In the overwhelming stresses of life, putting food on the table shouldn’t be one of them. Yet, Mary Jane Hopkins knows this all too well. I can’t sleep at night if I have to figure out how my kids are going to be fed, about my husband’s job loss, rent, utilities, said Hopkins.
A multi-agency partnership is working to ensure families don’t go hungry. In the past three years, twenty-two thousand food deliveries have gone to families in need in Lane County.
It’s all thanks to the program, Ride United, which started in the beginning of the Coronavirus Pandemic to support no contact food donations. Every Friday, Door Dash drivers throughout Lane County have the option of delivering donated food boxes to those in need.
I’ve gotten a couple orders from here and it’s usually like 10 or 15 orders all in one big chunk, said one of the Door Dash Drivers. Those orders consisting of a nonperishable box with cans, rice, etc. Also a fresh food box with fruit and bread.
That food is courtesy of the food pantry located at Head Start, which gets deliveries from the Oregon Food Bank and Food for Lane County. Charleen Strauch is the Executive Director of Head Start of Lane County, We serve the needy of the needy here in Lane County, and so food insecurity is a major issue, trying to address these needs are very important.
