In a unified plea to the Trump administration, Multnomah County officials, alongside Portland leaders and community advocates, are urging the release of federal contingency funds to support food assistance programs. The request, which includes intervention from community partners such as the ACLU of Oregon and SEIU Oregon, highlights a critical need for immediate action to prevent widespread hunger and hardship among county residents.
As reported by Multnomah County, nearly 136,000 individuals in Multnomah County—about 1 in 5 residents — are at risk of food insecurity. These numbers underscore the profound impact that a delay in funding could have on the community. "Regardless of the government shutdown, if this administration fails to act within the next week, they will instead take food from the mouths of children and force a policy of pain and cruelty onto families who depend on SNAP food assistance," highlighted the coalition, signaling the urgency of the situation.
Amid concerns of governmental deadlock, the Multnomah County Chair, Commissioners, Portland’s Mayor, and City Councilors, joined by multiple community organizations, insist that the solution is within reach. "The federal administration can immediately act to release these contingency funds at any time — today, even — and spare 136,000 of our neighbors from needless suffering and hunger," declared the group in a gesture of frustration and hope, per Multnomah County.
