Annual Report of the hunger prevention coalition

Meal service at Bethlehem Inn, one of the HPC partner agencies supported in FY2019–20.

July 1, 2019-June 30,2020

BACKGROUND

The Hunger Prevention Coalition of Central Oregon was formed in 2000 and includes citizen volunteers as well as representatives of several public and private groups involved in addressing hunger problems in Central Oregon. These include agencies that work with NeighborImpact to receive and distribute food from the Oregon Food Bank. After almost two years of informal but successful cooperation, the Coalition adopted bylaws, became an official nonprofit 501(3)c and elected its first Board of Directors in June, 2002.

The mission of the Hunger Prevention Coalition is: To ensure support for nonprofit agencies proven to provide nutritious food for our neighbors in need within Central Oregon.  To this end, Coalition members raise funds for local food-provider agencies in order to increase the nutritious quality and quantity of distributed food. An effort is also made to increase awareness and educate the general public about the hardships experienced by many individuals, even working families, trying to keep food on the table.

We are fortunate to have an Endowment Fund with the Oregon Community Foundation that was initially funded by the efforts of the Newport Avenue Market, with our cooperation, which hosted Golf Tournaments that largely benefited the Coalition. Our Board agreed to use the proceeds of this Endowment Fund to support our operating costs, permitting us to focus more effectively on the Help Fill Empty Plates program.

ACTIVITIES DURING 2019-2020

Proudly, in June of 2020, with many thanks to our newest Board member Anne Gibson, the Hunger Prevention Coalition launched a new website: www.hungerpc.org.  This user-friendly site allows the public to learn more about our activities, recognize accomplishments and needs, and make an online donation to fund our cause. We are able to recognize organizations and businesses that contribute to our vision and promote the fund raising efforts we are currently holding. Listed are: agencies currently receiving funding, current photos of our partner agencies at work, news releases and a list of our board members.

Also, during the past 12 months our Board Chairperson has participated in outreach and communication with a wide variety of organizations and agencies, including but not limited to: The Oregon Humanities Board, the League of Women Voters (Deschutes County Chapter), monthly meetings of NOVA (National Organization of Volunteer Administrators) , and the Deschutes County Board of Commissioners. Since March of 2020 many of these  meetings have taken  place  via Zoom.

Due to the current limitations of social  distancing, the traditional Annual  Meeting was not held  this year. Traditionally  HPC invites all known agencies  within the tri-county area that are distributing food at no cost. We hope  to hold this meeting at a later date. 

HELP FILL EMPTY PLATES

The Coalition's program is supported by its major fundraiser "Help Fill Empty Plates" which consists of placards at checkouts of participating stores in this region. Tear off coupons on the placards are used by generous shoppers to make donations: [$2.45 for meal], [$5, family meal] or [$10, food basket]. Since the program began in 2002 we have pledged and ensured that 100% of these donations are distributed to food provider agencies. 

This program, along with other donations and fundraisers, permitted us to distribute $72,540 to food provider agencies in Central Oregon in our last fiscal year.  The total amount that we have given out since 2002 is over ¾ million dollars: $880,000. These dollars are used by the agencies to buy and give out more nutritious food, such as fresh fruits and vegetables, dairy products, and meat. These items are rarely provided by the Oregon food bank system or in the regular food drives.

The agencies that are the recipients of these funds are diverse in type and in location. There are large and small food box distributors, dining sites, shelters, and meals delivered to the aged throughout Central Oregon. The largest population site is the city of Bend, and the smallest is Warm Springs. Altogether, they serve the equivalent of over 200,000 meals every month (24,000,000 a year!).

The markets in Central Oregon that participate in our program by agreeing to display the Help Fill Empty Plates placards include Newport Avenue Market and Food for Less in Bend and Oliver Lemons in Terrebonne.  One of our recipient agencies, St. Vincent de Paul in LaPine not only gives out food baskets, but they also maintain a placard in their thrift store. We receive frequent checks representing their shoppers’ use of the Help Fill Empty Plates Placards. We are grateful to all of these merchants for sharing their counter space with us.

GRANTS

HPC operates  within a fiscal year. Just prior to 2019-20 we began contracting with a professional grant writer to explore  and expand  grant opportunities  that may be available  for our cause. During  this fiscal year we have received $34,000 in grants earmarked  for our food provider agencies. These dollars further allow the agencies to purchase the type of nutritional food that is often too expensive to include in the meals and food boxes they provide to their recipients.  The grant writing cost ($6,500) has proven to be a worthwhile expense considering the amount received ($34,000).

We require and  receive reports that tell us how the funds received by the Coalition benefit the agencies. Among these, we were recently informed that among other benefits, a church pantry is now able to include warmly welcomed fresh eggs in all their food boxes for needy families, and the local Meals on Wheels is now adding fresh fruits to every delivery. All agencies report a sharp increase in food and meal  requests from a local population  that is  suffering hard times during this extreme economic downfall.

SUMMARY

It is important for the spirit of community in Central Oregon that the children, families, elderly and all those suffering deprivation are able to count on at least one stable thing: enough nutritious food. We continue to play an important role in making that happen.

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