Page 13
Illinois Valley News, Cave Junction, Ore. Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Oregonians in JoCo, statewide help fight hunger Big bucks received: $64
Requests for emergency
food are rocketing to record
levels throughout Oregon and
Josephine County.
According to the Oregon
Food Bank (OFB) Network’s
first-quarter reports (July 1-
Sept. 30, 2008), distribution
of emergency food boxes
increased 13 percent in Ore-
gon and 8 percent in Wash-
ington state vs. the same pe-
riod in 2007. In some parts of
the state, distribution has in-
ber our food pantry network
provided emergency food to
almost 10,000 people – 9,976,
to be exact.
“This number does not
include meals provided by
Gospel Rescue Mission, the
Salvation Army, and St. Vin-
cent de Paul. Nor does it in-
clude local churches and
other organizations that also
feed the hungry,” she said.
Scheufele continued that,
“Our emergency food pantries
Josephine County qualifying agencies are encouraged to
apply for funding that will be received to supplement emer-
gency food, shelter and utility programs in the community.
Applications are available at the Josephine Community
Transit (JCT) office, 201 River Heights Road in Grants Pass,
said the Josephine County Local Board of the Emergency
Food & Shelter Program. JCT office hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Mondays through Fridays.
Applications must be returned by noon Monday, Dec. 22.
creased more than 40 percent.
“Layoffs, foreclosures
and other economic disrup-
tions are taking a terrible toll
on our neighbors,” said Ra-
chel Bristol, OFB executive
director and CEO.
“Nine of our 20 regional
food banks report that distri-
bution of emergency food
boxes has reached record
levels as unemployment hits
its highest level in four
years,” she said.
Noted Susan Scheufele,
program manager of Jose-
phine County Food Bank,
“Here in Josephine County,
the need has reached critical
proportions.
“As indicated in the sta-
tistics provided by Oregon
Food Bank, local need has
increased by nearly 25 per-
cent. What those numbers do
not show is that during Octo-
tell us that around 15 percent
of their clients each month are
new – they have never needed
a food box before. They are
struggling to support their
families and find themselves
with depleted savings, a sig-
nificant drop in income, and,
for the first time, no ability to
make ends meet.
“One in five of the per-
sons needing emergency food
is disabled; one in 10 is re-
tired. Almost half of those we
serve here are children under
the age of 18. And according
to OFB’s 2008 Hunger Fac-
tors Assessment, 40 percent
are working, either full time,
part time, or in some cases,
holding down two jobs.”
Said Bristol, “This dis-
tressing news comes on the
heels of the U.S. Dept. of
Agriculture’s recent annual
Report of Food Security in
the United States. The report
shows that even before the
economic downturn, Oregon
had jumped from number 19
(in 2002-04) to 15 (in 2005-
07) in the ranking of states for
food insecurity and has shot
from number 18 to 3 in the
“very low food security” cate-
gory (previously “food inse-
curity with hunger”).
In Oregon, 12.4 percent
of its population (458,000)
lived in households that strug-
gled with hunger or were
“food insecure” during 2005-
07, according to the report.
Nationally, 11.1 percent of
U.S. households were food-
insecure at some point during
2007, and 4.1 percent had
“very low food security.”
Bristol emphasized that
the USDA report doesn’t take
into account current economic
conditions. OFB’s first-
quarter results may provide a
better snapshot of today’s
need for emergency food.
“Our first-quarter report
underscores the effect of the
harsh economic realities our
neighbors in need are facing
today,” Bristol said. “One
person alone can’t solve the
problem. We can only fight
hunger by working together.
“We realize that these are
difficult times for everyone,
but encourage Oregonians to
do whatever they can to help
fight hunger during these
difficult times.”
“Josephine County Food
Bank is fortunate that the
community we serve has gen-
erously stepped up to help,”
said Scheufele. “Every food
drive, every dollar donated,
makes an immediate differ-
ence.
“Amid the hunger and
insecurity we’ve seen in re-
cent months, we’ve also seen
an astonishingly generous
outpouring of support from
the people of Josephine
County. Boy Scouts in the
county gathered more than
7,200 pounds of canned food
from residences around Jose-
phine County.
“Glen & Leslie Parks
from Grocery Outlet donated
160 Thanksgiving turkeys.
Rogue River Grange Co-op
donated more than 6,000
pounds of fresh potatoes and
an additional 1,390 pounds of
packaged foods for food
boxes through the holidays.
“This is in addition to the
dozens of individuals, busi-
nesses, and clubs that are
holding food drives, making
donations, and volunteering
their time to help the hungry
this holiday season.”
Said Sam Engel from the
county food bank, “We live in
a compassionate community.
It’s humbling and encouraging
to see so much support and
generosity in a time when so
many are in need.”
How to Help
*Donate food. Donations
can be taken to Josephine
County Food Bank, 1470 S.E.
M St., Suite 1-C, in Grants
Pass, between 7:30 a.m. and
4:30 p.m. Mondays through
Thursdays.
