Mission
The mission of Farmers Ending Hunger is to eliminate hunger in Oregon by increasing the amount of high quality food available to hungry local communities through a partnership of farmers, food processors, Oregon Food Bank and the public.
Origins of Farmers Ending Hunger
In 2004, Farmers Ending Hunger founder Fred Ziari attended a meeting to address the state’s hunger problem. He was surprised to see Oregon listed as the hungriest state in America, with 25% of the population eating less than one meal a day.
After the meeting, Ziari discussed this problem with his colleagues and farmers in eastern Oregon. In the months that followed, he met with numerous farmers in the region–one of the most productive in the nation–to enlist their help in feeding the hungry. “No one had ever asked them, the farmers, to help solve hunger problems in the state. They said of course they would,” says Ziari.
Several years before, Jim Youde founded Extended Harvest, a non-profit organized around a similar concept for distributing food donations from the agricultural industry through food banks. Extended Harvest included an Adopt-an-Acre program. When Ziari and Youde compared notes and decided to combine efforts, they changed the name to Farmers Ending Hunger and kept the original Adopt-an-Acre program.
How Farmers Ending Hunger Works
Our fight against hunger begins with the farmers and ranchers who donate a portion of their harvest. Services donated by food processors and cash donations from individuals round out the mission. The additional costs of product sorting, processing, packaging materials, storage and trucking to get that food to the hungry are covered by your donations.
How Adopt-an-Acre Works
Become a partner in the fight against hunger by adopting an acre of farmland. Supporters who adopt acres donated by Northwest farmers and ranchers are helping to provide the funds necessary to process the food grown on that land and distribute it through an established network of local food banks and social service programs.
Donations are tax deductible and turn the generous donations of farmers, ranchers, growers and other Farmers Ending Hunger partners into high-quality, ready-to use food products that will help reduce hunger in Oregon.
Adopt-an-Acre Levels of Contributions Include:
| Two Acres | $500 | Feeds 1000 families of four fresh vegetables for one day |
| One Acre | $250 | Feeds one serving of pancakes to 2,300 families of four |
| One-Half Acre | $100 | Feeds one family of four the daily recommended allowance of vegetables for 250 days |
| One-Quarter Acre | $50 | Feeds one serving of corn, peas or green beans to 625 families of four |
| One Row | $25 | Feeds 190 families of four whole grains for one day |
Oregon Food Bank Partnership
Farmers Ending Hunger is proud to partner with and support Oregon Food Bank. Our relationship with them allows us to extend our support to a larger network of hunger-relief agencies. The products distributed by Oregon Food Bank can be obtained at any food box pantry it supplies throughout the Oregon hunger-relief network. In 2011 Farmers Ending Hunger was among the top six food donors .
Contact Us
John G. Burt, Executive Director: [email protected] 503.931.9232
Mailing address: Post Office Box 7361 Salem, Oregon 97303
Board of Directors:
Fred Ziari, President: [email protected]
Jim Youde, Treasurer: [email protected]
Tom Winn, Vice President: [email protected]
Anita Azarenko: [email protected]
Frank Lamb: [email protected]
Kenzie Hansell: [email protected]
Bryan Wolfe: [email protected]
Pieper Sweeney: [email protected]
Amy Doerfler: [email protected]
Molly McCargar: [email protected]
For media queries please contact:
Lisa Hill 503-730-8055 [email protected]