KGW: Fresh From Oregon: Oregon farmers donate millions of pounds of food to fight hunger
The nonprofit Farmers Ending Hunger is celebrating 20 years of working to feed Oregon's hungry families.
Author: Christine Pitawanich
Published: 11:38 AM PDT March 16, 2026
Updated: 11:38 AM PDT March 16, 2026
PORTLAND, Oregon — It’s time for another season of Fresh From Oregon, where we highlight the state's agriculture. In the spotlight this month is Farmers Ending Hunger, a nonprofit that’s working to help end hunger. One of the participating farms is Orchard View Farms.
"We're located in the mid-Columbia, in the Dalles, Oregon specifically," said Brenda Thomas, president of the more than century-old farm. "We grow cherries on about 2500 acres."
For about a decade, the farm has contributed their product to Farmers Ending Hunger, now in its 20th year.
"About 10 years ago, I believe john came to visit us and gave us an education on what Farmers Ending Hunger was and we signed right up and started donating," Thomas said.
Over the last two decades, the nonprofit has delivered about 40 million pounds of food, said John Burt, executive director of Farmers Ending Hunger.
"Our mission is to bring more high quality food products directly from farmers and ranchers, to the Oregon Food Bank and the Oregon Food Bank network,” he explained.
"We're talking large truckload quantities of stuff that the farmers donate: cattle, hamburger, baking mix from the sales of wheat [...] It's fresh, locally grown, high quality and it comes right out of harvest. It's the same quality that you get in a store," Burt said.
He said the need for food is higher than it’s ever been and at Orchard View Farms. Over the past decade, they've donated more than a million pounds of cherries.
"The more cherries we get to share, the more joy we get to have for people," said Thomas.
The nonprofit is filled with farmers, spreading the love and feeling good about giving.
"Farming these days is really, really, tough with the headwinds we all have to face, but when you have extra food, you still wanna share it," Thomas said. "Isn't that what everybody's supposed to do when you have extra food? You share."
Burt said there are ways for people to help the cause.
First, if you happen to have extra fruit or vegetables you've grown at your home and don't want them to go to waste, find a pantry that might need the produce.
He said another way is to donate to Farmers Ending Hunger to help offset costs associated with transportation and packaging.