Feed Sisters 2026 is inviting the Sisters community to help fill the shelves of the Sisters Kiwanis Food Bank by donating the foods local families need most.
The annual Feed Sisters: Neighbors Feeding Neighbors food drive runs October 4–31, 2026, with an ambitious community goal of collecting 5,000 pounds of nonperishable food.
Community members can start September 21 by picking up a free Feed Sisters grocery bag at Makin’ it Local, 281 W. Cascade Avenue in Downtown Sisters. Each bag includes a checklist of the foods the Food Bank most needs. Participants are encouraged to fill their bags and return them to the gallery during the October campaign.
“Feed Sisters is about neighbors taking care of neighbors,” said Myrna Dow of Makin’ it Local. “Picking up and filling a grocery bag goes a long way to help our community. We encourage those who can to fill a bag or two and visit Makin’ it Local. When an entire community does it together, those bags can fill a food bank.”
The Sisters Kiwanis Food Bank is powered entirely by volunteers and has served local families for more than 40 years. Demand for food assistance more than doubled recently, making community food and monetary donations more important than ever.
“The generosity of the Sisters community directly helps local families, children, seniors, and individuals facing food insecurity,” said Doug Wills and Jeff Taylor of the Sisters Kiwanis Food Bank. “Donating the foods we need most allows our volunteers to stock the shelves with items families can immediately use.”
Fill a Bag With the Foods Needed Most
The Food Bank is currently requesting:
- Peanut butter
- Strawberry and grape jelly
- Corn flakes
- Canned chicken and tuna
- Refried beans
- Canned or dried beans and lentils
- Beef stew
- Beef ravioli
- Chili
- Chicken noodle soup
- Cream of chicken soup
Donors are asked to contribute unopened, unexpired, full-size items whenever possible.
Food donations may be dropped off October 4–31 at Makin’ it Local, 281 W. Cascade Avenue, during regular gallery hours. One hundred percent of the food and money collected during the 2026 campaign will benefit the Sisters Kiwanis Food Bank.
Cash Donations Will Be Matched
Monetary gifts give the Food Bank the flexibility to purchase what it needs most, when it needs it.
To encourage cash giving, Makin’ it Local will match the first $500 in monetary donations made to Feed Sisters during the October 4–31 campaign. Reaching the full match will turn $500 in community donations into $1,000 for the Sisters Kiwanis Food Bank.
“Our role is simply to provide a place for the community to gather, give and help,” Dow said. “We hope the match encourages people who may not have time to shop to make a monetary contribution instead. Whether someone gives one can, fills an entire bag, or donates a few dollars, it all helps.”
Information about making a monetary donation is available at www.FeedSisters.com.
Give Local and Enter to Win
Feed Sisters donors will also have opportunities to enter community prize drawings during the campaign. The 2026 prizes include:
- A $100 Makin’ it Local gift card
- A $100 gift card to the winner’s choice of a participating Sisters restaurant
- A local artist’s fine-art print, custom framed and ready to hang, valued at $450
Complete entry information and official prize-drawing details are available at www.FeedSisters.com.
Building on the Success of 2025
In 2025, the Sisters community donated 2,410 pounds of nonperishable food and $1,220 in monetary contributions through Feed Sisters 2025. That total included $900 raised by auctioning three custom framed original art paintings.
One hundred percent of the food and money collected through the 2025 campaign went to the Sisters Kiwanis Food Bank.
The 2026 goal of 5,000 pounds is more than twice last year’s food total—but organizers believe the community is ready to meet the challenge.
“Last year showed what Sisters can accomplish,” Dow said. “This year, we’re asking those that can to help us fill one more bag, reach one more neighbor, and build on that extraordinary generosity.”
Get Started September 21
Community members can begin participating by:
- Picking up a free Feed Sisters grocery bag and requested-food checklist at Makin’ it Local beginning September 21.
- Filling the bag with the foods the Sisters Kiwanis Food Bank needs most.
- Returning the filled bag between October 4 and October 31.
- Making a monetary donation and helping unlock the full $500 matching gift.
- Inviting friends, neighbors, coworkers, and community groups to participate.
For campaign information, donation instructions, prize details, and progress updates, visit www.FeedSisters.com.
This story is based on submitted information and has not been verified by our news team.
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