More than 23,000 households in Central Oregon face uncertainty about food aid through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program after Monday’s announcement that they will only receive half of their benefits in November. The program was set to lapse on Nov. 1 due to the federal government shutdown, but on the eve of despair, two federal court judges ordered the U.S. Department of Agriculture to distribute emergency funds. On Monday, Nov. 3, the Trump administration told a federal judge it would not tap additional money beyond the emergency reserve, which only has enough to cover about 50% of the benefits for eligible households.
“We have been getting so many messages these past few weeks from people who are so genuinely concerned about how they’re going to eat, how they’re going to feed their families. The stress that people are under is so enormous,” Ann Pistacchi-Peck, program director for High Desert Food & Farm Alliance, told the Source.
An analysis by the Oregon Journalism Project found that Jefferson and Malheur counties have the highest percentage of Oregon households receiving SNAP benefits, at 26%. In Deschutes County, 9% of households are registered for SNAP. It’s 15% in Crook County. NeighborImpact says there are 23,405 Central Oregon families using SNAP. The program is entirely federally funded.
Despite the judges’ decisions, several local entities have made contingency plans to help fill any delay in funds. The Central Oregon Fill Your Pantry program, scheduled for Saturday Nov. 8 at the Deschutes County Fairgrounds, launched a fundraiser to cover SNAP card holders, should their cards be empty. Last year nearly $19,000 in food access money was spent at the event, including SNAP, Double Up Food Bucks and Protein Perks. Fill Your Pantry, which is in its 10th year, is a bulk-buying farmers market with 34 vendors selling produce, meat, bread, coffee and more. Event coordinator Megan Kellner-Rode says they’re hoping to raise at least $15,000 to cover SNAP recipients. Any funds raised above that amount will go into food access programs. Donations can be made through the High Desert Food and Farm Alliance and are tax deductible.
“Our plan is to buy between $15,000 and $20,000 worth of food. And essentially, it’s not going to be policed at all, but we’re just going to have it out in bins in the center of the market,” Kellner-Rode says. “There’ll be volunteers there and what you’ll do is, if you receive SNAP you just kind of flash your card. We’re not going to check to see if there’s benefits on it. We’re not going to do any policing but just flash your SNAP card and then take what you need. We’re hoping for around 5,000 pounds of storage vegetables that we can give out. There’ll be a more limited supply of bread and meat.”
Pistacchi-Peck says if SNAP recipients have even $1 left on their card, Fill Your Pantry will provide up to $100 worth of Double Up Food Bucks at the event.
“This year, the High Desert Food and Farm Alliance is also running an entire education tent to help people learn how to store that food, so it’ll last through the winter,” she says. “We have received some grant funds that are allowing us to provide basically the materials that people need… We’ll be giving out all kinds of things…from burlap sacks and buckets with sand for their root vegetables and stockings. We’re going to teach people how to tie up your onions so they last for the whole winter.”
Other entities, big and small, are doing what they can to ensure families have enough food. The Crook County School District is offering sandwiches and snacks at the end of each school day and providing weekend take-home food bags for families in need. Laughing Planet on Third Street in Bend is offering free adult or kid SNAP meals during any disruption in benefits. Bo’s on SW Century Drive in Bend is offering a special $5 deal on all breakfast sandwiches for dinner starting at 5:30pm on Thursday, Nov. 6. Luckey’s Woodsman launched a soup program on Nov. 1 out of its Sisters restaurant on East Hood Avenue to help families struggling to make ends meet without their benefits. Customers pay whatever they can afford, even if it’s nothing, for a pint of soup. And on Fridays in November, Luckey’s is hosting a Hold the Line Dinner which will be a hearty meal at whatever price the customer can afford. In an Instagram post, Luckey’s stated, “We’re here to feed our community, no strings attached.” The restaurant also launched its annual Thanksgiving Kit Program which customers can buy for themselves or donate to a family in need. Last year, the program fed about 75 families. Burgerville is offering a free Kids Cheeseburger or Hamburger Basket through Nov. 9 to children relying on SNAP.
One in six Oregonians receive SNAP benefits which is nearly 18% of the state’s population, ranking it fourth highest in the nation for the percentage of residents receiving food assistance. On Oct. 31, Gov. Tina Kotek declared a 60-day food security emergency and directed $5 million to the statewide food bank network.
Crystal Garnett, senior development manager for The Giving Plate, told the Source, “We have seen an influx of support in recent weeks and we are hopeful that support will continue and grow as we do what we do best — fight hunger and feed hope. This community has always embodied a togetherness culture, and that is exactly what is going to carry us through this season.”
Meanwhile, the Deschutes County Board of County Commissioners approved $70,000 in County discretionary funds to help families facing food insecurity. One-time payments of $35,000 each will go to NeighborImpact and The Giving Plate. The Oregon BottleDrop is donating $30,000 from its emergency fund to 12 nonprofits including NeighborImpact and The Giving Plate. It will also match up to $35,000 in donations made via BottleDrop’s Emergency Fund through Nov. 30. The Giving Plate says it serves 8,000 people each month through four hunger relief programs. Approximately 60% are children. Nearly 95% are housed with one or even multiple income sources within the home, but still need assistance.
Oregon was one of 25 states suing the Trump administration to release emergency funding for SNAP. Nationwide, approximately 42 million people rely on the program. If judges hadn’t ruled in favor of funding, it would have been the first time in history that SNAP benefits were suspended.
“It’s been a crazy time to be working in emergency food relief. That’s for sure,” Pistacchi-Peck said.
Resources:
Food Pantries in Central Oregon: foodpantries.org/ci/or-bend
Assistance in connecting to other resources: thrivecentraloregon.org/
This article appears in the Source November 6, 2025.
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