Oregon’s economy is booming, with a record number of people employed, increasing minimum wages and housing developments springing up.
Yet come meal time, many Oregonians are struggling to put food on the table in every county, especially in Lane County. The county ranks second among Oregon counties, with 15.4 percent of residents not having access to adequate nutrition, according to a study by the Oregon Center for Public Policy.
The findings, which were based on a 2016 study by a national network of food banks and pantries, showed that the county had 55,370 food insecure individuals. Increased housing costs and low or stagnant wages are two of the biggest contributors to families’ food insecurity, according to FOOD for Lane County, the regional food bank.
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