The holidays are well underway, and for many organizations that help meet the needs of community members year-round, this season — and the months leading up to it — have not only been challenging, but record-breaking, too.
In October alone, SnowCap Community Services, an East County nonprofit that’s been in operation since 1967, served over 19,000 people. That’s 2,000 more than it has ever served in a single month before.
SnowCap has been averaging roughly 17,000 individuals per month, nearly double the organization's normal capacity. Other organizations, including the Boys & Girls Clubs of Portland and the County’s own Bienestar de la Familia, are also reporting substantial spikes both in the number of people seeking help and the extent of their needs.
“We are seeing people who are telling us that they're in despair, people who don't know where their food is going to come from,” said SnowCap Executive Director Kirsten Wageman.
But as the community continues to navigate historic food demand, rising inflation, significant gaps in federal funding and increased federal immigration presence, organizations like SnowCap are heartened by the outpouring of support from volunteers and donors.
“We are a broad-based nonprofit organization,” said Wageman. “We primarily receive funds from individuals, service clubs, churches and businesses that want to hold food drives. The Oregon Food Bank is also an important partner for us.”
As SnowCap and other similar organizations have stepped up to meet these recent needs, “Our supplies have dwindled. And so every day, all the donations that come in are going right back out the door,” said Wageman. “It's really important that food drives come through, because the food goes directly from your hands into a community member's mouth.”
Recently, more than a ton of food donated by Multnomah County employees for an internal countywide food drive was distributed to these three organizations. This effort was supplemented further by $100,000 in contingency funding approved by the Board on Nov. 6 to help community organizations purchase and distribute food in the aftermath of delays in federal food assistance. The County updated multco.us/food to help people navigate SNAP and find free food resources, and also added ongoing volunteer opportunities.
A key element of the internal food drive was the request for culturally specific foods, which goes a long way to helping the benefitting organization better serve their clients.
“We really try to have staples that anyone from around the world could come and enjoy,” Wageman said. “We have 72 different languages spoken among the people we serve. And it's really beautiful to see people who may not think they have much in common come together around food.”
The need is widespread throughout the community, affecting parents and children, seniors, and people without stable housing, as well as people who may have not needed help for years but now find themselves struggling. Food insecurity touches people of all backgrounds, cultures, countries of origin, stories and experiences.
Wageman noted that she has sensed a palpable sense of fear among those who need help accessing food.
“I've seen several moms who say, ‘I was so proud because I'm working and I've done everything I'm supposed to do, and I still can't keep food on the table.’
“It's unimaginable to need help and not feel safe accessing that help,” Wageman continued. “At SnowCap we take that extremely seriously, the safety of people that we serve.
Those sentiments are shared by staff at Bienestar de la Familia, a County program designed to reduce poverty, promote health and wellness, and foster educational success for youth, families and more.
As Bienestar approaches its 30th year, Manager Raquel Aguillon says the current climate is harming the most vulnerable group: children.
“I want to take us back to when we were first created and the reason we were created — and that is because of the children,” said Aguillon. “We want to make sure that they're not suffering because of what's happening in the world right now.
“If you don't have enough to feed your children and yet they have to go to school, how can they concentrate on learning anything when their stomach is growling. When they're hungry and they don't understand why they're not getting the food that their classmates are getting?”
Like SnowCap, the Bienestar team is inspired by the outpouring of support. Even as the weather turns colder, shelves sit emptier and funding grows tighter, the organization is still reaching people.
“I'm hopeful that we will have more community support, as well as County support,” Aguillon said. “Together, I think we can really help.”
The food drive shows “real leadership,” said Wageman.
“I want everyone to know that there is no stigma,” added Wageman. “We are neighbors helping neighbors. And today might be the day that you need help, and tomorrow might be a day that you have help to offer. It doesn't matter.
“We really practice radical hospitality here and everyone is welcome. And there's no shame. We're just happy to see you.
Learn more at multco.us/food