Tuesday, december 6, 2022 A7
REDMOND SPOKESMAN
Write to us: news@redmondspokesman.com
OUR VIEW
Regional
food bank
needs your
assistance
N
eighborImpact’s food bank is in trouble. There’s
an explanation. But for people’s access to food
in Central Oregon to be in such uncertainty is
not acceptable.
NeighborImpact’s food bank was delivering 14,000 to
16,000 meals a couple years ago.
It delivered 52,000 last month. That more than tripling
in demand has meant NeighborImpact has run through
80% of its reserves in the last four years to keep up. It’s
been costing it about $700,000 a year to run its food
bank. It used to be half that.
NeighborImpact has had to start buying food. That
didn’t used to be necessary. Gas prices are up making de-
livery more expensive. Its labor costs are up as it tries to
hold on to employees.
Demand for meals is higher, driven by what we all
know. Inflation. High housing costs. People will sacrifice
food to ensure they can pay the rent. They turn to their
local charities for help.
If those challenges were not enough, NeighborImpact’s
food warehouse is too small. The nonprofit is now bring-
ing in more than two semis full of food a week. It turns
that around quickly. There is still a need for more space.
The new warehouse, which is four times larger, costs $5
million. Fundraising for that is $500,000 short.
NeighborImpact is like the regional wholesaler, deliv-
ering food to the local organizations that actually pass
on the food. Food banks don’t have full state or federal
sponsorship. NeighborImpact’s food bank does get some
help from the federal government’s emergency food as-
sistance program. That only covers 10% of its budget.
Another 20% of its budget comes from the Oregon Hun-
ger Relief Fund.
That help is great. It does mean 70% of the food bank’s
budget counts on charitable giving. For an essential that
people need to live.
For food.
It’s up to people like us to donate to ensure that peo-
ple can eat. We don’t want to see NeighborImpact have
to make cuts in its food program. What is it supposed
to do? Should it cut into its other programs – Head
Start, utility and rent assistance? None of those are good
options.
You could donate food. That’s not the best idea. Give
money, if you can. With the discounts Neighborhood
Impact gets on food, for one can of soup you might do-
nate, it can buy five cans.
There is more information here about NeighborIm-
pact, neighborimpact.org. If you want to donate go here,
neighborimpact.org/donate-online/. And you can also
find a partial list of the more than 50 organizations they
work with here, neighborimpact.org/get-help/get-food/.
Those organizations have had to ramp up to feed the de-
mand. They could surely use your help, too.
GUEST COLUMNS
Become involved with
SCORE in Central Oregon
BY JIM DARCEY
SCORE Central Oregon
C
hances are, if you own
or have owned a busi-
ness, been involved in
sales, finance, management or
any other position of responsi-
bility, you have a lot to share in
terms of your experience and
knowledge.
If you like to help, and would
like to aid the success of others
in business,
volunteering
as a mentor
with SCORE
may be the
real sweet
spot for you.
Our local
Darcey
SCORE chap-
ter provides
business mentoring/consulting
services free of charge to those
considering starting a new busi-
ness, as well as those already in
business who want assistance in
expansion, finance, operations
or any other area.
Affiliated with the Small
Business Administration,
SCORE is a national organiza-
tion with over 230 chapters na-
tionwide, all providing free one
on one mentoring services as
well an array of educational op-
portunities via workshops and
webinars.
Locally in 2021, the Central/
Southern Oregon chapter sup-
port helped in the opening of
52 businesses and the creation
of 137 jobs. Collectively, close
to 1000 hours of service were
provided.
Some mentors are retired,
some semi-retired, and some
are still active in business.
The common thread is an in-
terest in helping others by shar-
ing what they know.
The “perks” are many. It is al-
ways empowering to share what
you know; you tend to expand
your professional knowledge
and skills along the way, i.e.
“lifelong learning.”
You also get to meet more
people in the community and
connect with other profession-
als. More personal/social friend-
ships sometimes emerge with
others in the group. You can
make a difference in helping
with as minimal a time com-
mitment as 4-5 hours per week,
totally on your own schedule.
New mentors are supported
with a well-structured onboard-
ing program, as well as connec-
tion to more experienced team
members who can help and
advise.
Here are some thoughts from
some mentors sharing their ex-
periences:
“It is a pleasure to be able to
share the business knowledge
that I have built from decades of
work experience”
“During my business career,
I was very fortunate that some
wonderful people wanted to
help me succeed. Now those
folks are indirectly helping
SCORE clients succeed with me
in the middle. What an amazing
circle of life!”
“I get to experience the cre-
ativity of working with all types
of new and experienced busi-
ness clients. Mentoring for
SCORE is a great way to give
back to my community.”
Of course, the core outcome
is results from the help pro-
vided. Here are a few of the
many comments and feedback
we receive from those who have
received mentoring:
“I am loving the insight and
support to help get me going”
“My mentor listened first
and then guided the planning
process and helped fill in my
blanks. I am extraordinarily
grateful for the experienced ad-
vice.”
