Lane County on Nov. 7 announced it is committing $200,000 from emergency reserves to increase emergency food access for community members and assist with basic household needs for families disrupted by recent immigration enforcement activity.
Funding will be provided to Food for Lane County to help support efforts to feed the community while SNAP benefits remain unavailable. Funding will also be provided to support families in our immigrant and refugee communities in partnership with local non-profits.
Recent incidents in our communities have created distress and uncertainty for people who live and work in Lane County.
Funding for families affected by separations will help support basic household needs such as rent assistance, access to food, and utility assistance.
“Lane County strives to be a place where everyone belongs. We live, work, learn, worship, play, and raise our families alongside one another,” according to the statement issued by the county. “Our strength comes from connection and from the ability to live without fear that the simple routines of daily life, such as taking children to school, reporting to work, or going to the grocery store, might be disrupted in ways that tear families apart.
“Our mission in Lane County Government is to improve lives. Providing emergency funds to support people in crisis during these times is consistent with Lane County’s strategic plan, which focuses on making Lane County a safe and healthy place to live, and supporting vibrant communities.”
The county’s local non-profit partners will distribute the information and the emergency funds. If you need immediate access to resources, please call or email: 541-393-4672 and [email protected].
“We are working to keep families housed and fed so they can navigate this challenging time in safety and with dignity,” said Lane County Administrator Steve Mokrohisky.
Helping with SNAP benefits
On Thursday, Nov. 6, Oregon’s U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley introduced legislation that would allow grocery stores nationwide to voluntarily offer discounts to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients whenever a government shutdown prevents them from getting their full benefits, if they choose to.
Introduction of the Emergency Relief for Hungry Families Act follows last week that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is trying to block grocery stores from offering discounted prices to SNAP recipients in their communities, including in Roseburg, where USDA instructed Grocery Outlet to stop offering discounts.
