Tillamook County Tackles Summer Hunger with Food ProgramsTillamook County Tackles Summer Hunger with Food Programs With the arrival of summer, children and families in Tillamook County, Oregon may face food insecurity as school breakfast and lunch programs come to an end. To address this issue, the county has implemented two summer food programs: Grub Club and Munch-A-Lunch. Food Insecurity in Tillamook County Tillamook County faces higher rates of food insecurity than the state average, with nearly 12% of residents struggling to access nutritious food. The problem is particularly acute for children, with 19% facing food insecurity. Overcoming Barriers to Access Tillamook County’s rural nature poses significant challenges in accessing food assistance. Long distances and limited transportation options make it difficult for residents to reach emergency food pantries and meal locations. Summer Food Programs Grub Club and Munch-A-Lunch aim to provide free lunches to children in need during the summer months. The programs have established distribution sites throughout central and North Tillamook County. Volunteer Needs A major challenge for food sites in Tillamook County is the need for more volunteers. The programs rely on volunteers to distribute food and ensure the smooth operation of meal sites. How to Help * Donate to local food banks and programs, such as through the Oregon Food Bank or the local food pantry. * Grow an extra row in your garden and donate fresh produce to food programs. * Volunteer at summer food distribution sites. * Spread the word about food insecurity and the need for support. Program Locations and Times Grub Club * Nehalem Park: Monday-Friday, 12-1 pm * Manzanita Park: Monday-Friday, 12-1 pm * Garibaldi Park: Monday-Friday, 12-1 pm * Rockaway Beach Picnic Area: Monday-Friday, 12-1 pm * Bay City Park: Monday-Friday, 12-1 pm Munch-A-Lunch * Tillamook Head School: Monday-Thursday, 11:30 am-1 pm * Nehalem Valley Elementary School: Monday, Wednesday, Friday, 11:30 am-1 pm * Knappa High School: Tuesday, Thursday, 11:30 am-1 pm For more information, visit OregonFoodFinder.org.
It’s summer! That means fun and sun, and the kids aren’t in school – which means no breakfast or lunch programs for those in our community who are food insecure. Summer can be one of the hardest times to feed everyone. And because of high food prices, the food pantry and food pantry are seeing increased demand.
Tillamook County has two summer food programs: Grub Club, serving central Tillamook County, and Munch-A-Lunch, serving North Tillamook County.
See below for delivery locations, times and more details.
Now is the time to make your donations to food banks and programs as well. Hello gardeners, grow an extra row and donate fresh vegetables to local food programs.
There are many ways we can ensure that no one goes hungry.
For more information about donations, visit: https://give.oregonfoodbank.org/give/287613/#!/donation/checkout
For the Oregon Food Bank Food Finder: http://oregonfoodfinder.org/
While Tillamook County, Oregon may be famous for its cheese, many residents struggle with food insecurity. The problem is especially acute in the summer, when children do not go to school.
Levi Johnson is director of Tillamook branches for the Oregon Food Bank. He said the breakfast and lunch some students get at school may be the only meals they get all day. His organization is working to fill these hunger gaps during the summer.
“We work with certain programs in our community,” Johnson said. “We call them summer feeding programs, where they try to set up distribution sites to provide free lunch to those students to fill that gap and who need to find a meal to get them through the day.”
Food insecurity in Tillamook County is higher than the state average: nearly 12% compared to about 10%, according to the Oregon Hunger Task Force.
Food insecurity is even higher for children in the province, at 19%.
About 27,000 people live in the province. Johnson said the biggest barrier for residents is distance, due to Tillamook’s rural nature.
“We have a lot of areas where we can go to the nearest emergency food box, or even a meal location, even if it would be a 30-minute drive,” Johnson said. “Never mind that many people we serve don’t have that kind of transportation. So they have to walk or cycle.”
Johnson noted that people can find local food sites at Oregonfoodfinder.org, which is available in 19 languages.
He said the biggest challenge for food sites in Tillamook County is the need for more volunteers.
“A lot of programs that we’ve seen over the years have closed down just because they don’t see the volunteers coming in to help them,” Johnson said, “and that’s why we’re doing our best to get more people involved. ”
