SALEM – Today Governor Ted Kulongoski announced the 2005 State Employee Food Drive award winners in a ceremony at the Oregon Employment Department. This year, state employees donated the equivalent of more than 3 million pounds of food to the Oregon Food Bank Network – a two percent increase over 2004.
“One of my guiding principles for Oregon’s future is to ensure our most vulnerable citizens have their basic health, food and shelter needs met,” Governor Kulongoski said. “Year after year, Oregon’s public employees remain one of my strongest partners in helping to accomplish this goal – and 2005 is no exception.”
The Governor earlier today was joined by leaders in the House and Senate to announce legislation to extend benefits temporarily for more than 20,000 unemployed Oregonians still looking for jobs. According to the latest study released this year by Oregon State University Researchers, low wage jobs, high unemployment and high housing costs combine to increase the risk of food insecurity for Oregonians.
“If we really want to end hunger in Oregon, we must ensure every adult has the opportunity to make a living-wage so that they can meet their family’s the basic needs,” said the Governor. “That means also extending some temporary relief for Oregonians as they look for a job that will allow them to provide for their families and contribute to our economy and our communities.”
The annual Governor’s State Employees Food Drive began under Governor Vic Atiyeh in 1982 and is the largest food drive benefiting the Oregon Food Bank Network. Every January, a statewide coordinator is designated by the Department of Administrative Services to serve as the food drive chairperson. A planning team, assembled by the statewide coordinator, includes coordinators from each agency. This team plans and organizes fundraising events and donation collections in each state agency during the month of February.
For the list of winners, go to: http://governor.oregon.gov/Gov/food_2005.shtml
Reducing hunger in Oregon has been a priority for Governor Kulongoski and in addition to continuing the State Employee Food Drive, during the last two years the Governor has:
Promoted Awareness and Action – Each April the Governor declares one week “Hunger Awareness Week” and in 2003 and 2004 he convened a Hunger Summit, bringing together public officials, hunger activists, service groups and the business community from throughout the state who wanted to contribute to ending hunger in Oregon. The Summit in 2003 focused on increasing awareness of Oregon’s hunger problem, and in 2004 the Summit focused on the role of Oregonians in carrying out Oregon’s Hunger Relief Taskforce’s 5-year strategic plan to end hunger. Since last year, individuals, faith-based and community organizations, state and local governments, and the business community have used the “Act to End Hunger” as a blueprint, focusing on: improving family economic stability; increasing participation and reducing barriers to federal food programs; improving community food security; and increasing the capacity of the Oregon Food Bank’s statewide network.
Expanded Summer Food Programs – During the 2003 legislative session, the Governor signed legislation that expanded access to healthy meals through the federally-funded Summer Food Service Program. In 2004, the Governor worked in partnership with the federal delegation to include Oregon as among the 19 designated “Lugar Pilot Project” states as part of the federal 2004 Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act simplifying program operations for sponsors.
Celebrated Oregon’s Bounty – Each October, the Governor declares one week “Oregon Harvest Week” in recognition of the roles the agriculture and faith-based communities in addressing Oregon’s hunger problem. In 2003, the Governor celebrated the best of Oregon’s harvest at the Oregon Food Bank’s Harvest Dinner and kicked off the first meeting of the Oregon Faith Roundtable Against Hunger, a group representing diverse religious perspectives working to develop solutions to the root causes of hunger through education and public policy. As part of Harvest Week 2004, the Governor kicked off a new tradition to benefit Regional Oregon Food Banks by hosting, along with seven others, “Governor’s Home Harvest Dinners” across the state, raising thousands of dollars to support regional food banks and engaging more Oregonians in the fight against hunger.
Worked to Create Living Wage Jobs for Oregonians – The Governor has worked to retain and create jobs all over Oregon, so that families are not faced with food insecurity due to lack of employment. He has aggressively recruited companies from other states and fought to keep businesses in Oregon, resulting in the 4th fastest job growth in the nation last year. The Governor’s 2005/07 budget doubles funding for Oregon Opportunity Grants, tuition assistance for low-income students seeking the higher education opportunities necessary to secure higher paying jobs.
