For information about the Oregon Food Bank, go here.
For information about the Oregon Historical Society go here.
The following transcript was generated using automated transcription software for the accessibility and convenience of our audience. While we strive for accuracy, the automated process may introduce errors, omissions, or misinterpretations. This transcript is intended as a helpful companion to the original audio and should not be considered a verbatim record. For the most accurate representation, please refer to the audio recording.
MICHAEL DUNNE: I’m Michael Dunne. It may be one of the defining contradictions of our time: As a society, we are facing both an epidemic of obesity and a growing crisis of hunger. For every blaring GLP-1 television ad promising dramatic weight loss, there are countless people who do not get their basic food needs met. Here in Oregon, hunger is rising at a dangerous rate.
Today on the show, you’ll hear from the leader of the Oregon Food Bank about the worsening state of hunger in our state, its causes and potential solutions. Then, in the second part of the program, Oregon celebrates its birthday this Saturday, so we check in with the Oregon Historical Society to reflect on the people and events that have shaped the Beaver State.
Andrea Williams, president of the Oregon Food Bank, thanks so much for joining us.
ANDREA WILLIAMS: Thanks for having me.
MICHAEL DUNNE: You and your organization recently released the State of Hunger in Oregon report. What does it say?
ANDREA WILLIAMS: Our 2026 State of Hunger report shows that hunger in Oregon is at record levels. In just two years, visits to Oregon Food Bank pantries statewide increased by 51 percent, reaching 2.9 million visits last year alone. Those numbers tell us that more Oregonians are seeking food assistance.
MICHAEL DUNNE: I imagine you also examined the reasons behind that increase. Why is this year so unfortunately record-setting?
ANDREA WILLIAMS: Food insecurity has been rising for several years due to a combination of factors. Pandemic-era benefits ended, inflation increased the cost of groceries and housing, and Congress passed H.R. 1 last year, which implemented the largest cuts to SNAP — our nation’s most effective anti-hunger program.
Last fall, 3,000 immigrants, refugees and asylees with legal status immediately lost their SNAP benefits. Over the next few years, about 300,000 Oregonians will see their benefits reduced. Unfortunately, hunger has worsened, and it will continue to worsen because of this law.
MICHAEL DUNNE: How do you collect and analyze the data behind these findings?
ANDREA WILLIAMS: We track the number of individuals who visit our pantries each time they come. Our pantries are open to everyone. We don’t require identification — only a ZIP code — and we often don’t even ask for a name. That’s intentional, so people can access food with dignity.
Each of our roughly 1,200 pantry sites across the state records how many people walk through their doors.
MICHAEL DUNNE: Are certain areas of Oregon experiencing higher levels of hunger than others?
ANDREA WILLIAMS: Food insecurity disproportionately impacts certain communities. Overall, one in seven Oregonians and one in six children experience food insecurity. Rates are higher among Black, Indigenous and other people of color, immigrants and refugees, single caregivers, and trans and gender-expansive individuals.
Geographically, rural communities are especially impacted because they have fewer grocery stores and fewer pantries. In many rural areas, about 30 percent of grocery store revenue comes from SNAP. Cuts to SNAP don’t just affect families — they affect local economies. If a rural grocery store closes, the entire community suffers.
MICHAEL DUNNE: Can you help us understand the difference between “hunger” and “food insecurity”?
ANDREA WILLIAMS: Food insecurity is the more academic term used by researchers. It measures economic stability and access to food and includes different levels of severity. We often use the terms interchangeably, but food insecurity is typically how the issue is formally measured.
MICHAEL DUNNE: Given inflation and SNAP cuts, do you expect conditions to continue getting worse?
ANDREA WILLIAMS: Yes. We release this data annually, and we fully expect to see more people coming to pantries in the coming years. SNAP is being cut in phases, and the 51 percent increase we’ve already seen will likely grow.
Food banks are doing everything we can. We move 117 million pounds of food each year through our network, thanks to thousands of volunteers, truck drivers and warehouse workers. But it isn’t enough to keep up with demand.
