SPRINGFIELD – The Creswell Food Pantry’s Facebook page, created in 2013, has about 1,300 followers. Viewers of its main feed are treated to pictures of homemade dishes prepared by volunteers in the community kitchen at 364 Cobalt Lane. They’ll also see photos of Susan Blachnik and her helpers preparing family meal boxes for distribution. They will read a mix of specific menu items available week-to-week, a shout-out to a local farmer, and nutritional information. In total, it is a mix of “behind-the-scenes” and a lot of utilitarian content.
Blachnik, who has put her heart and soul into the nonprofit that distributes free three-to-five-day food supplies for low-income families, does it all. She’s seen plenty in her 13 years leading the pantry and has her finger on the pulse of food security issues and public sentiment.
Like anyone with a social media page focused on their passion, she hopes for better engagement from followers.
Blachnik posted about the funding cuts and impending impact on local food banks last week and was stunned the next day when the post had accumulated more than 7,000 views.
“There are some people really worried,” she said. “That number of views is unheard of for us. That means something. The angry and scared ‘emojis’ (reactions) make it clear how people are feeling.”
While the “price of eggs” has been getting attention these days, access to any food might become a more significant challenge for residents who rely on food banks. Although the cuts haven’t been immediately felt, reductions from federal programs supporting nonprofit food pantries are on their way to local organizations.
Food banks across the country, some of which already are strained by rising demand, say they will have less food to distribute because of at least $1 billion in federal funding cuts and pauses to grants, according to Reuters journalists who spoke with food-security experts in seven states in a March 25 report.
Hunger in the U.S. has ticked up in recent years due to rising inflation and the end of pandemic-era programs that expanded food aid. Leaders in the current administration in Washington, D.C., have vowed to lower inflation by cutting back on government spending. That includes two U.S. Department of Agriculture programs that helped schools and food banks buy food from local farms.
According to that Reuters report, food banks are handling unprecedented demand as U.S. hunger rates climb after years of decline. In 2023, 13.5% of Americans struggled at some point to secure enough food, the highest rate in nearly a decade, according to the most recent USDA data. In rural America, the hunger rate is even higher, at 15.4%, the data shows.
Springing into action
Caroline Stein, executive director of FOOD For Lane County (FFLC), is strategizing with her team, looking at ways she said to improve efficiency and exploring additional resources to supplement potential shortfalls.
“We’re really focused on this issue right now … food supply and funding,” she said. “What does it look like for us internally, and how do we respond? How can we be more efficient? How can we get more access to food already out in the community?
“We do a significant amount of food sourcing with local grocery stores. Is there a way to get more food through that system?”
Stein explained that the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) has provided funds to help food organizations. The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) is a federal program that helps supplement the diets of low-income people by providing them with emergency food assistance at no cost.
“We know that CCC funding for TEFAB has been canceled – a 15%-17% decrease in food supply. That does not mean all TEFAB funding has been canceled,” she said.
TEFAB is funded primarily through the Farm Bill, which expires after September. Stein said she and her team are working with legislators to ensure its continuation.
“There are already additional burdens placed on the pantries,” Stein said, referencing increased demand and high prices. “You add these cuts on top of that, and it’s creating a sense of urgency.”
Blachnik is working with urgency. On March 12, she wrote to the Oregon Legislative Assembly Joint Ways and Means Subcommittee on Human Services co-chairs on behalf of Community Food for Creswell, the nonprofit that runs the pantry. The letter sounds the alarm about the cuts’ potential impact.
“We haven’t felt the effects of it yet,” she says, noting the uncertainty. “We’re trying to figure out what it’s going to look like. 2020? 2023?”
She’s quick to credit area businesses and farmers. King Estate has donated extra produce, including pears, apples, and blueberries. The Grocery Outlet Bargain Market in Cottage Grove hosts food drives and regularly donates. Residents drop off extra fruit and vegetables from their gardens. But she, like many other member agencies, depends on Food For Lane County.
She noted that some food banks depend solely on federal funding, which Food For Lane County does not. Stein confirmed that FFLC has other funding options and resources.
“We might not see a big change in food supply at our level, but we could see a big increase in the need,” she said.
“Lots of people are losing their jobs; there are threats to Social Security … we’re probably going to see a greater impact on people who need food. We’ve been through forest fires, floods, ice storms, and Covid. But we haven’t been through a government that is wiping out social services. We’ve never had that,” Blachnik said.
Michael Fleck, executive director of Community Sharing in Cottage Grove, said his pantry has not seen an influx in need and doesn’t anticipate a significant change. He also mentioned local businesses such as Safeway, Walmart, and Grocery Outlet as generous supporters who have helped avoid shortfalls in the past.
