The Multnomah Board of Commissioners met Friday, Oct. 31, to guide the County's response to a suspension of federal food assistance for tens of thousands of community members starting next month.
Federal Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits are set to pause Nov. 1. That affects roughly 143,000 County residents, including 38,000 youth and 18,000 seniors. Nearly one in five of all Oregonians who rely on SNAP benefits resides in Multnomah County.
In an emergency meeting Friday, a unanimous Board provided initial approval of a resolution that will codify and help expand the County’s growing response to this looming crisis.
The resolution — initially brought forward by Commissioners Meghan Moyer and Julia Brim-Edwards, and amended by the Board during their discussion — directs the County to:
- Provide initial recommendations on actions the County can take to address the loss of SNAP benefits.
- Establish the County’s emergency operations center as a hub to coordinate the County’s response, including providing resources and coordinating with the community.
- Require the emergency operations center to provide regular updates for the Board.
The Board is set to formally ratify the resolution during its next regular meeting Thursday, Nov. 6.
Already, to prepare for Nov. 1, the Department of County Human Services has created a resource page at multco.us/food to help anyone who needs food assistance — or knows someone who needs it — during this crisis.
The page includes an updated list of dozens of free food programs, as well as information on how community members can support community food programs through volunteering or donations.
Community members can also call 211 to learn about available resources.
Board of Commissioners’ comments
To find full comments by the Board of Commissioners, and to follow along with the discussion, click here to watch a recording of Friday’s meeting.
Chair Jessica Vega Pederson: “Multnomah County continues to urgently respond to the impacts of this federal administration's harmful policies. Last week I directed staff to start moving on the County’s response to the most recent harm from this administration – an unconscionable halt to SNAP that pauses $29 million in monthly food assistance that so many of our residents depend on. Earlier this week we activated an Emergency Operations Center to coordinate our response” said Chair Jessica Vega Pederson. “Today’s unanimously supported resolution builds off that and continues to show our entire board's commitment to exploring everything we can do to help those in need.”
District 1 Commissioner Meghan Moyer: “I am proud to have co-led the County Commission in voting on an emergency resolution to help our community facing an unprecedented loss of food assistance (SNAP), the destabilizing impacts of other federal funding reductions, and the threatening federal presence in Multnomah County.
“The emergency resolution deploys County resources and directs a coordinated local response. This evolving situation requires the Multnomah County Board of Commissioners’ guidance. I am committed to standing up to the cruelty of the Trump Administration.”
District 2 Commissioner Shannon Singleton: “We are headed into the holiday season. Many senior centers, public places and schools will be closed. We are in a crisis and we have a wonderful community that is ready and willing to support each other, they just need leaders. Leaders that can help share information, strategies, and resources. We need to rise to this occasion and collaborate. Communication needs to be open and not paternalistic. Our most vulnerable are our most resilient, and we need to know what they are doing so we can support them and modify our system to help all families.”
District 3 Commissioner Julia Brim-Edwards: “Working with Commissioner Moyer, I was determined to convene the Commission to take action and accelerate the County’s plans to help bridge the gap to ensure families and individuals have access to food,” Commissioner Brim-Edwards said. “Meanwhile, the Trump Administration appears willing to let 143,000 of the most vulnerable County residents lose access to essential food. No local government can replace the scale and impact of federal nutrition assistance. We need the federal government to release these critical benefits.”
District 4 Commissioner Vince Jones-Dixon: “Food and shelter, these are basic human rights that we as elected leaders need to ensure for our communities,” Commissioner Jones-Dixon said. ”I am fully supportive of standing up our emergency operations to address our current situation and other challenges that may still unfold."
Resolution builds on work already underway
At Chair Vega Pederson’s direction, the County moved toward a partial activation of its emergency response protocols Oct. 28, adding to its ongoing work to coordinate with community partners, food pantries, local governments and more. That activation allows the County to act in the short-term while also developing a response that lasts for the long-term if necessary.
The County is also adding case workers and other staff at its in-person social services locations on Nov. 1 to support people in need.
Harm from this federal crisis won’t be limited to food — and it may take time to unfold, requiring additional assistance and coordination in the coming weeks. Families will be forced to choose between paying their housing costs, risking eviction, or their utility bills, risking service disconnections, to try to keep their children from going hungry.
“This is all of Multnomah County working to address these issues,” said Chris Voss, director of Multnomah County Emergency Management.