Springfield (KMTR) - Oregon is now the second-hungriest state in the nation. One in every 15 Oregon households has trouble putting food on the table.
Two local food drives have been organized to help end the problem.
Letter carriers in Lane County will be picking up food donations as they deliver the mail. On the next two Saturdays, they ask postal patrons to leave a plastic bag of non-perishable food next their mailboxes. Non-perishable food, such as canned goods, pasta and peanut butter are suggested. The postal workers will deliver it to FOOD for Lane County’s warehouse, hoping to top last year's haul of 190,000 pounds of food.
Meanwhile, South Coast Food Share in North Bend coastal communities to continue to give both food and money this month.
Canned or boxed food items may be taken to any North Bend medical center. They will also be collected at the “2009 Bus Jam this Saturday at the North Bend and Coos Bay Bi-Mart stores.
Rollie Lobsinger, the director of South Coast Food Share, says the organization trying hard to keep food on the tables of local families, especially during the economic downturn.
“We need to give people enough food so they can go on and do what they need to do to recover from this recession … so they can feel good that their kids had enough to eat today,” Lobsinger said. “And we need to do it in a way that helps them feel that they still have dignity."
Those who don’t live on the coast may still help by donating cash to a virtual food drive. Donors may buy a grocery cart full of food, a truck of food or even an entire warehouse. Every dollar donated helps move seven pounds of food.