*Donate funds -- Dona-
tions can be sent to the food
bank, 1470 S.E. M St., Suite
1-C, Grants Pass OR 97526.
*Volunteer -- Phone the
food bank at 479-5556, Mon-
days through Thursdays be-
tween 7:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.
Food assistance remains available in valley
(Continued from page 1)
erly and on welfare, barely
able to get enough food each
month. To donate or for de-
tails, phone (541) 592-3218.
Linda Butler has been
managing the Harvest
Kitchen free lunch program at
St. Matthias Episcopal
Church at 25904 N. Redwood
Hwy., Cave Junction for eight
years. She said it is the only
church left that offers free
lunches. The lunches are free
to anyone on Mondays and
Tuesdays between 11 a.m.
and 12:30 p.m.
Dogs are not permitted
inside the building, so clients
usually tie them outdoors and
bring them scraps. No forms
are required, but clients are
requested to behave politely
and leave pets outside. For
information, phone 592-2006.
Cave Junction Cares is a
nonprofit organization that
serves a free community
Thanksgiving dinner and
Christmas meal each year. An
average 300 people are
served at these feasts in the
pavilion in Jubilee Park. Any-
one can come and eat.
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Often, whole families
come and enjoy the hearty
meal, which is often their
only meal for that day. Each
year Illinois Valley people
donate money and their time
to put on the two holiday din-
ners, under the direction of
Lynn Boucher-Johnson.
Another source for hot
lunches is the senior lunch on
Mondays, Wednesdays and
Fridays at the Josephine
County Bldg. in Cave Junc-
tion. Seniors can have a hot
meal and coffee, and enjoy
socializing in a warm, dry
building.
Animals are not allowed
inside.
Illinois Valley Family
Coalition is the distribution
center for the Christmas Bas-
ket Program every December.
This year, the county program
has been cut from 2,500 to
700 for all of Josephine
County. The program went
from 700 to 200 Illinois Val-
ley families.
Applications must be
completed and a confirmation
slip will be mailed to those
who are accepted. There will
be approximately 200 food
bags with gift certificates
from Shop Smart Food Ware-
house and Ray’s Food Place
included. Food donations
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THURSDAY, DEC. 4
Conferences
No Classes
FRIDAY, DEC. 5
Conferences
No Classes
MONDAY, DEC. 8
Hot diggity dog, hamburger,
bean & cheese burrito, totally
turkey sandwich, cleaver club
wrap, garden salad
TUESDAY, DEC. 9
Very teriyaki dippers, chicken
nuggets, sausage or cheese
pizza, super duper sub,
crispy chicken wrap, chef or
garden salad.
WEDNESDAY, DEC. 10
Cheesy macaroni, chicken
burger, hamburger, tuna
torpedo sandwich, it’s Italian
wrap, popcorn chicken garden
salad.
come from individuals, or-
ganizations and businesses.
The reduction in food
baskets is due to loss of fund-
ing from various organiza-
tions that have been affected
by the economic downturn.
Families who are accepted
may go to the IVFC building
at 535 E. River St., Cave
Junction, on Saturday, Dec.
20 between 9:30 a.m. and
12:30 p.m. to pick up their
food bag.
An identification card
and confirmation slip must be
presented to the staff. The
coalition also will have an
extra-large supply of clothing
and coats to give away at the
same time. For information,
phone 592-6139.
Donations to any of the
above organizations always
are welcome, and especially
during difficult economic
times. The gift of a little
money or your time can go a
long way to helping someone
in desperate circumstances
this winter.
The Oregon Dept. of
Forestry (ODF) announced
last week that annual revenue
payments to 15 trust land
counties totaled $51.2 mil-
lion, and the statewide school
fund received $9.4 million.
Josephine County, which
has the least acreage of ODF
forestland (2,482 acres), re-
ceived $64 of the total --the
least of any of the 15 coun-
ties. The five-year average for
Josephine County is $2,798.
The revenue comes from
timber harvests on forestland
managed by ODF from July
2007 through June 2008.
The 15 counties received
the $51.2 million in timber
revenue because they deeded
cutover or burned lands to the
state many decades ago with
the understanding that once
the forestland began to pro-
duce again, they would re-
ceive two-thirds of the reve-
nue. The revenue is distrib-
uted based on where in which
county harvesting took place.
After Josephine, the next
lowest amount given was
$55,626 to Benton County,
which has 8,194 trust land
acres. The largest amount,
$17.9 million, went to Clat-
sop County.
The $9.4 million gener-
ated from Common School
Forest Lands was deposited
directly into the Common
School Fund, which helps
support public education
statewide in Oregon. The
federal government granted
these lands to the state at the
time of statehood in 1859.
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Crocker Financial Services
204B West Lister St. • Cave Junction
592-4454
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through H.D. Vest Advisory Services. Non-bank subsidiaries of Wells Fargo & Company.
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