Pantries often start the day well stocked, but shelves empty quickly. Volunteers are being forced to limit food or turn people away. Without significant federal policy changes, this will remain our reality.
MICHAEL DUNNE: Are state lawmakers receptive, and are there potential solutions at the state level?
ANDREA WILLIAMS: Yes. We’ve proposed an anti-hunger package of four policies. The most urgent is funding the Oregon Department of Human Services budget request to preserve SNAP. H.R. 1 now requires states to cover part of the cost, and investments in staffing and technology are necessary to reduce that burden long-term.
We saw what happened during last fall’s SNAP delays — it was catastrophic. About 700,000 Oregonians suddenly had no benefits. SNAP is essential.
We’re also asking the state to ensure free breakfast and lunch at every school, provide temporary relief for immigrants and refugees who lost benefits, and increase investment in Oregon’s food bank system.
MICHAEL DUNNE: What can listeners do to help?
ANDREA WILLIAMS: Volunteers and donors are always needed. But hunger is also a policy choice. People should contact their state legislators — especially now, during the short session — and urge them to protect SNAP and address hunger in their communities.
MICHAEL DUNNE: Andrea Williams, president of the Oregon Food Bank, thank you for your time.
ANDREA WILLIAMS: Thank you.
MICHAEL DUNNE: Now, as Oregon prepares to celebrate its birthday this Saturday, we turn to the Oregon Historical Society. Kerry Tymchuk, Boyle Family Executive Director of the Oregon Historical Society, thanks for joining us.
KERRY TYMCHUK: My pleasure.
MICHAEL DUNNE: From your vantage point, is there a key moment that shaped Oregon into the state it is today?
KERRY TYMCHUK: In our 167-year history, there are many. The land we call Oregon has been inhabited since time immemorial by Indigenous peoples. From the Oregon Donation Land Claim Act to statehood on Feb. 14, 1859, there are countless milestones.
Interestingly, Oregonians didn’t learn they were a state until a month later, when word finally arrived by telegram, stagecoach and steamship. On March 15, Oregon officially learned it had become the 33rd state.
MICHAEL DUNNE: No internet back then.
KERRY TYMCHUK: Not quite. You also have the timber economy, World War II and the Kaiser shipyards, and figures like Phil Knight. It’s hard to imagine Oregon — or the University of Oregon — without Nike.
MICHAEL DUNNE: Uncle Phil.
KERRY TYMCHUK: Exactly. So many moments could have gone differently, but here we are — hale and somewhat hardy at 167.
MICHAEL DUNNE: Who are some of the most influential figures in Oregon’s history?
KERRY TYMCHUK: At the top of the list is Mark Hatfield. His public service career spanned nearly half a century, and he never lost an election. As a U.S. senator on the Appropriations Committee, he brought critical federal investment to communities across Oregon.
Tom McCall is another iconic figure, shaping Oregon’s environmental ethic. Oswald West helped protect Oregon’s beaches. And Abigail Scott Duniway — the Susan B. Anthony of Oregon — fought for women’s suffrage for more than 50 years before women finally won the right to vote in 1912.
MICHAEL DUNNE: Timber once defined Oregon’s economy. Does it still matter today?
KERRY TYMCHUK: Absolutely. There are still more than 30,000 jobs tied to timber, contributing roughly $8 billion to Oregon’s economy and more than $500 million in tax revenue. While technology has taken a leading role, timber remains foundational to Oregon’s story.
MICHAEL DUNNE: Looking ahead, what do you think Oregon’s future holds?
KERRY TYMCHUK: It’s been a tough few years. Oregon has developed a reputation as anti-business, and if the state is to thrive, that perception needs to change. My hope is that Oregon continues evolving while remaining a place people want to live, work and invest in.
MICHAEL DUNNE: Kerry Tymchuk, Boyle Family Executive Director of the Oregon Historical Society, thanks so much.
KERRY TYMCHUK: You bet.
MICHAEL DUNNE: That’s the show for today. All episodes of Oregon On The Record are available as a podcast at KLCC.org. Tomorrow, we’ll speak with the Lane County medical director about the troubling rise in measles cases. I’m Michael Dunne. Thanks for listening.
