbors in need will be disrupted as soon as this month. On top of this, local farmers will lose the funds they would have received from selling fresh, locally grown foods to food banks under the Local Food Purchasing Assistance (LFPA) program, which is funded by CCC.
We ask that you reverse the destructive funding freeze at CCC and immediately restore the flow of federal funding for programs that feed our communities and keep our farmers afloat. President Trump and his administration have a stated goal of lowering prices for American families. Cuts to food assistance programs like food banks push that goal further out of reach for the families that rely on these essential services. We urge you to take immediate action to correct course and ensure that the communities we represent do not face heightened food insecurity because of your official actions.
