‘From farm to food bank’: Local partners coordinate to gather and distribute fresh local produce to local organizations, families

By Holly Dillemuth, Ashland.news

A new fund in the Rogue Valley has been created to gather and distribute fresh local produce to families in need, in light of the ongoing federal shutdown and pause of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits.

The fund, known as the Rogue Valley Good Food Fund, was announced on Monday during a virtual press conference facilitated by Rogue Valley Food System Network (RVFSN) executive director Alison Sexauer. The approximately one-hour zoom call was attended by area partners such as ACCESS, Partners for a Hunger Free Oregon, United Way, Medford Food Project, and Rogue Food Unites. Among those also represented on the call were Josephine County Food Bank, Josephine County Farm Collective, Family Nurturing Center, and Farmers Market Fund. 

“This fund allows us to keep our dollars local, supports farm viability and gets healthy food to the people who need it most, from farm to food bank, one of many actions being taken right now,” Sexauer told members of the network on the virtual call. “Together we are not just feeding people, we are building the foundation for a local food system that ensures dignity, resiliency, and nourishment for all.”

The organization has been working for the last decade to build an equitable, resilient, ecologically and economically viable food system here in Southern Oregon, Sexauer said. 

As a convenor and a connector, Sexauer said the organization ensures that farmers, food banks, educators, health providers, and businesses are working together toward a shared vision of a thriving regional food network.

In January, the organization released the updated Rogue Valley Food Assessment and Action Plan, a roadmap for access, economic vitality and resilience, Sexauer said.

“We continue to meet monthly with partners across the region who are turning these goals into action every day,” Sexauer said. “Since learning that the pause in SNAP benefits might become a reality, these organizations have been working together on a coordinated response to the challenge and to ensure that we are able to fill the gap as much as possible here in the Rogue Valley to make sure people have access to the food they need.”

Sexauer shared that 16.6% of Jackson County residents rely on SNAP benefits, and 13.8% of residents face food insecurity.

“Even before Nov. 1, food banks and pantries were seeing a 30% attendance increase in the past year, and in the past week, those numbers have climbed again, as families brace for the loss of SNAP benefits,” she said. 

Following the virtual press conference, reports emerged that at least half of SNAP benefits that were planned to be reinstated through SNAP contingency funds would not be restored until the government shutdown ends. 

Sexauer said on Monday that the previous plan to return half of the SNAP benefits was set to offer some relief and clarity for those who rely on them, but was not a solution to the root cause.

“Our local systems are carrying an unprecedented load,” Sexauer said. “We keep hearing that food banks are stretched thin, donations have dropped, staffing is short and smaller rural pantries are struggling to stay open, yet, despite this, we are seeing something remarkable, that Rogue Valley residents, organizations and businesses are rising to meet the moment.

“In the spirit of this, the Rogue Valley Food System Network is … launching the Rogue Valley Good Food Fund, a new tool that will allow food banks and community partners to buy directly from local farmers,” she added. “It continues the legacy of the Local Food Purchasing Agreement, which was canceled in early January, which brought more than $200,000 to local growers and helped deliver fresh produce and proteins to families in need.”

‘750,000 Oregonians wondering how they’ll make ends meet’

David Wieland of Partners for a Hunger Free Oregon was among the participants in the virtual roundtable.

Partners for a Hunger Free Oregon work to address the root causes of hunger across the state.

“The federal government officially shut down Oct. 1,” Wieland said. “At that time, already one in eight Oregonians, more than one in six children, were experiencing food insecurity. That rate is higher in rural Oregon. It’s higher for single mothers, it’s higher for Black and Indigenous Oregonians. SNAP, our nation’s biggest food safety net, is providing over $140 million a month in grocery store purchases to blunt the impact of that food security in Oregon. But this weekend we saw 750,000 Oregonians wondering how they’ll make ends meet. This SNAP benefit delay is already hitting hardest in communities that were struggling to make ends meet.”

While there may not be an approved budget by Congress, Wieland emphasized that Congress did allocate emergency funding for SNAP.

“Federal courts agreed that this funding needs to be released,” he said. 

As of Wednesday evening, there are currently no public plans in place to release it.

Wieland noted in the press conference that if the emergency funding were to be released, a lot needs to happen before it could get into the pocket books of consumers using SNAP benefits.

“We know that families are already struggling right now,” Wieland said. 

“The need is right now,” he added. “It’s the responses from local organizations and mutual aid groups across the state that we’ve been seeing making an impact today for families.”

‘SNAP benefits have never been paused before’

Kim Whitney, district manager for Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) Jackson and Josephine Counties, also gave an overview of how the state is working to help families.

“It has been quite a month as we’ve planned for all the contingencies of what may happen,” Whitney said. “While we were hoping for the best outcomes, here we are at the beginning of November and finding that people don’t have funds on their EBT cards to buy food.”

Whitney noted that as the winter months are arriving quickly, gardening is no longer an option for food for families who may rely on it.

“Our governor has directed ODHS to contribute an additional $5 million to offset what’s happening with the food banks,” she said. “That is just going to help get some food into the hands of people and help the overwhelmed food banks (that) are already seeing large numbers … coming in their doors this weekend. SNAP benefits have never been paused before. We’ve never had to figure this out collectively.

“We want to be prepared when the funding does arrive that we can get those benefits out,” she added.

‘Be alert for scams’

Whitney advised those normally receiving SNAP benefits via their Oregon Trail cards should keep their case current. 