He said that during his 14 years at Community Sharing, the food demand ebbed and flowed without fluctuating too dramatically.
“We play it by ear; we look at our inventory and adjust accordingly. We’ve already shifted; we’re still giving more than the minimum (3-5 days supply); we’re still exceeding that, just not by the same amount.”
Strong community support
Fleck said residents are supportive, and the pantry relies on them.
“We do well. We have our own garden, and we get some of our produce from there; local farmers also give us any surplus they might have. At the end of summer, we get every local gardener with excess food.
“We’ll keep doing the best we can; we have great partners, including the Oregon Food Bank, all working together. We’ll manage. We might have to tighten the belt, but I’m sure we’ll manage. I’ve seen the food volume go up and down. It sounds like it’s going to be one of the tougher times.”
Lee Bliven was recently named Outstanding Citizen of the Year by the Lane Council of Governments (LCOG). The retired water well driller volunteers for multiple organizations and is on the frontlines of senior health care.
“I got into this when my wife got sick; we found out how bad the system was, and I became a longtime care practitioner,” Bliven said.
“There’s already a shortage of food. You have severe food insecurity in Lane County. I’m seeing more people looking for resources that aren’t available anymore. Everyone’s scared, and no one knows what to do anymore.
“Many seniors can’t comprehend what tomorrow will bring for them. They’re worried and scared.”
Stein and Bliven agree that “next steps” should include contacting legislators at every level of government.
“I wouldn’t underestimate the power of voices reaching out to state legislators and our Congress people, letting them know these are important ways to support our communities,” Stein said. “Talking to policymakers is a big way people can help. We are engaging our policymakers.”
Bliven offers this perspective.
“Do your research. Calm down. Don’t just listen to the naysayers. Be friends with your neighbors because those are the people who are really going to help you.
“We’re going to have to become a better community together,” he said.
Local food pantries
HILLTOP PANTRY: 25735 Crow Rd., Crow … 541-935-1331 … 2nd Thursday (full pantry): 9 a.m.-noon … Wednesday before the 4th Thursday (produce, bread, dairy): 9 a.m.-noon
CATHOLIC COMMUNITY SERVICES: 1025 G St., Springfield … 541-345-3628 … [email protected] … Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays: 8 a.m.-noon
THE ARC LANE COUNTY: 4181 E St., Springfield … 541-343-5256 … Tuesdays & Thursdays: 2-6 p.m. (Registration at 1 p.m.)
HELPING HAND: 92170 Marcola Rd., Marcola … 541-359-9648 … 2nd Tuesdays: 10 a.m.-noon (Registration starts at 9 a.m.)
LEABURG COMMUNITY CUPBOARD: 45061 McKenzie Hwy., Walterville … 541-896-3857 … 4th Fridays: 2-4 p.m.
MCKENZIE RIVER FOOD PANTRY: 56334 McKenzie Hwy., McKenzie Bridge … 541-844-8838 … 2nd & 4th Tuesdays: 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
DEXTER FOOD PANTRY: 38925 Dexter Rd., Dexter … 541-937-3033 … 1st & 3rd Tuesdays: 2-6 p.m.
LOWELL FOOD PANTRY: 4 E. Lakeview St., Lowell … 541-912-1538 … 1st & 3rd Tuesdays: 1-5 p.m. … 2nd & 4th Tuesdays (bread only): 10 a.m.-noon
COMMUNITY SHARING: 1440 Birch Ave., CG … 541-942-2176 … communitysharing.org … Mondays: 1:30- 6 p.m. … Tuesdays-Fridays: 11 a.m.- 3:30 p.m.
UPRIVER FOOD PANTRY: 37895 Row River Rd., Dorena … 458-999-3089 … 3rd Fridays: 4-5:30 p.m.
COMMUNITY FOOD FOR CRESWELL: 364 Cobalt Lane … 541-870-2252 … Thursdays: 9:30 a.m.-noon
How to visit s pantry
■ All pantries are accessible for all Lane County residents. You do not need to visit the pantry closest to your home if the operating days or hours of a different pantry are better for you.
■ Make sure you income-qualify: To visit a pantry, your household income must be below 300% of the federal poverty level.
■ You will not need to show any identification or documentation of access food from a Lane County pantry.
■ Bring boxes or bags: Please bring enough bags or boxes to take your food with you. You will be able to receive up to a 3-5 day supply of food for your household.
■ You may have to wait: Sometimes lines can be long.
■ Around major holidays, call ahead to confirm hours.
■ You are welcome to get involved: Many pantries would love help. Ask personnel if they are looking for volunteers.