"Together we can achieve more"

"The statewide network was developed with the idea that together we can achieve more," said Pam Pedigo, Network Services Coordinator for Oregon Food Bank. “Oregon’s regional food banks support each other in many ways by sharing food, sharing donated resources, sharing knowledge and lending support. We are also able to access large donations of product that would have been too much for a single food bank to handle, and distribute it statewide.”

Recent statewide network meetings included civil rights training, a presentation by Oregon State University on its Fall 2003 study on hunger and poverty and a roundtable discussion with industry leaders and professors on the future of the food industry.

Quarterly meetings also provide opportunities for regional food banks to share information back to Oregon Food Bank staff and board members. The network advises OFB on policies and procedures, advocates policies that benefit low-income people, collaborates with OFB to set organizational and service delivery benchmarks and strives to achieve fair and equitable distribution of resources.