2D Hunger Awareness - Cottage Grove Sentinel November 23, 2016
Help us serve vets
by Katie
Courtesy of Food for Lane
County
Rob is a gentle guy, with a big
heart and an easy smile. In
2003, his Army National Guard
infantry unit got the call to go
to war. Rob spent 14 months
in Kuwait and Iraq. When he
got back to the states, he was
changed — angry, volatile and
injured.
His wife saw the change in his
personality and urged him to
seek treatment. He received
counseling for PTSD and medi-
cal attention for a traumatic
brain injury at the Roseburg
VA.
Rob is grateful for the help he
received, but a disability rating
left him feeling useless.
“I kind of shut myself away.
I didn’t feel like I mattered to
society anymore.”
That turned around two years
ago when Rob began volunteer-
ing at Daily Bread in Spring-
fi eld, one of 31 emergency food
pantries in the FOOD for Lane
County network.
“I just kind of fell in love with
it. Being at the pantry I felt like
I could be around people and
function properly. Big word
there — function. It boosted
my self esteem.”
“Many of the people we serve
have some form of disability.
I see other vets there. I can
relate to them. I see that I’m
not alone. It’s all worth it when
that one person comes through
who’s really hurting and they
give you a hug saying ‘you
helped me so much.’
The look of relief and hope I
see on people’s faces when they
get to feed their families for at
least another week — some-
times it brings me to tears. It’s
a wonderful thing, and I’m glad
to be a part of it.”
Rob’s family is on a fi xed in-
come, so they get a food box.
Did you know that more people
in Lane County are working but
still need help? We surveyed
pantry users and found that
• 44% of households report
some kind of income
• 80% say they are able to meet
their monthly food needs with
the help of a pantry
• 39% of households have
watered down food or drink to
make them last longer
•
82% say they did not
have enough money to buy
food in the past 12 months
Remember our veterans this
November, especially those fac-
ing hunger and hardship.
FOOD for Lane County’s hun-
ger relief efforts are focused on
providing food assistance and
increasing self-suffi ciency for
our neighbors living on limited
resources. Our mission of al-
leviating hunger by creating
access to food is accomplished
with tremendous support from
our community and through a
variety of innovative programs.
We continually work to develop
programs and services that
respond to the unique needs
of special populations, and we
work to ensure that these ser-
vices are delivered with respect
and compassion.
The entire food banking system
is built on partnerships and
collaboration. While FOOD for
Lane County administers many
of its own programs, we rely on
our network of approved part-
ner agencies to distribute the
majority of the food we collect.
All FFLC Partner Agencies are
their own, independent, non-
profi t or religious organization.
Most are staffed by volunteers
and are great places to work
and volunteer in direct service.
Helping children get the nutrition they need
by Katie
Courtesy of Food For Lane County
During the school year, Jennifer works in the kitchen at Harrison
Elementary in Cottage Grove.
This summer she also worked for FOOD for Lane County as a
Summer Food Program site supervisor, serving free lunches to
children and teens.
When Jennifer was younger she needed our Summer
Food lunches.
“My mom was a single parent and worked two jobs.
She worked really hard, but it was still a struggle to put
food on the table. During the summer I was responsible
for taking care of my brother. We used the FOOD for
Lane County free lunch program every day that we
could.
We relied on that program. I don’t know what we
would have done without it.”
Our Summer Food Program is one way we are helping
children get the nutrition they need during the sum-
mer when they are at higher risk of hunger. Too many
children live in low-income working families struggling
to make ends meet. More than one in four (25.3%)
Lane County children live in food insecure households,
and more than half (53.4%) of all Lane County children
qualify for free lunches during the school year.
Jennifer sees childhood hunger at school and is helping
to make a difference.
“I know a lot of kids only get one meal a day. That’s
a scary thing to think about. With this program I can
reach a lot more people, and that makes me very happy.
I enjoy being involved in something that’s worthwhile.
It makes me feel really good about life.
Jennifer loves being a mom. It’s the most important job she has.
“I hope my kids can be successful and happy in their life. I hope
they don’t have to struggle like I did. I will go without a meal
before my kids go without. I’ll make sure they have something to
eat because that’s what you do as a mom. That’s what you do as a
parent.”
We Support
Hunger Awareness
We have an energy assistance program and low income
weatherization program with rebates and cash grants.
Cottage Grove
Sentinel
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Eugene, OR 97402
541-484-1151
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Hunger
Affects us all
Join us in fi ghting hunger in our community.
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