unger remains a huge problem across Oregon and Southwest Washington. During the 2005-06 fiscal year, the Oregon Food Bank Network distributed 775,000 emergency food boxes. That’s double the volume of boxes distributed 10 years ago. In an average month, 72,000 children in Oregon ate meals from the emergency food boxes. Almost one-half of food recipient households had at least one working adult, but their incomes were too low to cover the basic living costs. The high cost of housing, health care, childcare, utilities and fuel make it difficult for low-income individuals and families to have enough money to pay for food.

Food Banks and charity organizations across the U.S., face major challenges in providing food to respond to hunger. The volume of U.S.D.A. distributions to food banks, once a major source of high-quality food products, has declined dramatically in recent years. Food processors and retailers remain major donors to food banks, but industry consolidation and centralization of distribution systems create new logistical and cost hurdles in delivering these products to emergency food networks.