“My mentor is extremely
helpful, helped me understand
the industry and is helping con-
nect me to the right people to
get my business up and run-
ning.”
SCORE is expanding. More
mentors are needed to handle
the many requests for help that
are received every month.
The application process is
very simple and accessible via
the website centraloregonscore.
org. You can also call 541-316-
0662. Consider becoming part
of a group that is helping the
business community grow and
prosper.
█
Jim Darcey is a volunteer with SCORE
Central Oregon
A tough injury to talk about
“N
o, Doc,” Windy said, “Don’t
hurt or nothin’ like that,
but you know, with all the
plagues goin’ on right now, figgered it’s
better to be safe than ...”
“Sorry?”
“I ain’t never sorry I come to see ya,
Doc. You know that. Fell to sleep t’other
night when all them ad shows is on …
you know. Like how to cut yer boots
with a knife and feel younger by wearin’
a new shirt … that stuff.”
Doc nodded. Windy Wilson was one
of his closest pals, as well as being a pa-
tient. The adventures of this old cowboy
camp cook and mule packer were usu-
ally good for a laugh, anyway. But ol’
Windy really seemed upset this morn-
ing.
“Windy,” Doc said, kindly. “I’m think-
ing this is a sorta personal problem? I
deal with personal problems all the time,
so why not just tell me about it?”
“Thass what’s so strange, Doc. I only
catched a part of it when I was a-dozin’
off, ya know? But I told myself … Self, I
better go talk to Doc, ’cuz that jest might
be whass been holdin’ me back on star-
tin’ some colts.”
“Starting some colts? What’s keeping
you from starting some colts is you’re
old enough to know better! So what’s
this problem that the teevee said is keep-
ing you out of the saddle?”
Windy looked up shamefaced.
“They called it a deviated rectum.”
█
Slim Randles is a nationally syndicated columnist.
CONTACT YOUR PUBLIC OFFICIALS
Redmond
Mayor George Endicott: George.endicott@
redmondoregon.gov, 541-948-3219
Deschutes County
County Commission Chair Patti Adair: Patti.adair@
deschutes.org, 541-388-6567
County Commission Vice Chair Tony DeBone: Tony.
debone@deschutes.org, 541-388-6568
County Commissioner Phil Chang: Phil.chang@
deschutes.org, 541-388-6569
NeighborImpact
A small sample of NeighborImpact’s food bank operation.
Editorials reflect the views of the Spokesman’s editorial board,
Publisher Heidi Wright and Editor Tim Trainor.
Your Legislators
Rep. Jack Zika (District 53): 503-986-1453; 900
court st. Ne, H-387, salem, Or 97301, rep.JackZika@
oregonlegislature.gov
Sen. Tim Knopp (District 27): 503-986-1727; 900
court st. Ne, s-425, salem, Or 97301, sen.TimKnopp@
oregonlegislature.gov
State
Oregon Gov. Kate Brown: 254 state capitol, salem,
Or 97310; 503-378-3111; www.governor.oregon.gov.
Oregon State Treasurer Tobias Read: oregon.
treasurer@ost.state.or.us; 350 Winter st. Ne, suite 100,
salem Or 97301-3896; 503-378-4000.
Oregon Attorney General Ellen F. Rosenblum:
Justice building, salem, Or 97301-4096; 503-378-4400.
Oregon Legislature: Legislative documents and
information are available online at www.leg.state.or.us.
Federal
President Joe Biden: The White House, 1600
Pennsylvania ave., Washington, d.c. 20500; 202-456-
1111; to send comments, go to www.whitehouse.gov.
U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley: d.c. office: 313 Hart senate
Office building, u.s. senate, Washington, d.c., 20510;
202-224-3753; fax 202-228-3997. Portland office: One
World Trade center, 121 s.W. salmon st. suite 1250,
Portland, Or 97204; 503-326-3386; fax 503-326-2900.
baker city office, 1705 main st., suite 504, 541-278-
1129; merkley.senate.gov.
U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden: d.c. office: 221 dirksen senate
Office building, Washington, d.c., 20510; 202-224-
5244; fax 202-228-2717. La Grande office: 105 Fir st.,
No. 210, La Grande, Or 97850; 541-962-7691; fax, 541-
963-0885; wyden.senate.gov.
U.S. Rep. Cliff Bentz (2nd District): d.c. office: 1239
Longworth House Office building, Washington, d.c.,
20515, 202-225-6730; fax 202-225-5774. medford
office: 14 N. central avenue suite 112, medford, Or
97850; Phone: 541-776-4646; fax: 541-779-0204;
Ontario office: 2430 s.W. Fourth ave., No. 2, Ontario, Or
97914; Phone: 541-709-2040. bentz.house.gov.