Coalition Flyer
Overview
The Child & Family Food Security Coalition was established in 2010 with the support of the Multnomah County Board of County Commissioners. The Coalition addresses the root causes of food insecurity through policy discussions and outreach, elevating families’ voices, and fostering collaborative efforts among our nonprofit and multi-jurisdictional Coalition partners. Our co-chairs are staff within Multnomah County Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (REACH) and the Department of County Human Services.
Mission
A collective voice to increase food security for families navigating poverty focused on communities of color in Multnomah County.
Guiding Principles
- We hold communities of color, Indigenous and Black people at the front of our work.
- Food insecurity is a symptom of inequities and racism in our society. This is reflected in racial disparities in employment, housing, criminal justice, health outcomes, and education.
- We elevate the voices of families as they share their lived experiences.
- We engage the community with local policies related to the root causes of hunger.
Coalition Partners
211info, American Heart Association, Boys & Girls Club of Portland Metro Area, CareOregon, Grow Portland, Growing Gardens, Home Forward, Immigrant & Refugee Community Organization, Latino Network, Meals on Wheels People, Metropolitan Family Service, Mudbone Grown, Multnomah County SNAP Outreach, Multnomah County Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (REACH), Oregon Food Bank, Oregon State University Extension SNAP-Ed, Partners for a Hunger-Free Oregon, Portland Food Project, Portland Parks & Recreation Summer Free for All, Zenger Farms, and Multnomah County school districts
Get involved with the Child & Family Food Security Coalition!
The Coalition meets quarterly, usually virtually with one annual in-person gathering, for a commitment of less than 10 hours per year. The group has an active email listserv for resource sharing. We would love for you to join us.
Coalition partners are:
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Committed to solutions of the causes of hunger or food insecurity
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Dedicated to addressing racial disparities in our community
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Community members and staff, interns or volunteers of nonprofits, local government, school districts and higher ed, health care providers, mutual aid groups, faith groups, researchers, farmers and more.
Contact
For more information about the Child & Family Food Security Coalition and to join, please contact Annie Kirschner, Hunger Program Specialist, annie.kirschner@multco.us.
Agendas from previous meetings and the Coalition contact list are available by request.
Definitions
Communities of Color: People who identify as Black, Native American, Indigenous, African American, Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, Latinx/e, and immigrants and refugees, including African immigrants, Slavic, and Russian speaking communities, and people from the Middle East. (Adapted from Metro, “Strategic plan to advance racial equity, diversity, and inclusion”)
Food insecurity: A lack of consistent access to enough food for an active, healthy life (U.S. Department of Agriculture).
Food insecurity refers to a lack of available financial resources for food for the household (Feeding America).
