Inside look at the Tillamook warehouse for the Oregon Food Bank

TILLAMOOK, Ore. (KPTV) - As part of the Hunger Free Project, FOX 12 went out to the Tillamook branch of the Oregon Food Bank where they ask that you not only donate food and money, but your time to help those in our community.

Inside the Tillamook warehouse for the Oregon Food Bank, you can find canned goods, fresh produce, and more.

“This is where we aggregate food from the Portland warehouse, from a number of other donors, and then we send that out to over 30 pantries, meal sites, and other partner agencies across the county,” said Julia Wentzel, Tillamook Branch Assistant Manager.

Wentzel says they work with a number of food producers and grocery stores across the county to source different food products the community may need. She says the last few years have been a rollercoaster for the organization.

SEE ALSO: Oregon Food Bank helping Oregonians facing food insecurity

The Oregon Food Bank not only saw a spike in need across the community, but also saw a rise in support.

“Now that we are kind of transitioning into a new phase, we are seeing a lot of that support really fade away while the need continues to increase. With increased prices due to inflation, with the rise in fuel costs, we are seeing a lot of stress in people in our community, but we are in a little more disadvantaged position to be able to help them effectively,” Wentzel said.

Over the next month, the FOX 12 Hunger Free Project will be ramping up our efforts as we partner with the Oregon Food Bank and Fred Meyer, and we need your help. When you round up to the next dollar at Fred Meyer on all your purchases, the difference goes straight to those who are feeding hungry families in our area.

Another thing Wentzel says you can do to help is to volunteer your time.

“All of our pantry and meal sites and partner agencies are driven by volunteer support and they are really hurting right now. They have seen a huge decrease in the ability for people to volunteer over the course of the pandemic and it’s been really hard to get that momentum going again,” Wentzel said. “So if people have time to give, that’s one of the most meaningful things you can contribute.”

To learn more about the FOX 12 Hunger Free Project, click here.

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