Klamath-Lake Counties Food Bank looks to fill gaps caused by federal cuts

Klamath-Lake Counties Food Bank executive director Lori Garrard said it’s unclear how cuts to USDA food bank programs will impact local food banks, but she’s confident community members and volunteers will step up to fill the gap if needed.

The Trump administration eliminated the USDA’s Local Food Purchase Assistance program, which buys food from local farmers and distributes it to food banks. An estimated $500 million also was cut from the USDA’s Emergency Food Assistance Program, which provides free food to food banks for distribution to people who are low-income. Garrard said Klamath-Lake Counties Food Bank (KLCFB) receives food from The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP). “At this time, we are only receiving 30-day allocations until there is more certainty in the state budget,” she said.

According to the Oregon Food Bank, TEFAP Bonus Commodities accounted for 17% of food distribution by the Oregon Food Bank in late 2024 — totaling 5.8 million pounds of food. A funding freeze means less food will be available for Oregonians facing hunger, OFP said.

Garrard said KLCFB will have a better projection of its own potential shortfalls after Congress finalizes its budget. She noted that 69% of KLCFB’s food comes from the Oregon Food Bank, which is currently working to get the word out about the need for Congress to reject cuts to food and basic needs, and the cost to Oregonians if proposed cuts come to fruition.

“To put things into perspective: last year, we saw 2.5 million visits to the Oregon Food Bank Network — more than 1,200 food assistance sites across Oregon and Southwest Washington. That’s a 31% increase from the year before. According to the USDA, one-third more Oregonians experience hunger than before the pandemic,” the Oregon Food Bank noted.

An Oregon Food Bank truck delivers food to KLCFB every Wednesday, with an average of 25,000 pounds of food coming to the site weekly. That food is then packaged for transport to 15 pantry/food box locations, including three in Lake County — one in Paisley, one in Christmas Valley, and one in Lakeview.

Gerrard said there are drivers for each separate Lake County location who travel to Klamath County to pick up that community’s allotment when it’s available and then drive it back to their location. For the Christmas Valley driver, that’s a 4½-hour round trip.

In 2024, from June to November, 500,000 pounds of fresh produce alone was distributed through the Klamath-Lake Counties Food Bank. Fresh fruits and vegetables are distributed through the Produce Connection, which this year runs June 5 through Nov. 7.

KLCFB also partners with the Sky Lakes Cancer Treatment Center and Klamath Hospice to provide specialty boxes for people going through cancer treatment or end-of-life care. These boxes also include hygiene items. The recipients of the specialty boxes have enough to worry about, Garrard said, so providing some of the basics at least alleviates a little stress.

KLCFB is currently in the middle of its annual PB&J Project, which encourages people to donate peanut butter and jelly for kids who will soon be out of school. Peanut butter and jelly is an easy and inexpensive meal for children, something that’s especially needed when they’re not being fed at school.

And KLCFB partners with Fresh Alliance, a regional grocery store food recovery program, to help divert safe, edible groceries from local grocery stores to food pantries, thereby providing fresh food to those in need.

Garrard said there are volunteer opportunities at Klamath-Lake County Food Bank for anyone. The most common volunteer work is sorting food and checking expiration dates. Those who are not as able-bodied can help with newsletters or Christmas card stuffing.

KLCFB has eight paid volunteers. Garrard noted that 96 pennies of every dollar donated to the food bank go toward its programs. Only four cents of each dollar go toward administrative costs.

“We’re pretty creative with how we can stretch a dollar,” she said. She added that she is amazed every day by the generosity of the local community, without which the food bank could not serve people the way it does.

The Klamath-Lake Counties Food Bank will have to lean more on those communities in the event that its programs are further affected by funding cuts, but Garrard said, “I know they’re capable and willing to support us.”