Rogue Food Unites

MEETING THE FEEDING NEEDS OF COMMUNITIES RECOVERING FROM EMERGENCIES THROUGH CHARITABLE EFFORTS.

DURING 2021, ROGUE FOOD UNITES ("RFU") CONTINUED ITS PROGRAMS TO USE FOOD TO HEAL INDIVIDUALS AND COMMUNITIES DURING TIMES OF CRISIS. RFU COORDINATED WITH LOCALLY-INVESTED FOOD BUSINESSES TO PROVIDE FRESH, NUTRITIOUS, LOCAL INGREDIENTS ASSEMBLED AND DELIVERED TO OUR COMMUNITIES THROUGH RFU COORDINATION. WHILE MEETING THE FUNDAMENTAL HUMAN RIGHT FOR FOOD, RFU STRENGTHENED LOCAL ECONOMIES, FOSTERING COLLABORATION, PRESERVING JOBS FOR RESIDENTS, BUILDING RESILIENCE, AND ENSURING FOOD SECURITY AND SOVEREIGNTY IN OREGON AND ITS COMMUNITIES. ALONG WITH SUPPORTING FOOD SECURITY, RFU EXPOSED THE SYSTEMIC CHALLENGES OF HUNGER, POVERTY, AND OTHER ROOT CAUSES OF WHICH FOOD INSECURITY IS ONLY ONE OF THE SYMPTOMS. ALSO IN 2021, RFU CONTINUED TO IMPROVE SYSTEMS FOR COORDINATING WITH RESTAURANTS, GROCERS, AND FARMERS, USING DELIVERY SYSTEMS AND BUILDT ON ORGANIZATIONAL AND INFRASTRUCTURE PREVIOUSLY DEVELOPED TO ACCOMMODATE THE INCREASING NEED FOR MEALS. THE DISTRIBUTION OF HOT MEALS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY WERE PROVIDED DIRECTLY TO SURVIVORS SHELTERING IN HOTELS, VIA CENTRALLY-LOCATED DISTRIBUTION SITES, AND DOOR-TO-DOOR, DELIVERING OVER 500 DINNERS PER NIGHT. OTHER 2021 ACCOMPLISHMENTS INCLUDE THE ONGOING SUPPORT OF 400 OR MORE FIRE-AFFECTED INDIVIDUALS STILL RESIDING IN TEMPORARY HOUSING AND REQUIRING FOOD ASSISTANCE THROUGH PREPAID DEBIT CARDS. ADDITIONALLY, ROGUE FOOD UNITES CONTINUES TO SPONSOR FOOD CARTS AT THE MONTHLY FIRE SURVIVOR POP-UP EVENTS AS WELL AS OUTREACH IN SUPPORT OF COALICION FORTALEZA, A COALITION OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS, LEADERS, VOLUNTEERS AND ORGANIZATIONS IN THE ROGUE VALLEY FORMED IN THE AFTERMATH OF THE ALMEDA FIRES.RFU HAS A KEY FOCUS ON HEALING THROUGH COMMUNITY. WE USE FOOD AND ITS HEALING POWERS TO FORGE RELATIONSHIPS THAT BUILD STRONG COMMUNITY FOUNDATIONS. THAT COMMUNITY STRENGTH IS ACHIEVED THROUGH OUR WORK WITH INDIVIDUALS AND PARTNERSHIPS WITH COMMUNITY-BASED AND HUMAN SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS. WHILE WORKING WITH CLIENTS LIVING WITH DISABILITIES, WE MUST UNDERSTAND THE LIMITS OF OUR PROGRAM CAPABILITIES. RFU FACILITATES WARM HANDOFFS TO ALLIED ORGANIZATIONS OFFERING ADDITIONAL SUPPORT, SUCH AS PERSONAL ATTENDANT CARE, RELIEF CARE, SKILLS TRAINING, FAMILY SUPPORT, AND SERVICES COORDINATION. TO THIS END, RFU PROVIDED ALL CLIENTS WITH LOCAL RESOURCE INFORMATION THROUGH BILINGUAL MATERIALS INCLUDED IN FOOD DELIVERIES AND DIRECT LIAISON WORK. WHEN CLIENTS NEEDED ADDITIONAL ADVOCACY OR REQUIRED URGENT ASSISTANCE, RFU LIAISONS MADE DIRECT CALLS TO SOCIAL SERVICE AGENCIES TO ENSURE THE SUPPORT WAS THERE AND NO ONE WAS LEFT BEHIND. AN UNDERLYING PILLAR OF ROGUE FOOD UNITES OPERATIONS IS THAT FOOD IS A HUMAN RIGHT, AND ALL HUMANS DESERVE ACCESS TO HIGH-QUALITY, NUTRITIOUS FOOD, ORGANIC WHERE POSSIBLE. RFU EMPOWERS INDIVIDUALS THROUGH FOOD AND CELEBRATES CULTURES AND COMMUNITY, THUS UPLIFTING OREGON AND ITS POPULATION. RFU CONTINUED ITS SUPPORT PROGRAMS IN FIVE OREGON COUNTIES THAT ARE STILL SERVICED TODAY: DESCHUTES, DOUGLAS, KLAMATH, JOSEPHINE, AND JACKSON. DURING 2021, THE RGU HOT MEALS PROGRAM PROVIDED A TOTAL OF 562,492 MEALS.