The Oregon Department of Education is on a mission to close the gap on hunger during the summer months, reaching out to more schools, non-profits, and tribal organizations to operate summer meal programs that provide breakfast and lunch to children. With $20,000 grants up for grabs, the call to stakeholders intensifies as the Summer Food Service Program aims to build on the 1.2 million meals served last year. OPB reports the program’s Outreach Coordinator Cathy Brock starkly noted, "We know that this number of meals that are served in the summer pales in comparison to the amount of kids who participate in [free/reduced] school meals during the school year."

Complementing this effort, state officials are pitching a pilot summer food program likened to SNAP, proposing $40 per month for each eligible low-income child to help families purchase groceries. This initiative, potentially impacting nearly 300,000 Oregonian kids, hinges on a critical decision as legislators are asked to fork out $12.7 million to match federal funding. According to oregonlive.com, Jake Sunderland from the Oregon Department of Human Services emphasized, "The Oregon Food Bank reports that one in five people in the state face hunger."

The biennial ask to the Legislature's Joint Ways and Means Committee constitutes a shared financial obligation, with federal funds covering the remainder. Jacki Ward Kehrwald of Partners for a Hunger-Free Oregon argued in support of the program: "We really believe this is a no-brainer since the program expenses are all provided federally, and Oregon just needs to invest in half of the setup and administrative costs," reflecting an appeal that crosses party lines.

However, the program’s fate lies in the hands of state lawmakers who must now decide whether to commit the funds required. The support for the measure is apparent as both nutrition advocates and politicians urge the Legislature to open the coffers and make a stand against childhood hunger. The proposal paints a picture of how the leverage of federal dollars with a state match could address critical needs for sustenance across Oregon’s vulnerable populations, according to a combined call for action signalled by the Portland Tribune.