“Folks should continue with all things as they normally would to keep their benefits eligible, any renewals that are due,” she said. “Our offices are open as they always are. The only difference is getting those funds to the EBT cards is what has paused.”

“We do hope that we will be able to issue the full benefits once the shutdown ends,” she added. “We also want to alert people to be alert for scams. Unfortunately during times like this, we also see bad actors showing up in ways that can cause further harm to the people who are already seeing enough harm as it is.”

Whitney said ODHS will never call asking for information about an individual’s pin number, or the status of an EBT balance.

“We strongly recommend that people go to the ODHS website and use that system to check

and verify all information,” Whitney said. “We’re hearing about links on social media that are taking people to click on things … to your SNAP benefits. Please do not use those.”

“We know that this situation is stressful,” she added. 

Whitney emphasized the importance of showing up with “empathy” for people currently worried about how they will feed their families.

“We’re just the messenger of a message we didn’t want to have to deliver,” she said. “But doing it in partnership with so many is greatly appreciated.”

Kellie Battaglia, chief advancement officer and acting co-executive director for ACCESS, also spoke about the regional food bank and community action agency for Jackson County.

“We have about 34 pantry sites throughout the county,” Battaglia said. “We’re in all areas, some very rural areas, and distribute 4.5 million pounds of food every year. Like other food banks nationally and here locally, we’ve seen a significant increase in pantry visits.”

Battaglia said ACCESS had already seen a 30% increase in visits before the pause of SNAP benefits occurred.

“We are seeing that double in some of our food pantries,” she said, “with lines forming of 80-plus cars waiting for the pantry to open at our busiest food pantry sites.

“Before this all happened, we were already struggling,” Battaglia added. “We had to downsize the paid number of staff in our food banks so we downsized from 12 (full-time equivalent positions) to 10 (FTE) and are still struggling to cover a funding deficit, so it’s incredibly challenging. In talking with Oregon Food Bank, they’re seeing that same thing across the state.”

Battaglia summed it up as “trying to do more with less” at ACCESS, “this kind of the perfect storm on top of that.”

“It takes everything we’ve got and donations … just to operate the food bank,” she said. “Just to keep the staff, keep the lights on, keep that food moving to our pantry network. We’ve had funders come and tour the food bank and say, ‘Oh my gosh, you all need fresh produce … the shelves are bare. Again, that was before.

“We’ve had an overwhelming response from our corporate partners, from our donors,” she added.  “We’ve seen first-time donors that are coming in to support the organization. That’s been heartening for sure.

“And yet, we want to make sure that we’re positioned as such that we don’t have to make the hard choices of closing while you have people still in line or having to reduce the amount of food we’re able to give each household. So, we’re doing everything that we can to make sure that we can continue to meet the need.”

‘Families that rely on these supports are now facing empty shelves and impossible choices’

Tania Pineda, outreach manager for Rogue Food Unites, also shared with participants about the valleywide program that began following the Almeda Fire. 

The free organic produce market currently serves individuals in Talent, Medford and Eagle Point.

“As an organization born from the 2020 wildfires, we all witnessed firsthand the natural disasters and the devastation this can inflict on a community, however, I never imagined we’d be here today discussing the impacts of a man-made disaster,” Pineda said. “Rogue Food Unites is committed to supporting those in need no matter the circumstances. Years ago, that meant providing our communities with provision boxes and hot meals. Today, that means sharing resources and operating our no-cost, no-barrier farmer’s markets where we provide free organic produce for our community.”

Pineda said three weeks prior, there was a decrease in attendance at markets, but has since spiked.

“Since the federal government shutdown on Oct. 1, our market numbers have surged,” she said. “We’ve gone from 170 families per market to serving 236 in a single market. That significant jump of 66 families … in just a few weeks. These are families who are now directly feeling the impact of the shutdown’s effects and they’re worried about how they’ll be feeding their loved ones.”

Pineda said market-goers continue to ask whether markets will continue based on the federal shutdown.

“And our answer continues to always be ‘yes,’” Pineda said. “We will continue to show up for the community as we did five years ago from the ashes of the Almeda and Obenchain wildfires. We know our community needed us then and they need us more now. The recent pause in SNAP benefits, they have deepened an already critical food access crisis. Families that rely on these supports are now facing empty shelves and impossible choices.”

“This isn’t just about a temporary hardship,” Pineda added. “It’s about how fragile our food systems really are and we need to invest in sustainable and community solutions.”

Whitney expressed gratitude for local communities coming together during the past two weeks to help each other. 

“I just cannot express the overwhelming desire of people to show up, whether it’s bringing food to a food bank or volunteering … it is powerful and overwhelming and it is going to be sorely needed in the time to come,” Whitney said.

Sexauer shared similar sentiments.

“This community is no stranger to crisis,” Sexauer said. “We saw empty grocery store shelves during COVID, we saw our neighbors rise from the ashes of the Almeda Fire, cooking and feeding and rebuilding together. Those efforts succeeded because they were built on years of relationships and collaborations and today is no different.

“As we enter this season of food and gratitude,” she added, “let’s remember that local resilience does begin with local response, with local relationships.” 

Reach Ashland.news reporter Holly Dillemuth at [email protected].

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Ashland Food Project launches campaign to keep up with demand (Nov. 4, 2025)

Trump administration must restart SNAP benefits by Wednesday, judge rules (Nov. 2, 2025)

SNAP recipients brace for benefit cutoff:  ‘I don’t know how to do it with nothing’ (Oct. 31, 2025)

Local food banks struggle as demand increases while funding decreases (Sept. 14, 2025)