Food Stamp Outreach

You can now find out online if you are eligible for food stamps and other programs. Oregonhelps.org is free and confidential and estimates your food stamp benefits, provides downloadable applications, and includes detailed information on other useful programs. Oregon SafeNet (1-800-723-3638) can also help you find food assistance, including the most conveniently located Food Stamp office. You can also download the food stamp application.

The federal government's first line of defense against hunger is the Food Stamp Program. The program helps low-income families eat well by providing extra dollars to buy food. After the implementation of welfare reform, many Oregonians moved off cash assistance into low paying jobs but were not earning enough to pay for food and other basics. Many of these families still qualified for food stamps but did not know it.

The Oregon Hunger Relief Task Force has been working with the Oregon Food Bank, the Department of Human Services, and other partners on a statewide food stamp outreach campaign to increase access to the program. A statewide steering committee meets every other month to identify barriers and solutions, develop new ideas, and measure progress. Through statewide efforts to better publicize food stamps, more Oregonians have gained access to this important benefit.

A number of outreach materials have been developed to help publicize the program. This includes our 2007 Food Stamp Outreach Guide. Several are targeted to different populations, including families, seniors, persons with disabilities, college students, immigrants, and single adults, and also are available in different languages.

As another available resource, Nancy Weed, Food Stamp Outreach Coordinator, provides Community Food Stamp presentations. This presentation can include a Food Stamp Program overview and training opportunities for organizations and staff members about eligibility and access, as well as the opportunity for ongoing client advocacy to help resolve barrier issues. Nancy can be reached via email ( This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it ) or phone (503-998-6194) to answer any questions about food stamps and to set up a presentation.

Thanks to community partner efforts to increase participation in food stamps, as well as other nutrition support programs like school and summer meals for children, WIC and emergency food, Oregon has dropped from #1 to #22 in the national hunger rankings.

Though there is still room for improvement, we were the only state to have a statistically significant reduction in hunger in recent years. Almost 80% of eligible Oregon households are now participating, compared to 56% of eligible households nationwide. More than 426,000 people are currently being helped, with most food stamp dollars going to working families with children, the elderly and persons with disabilities.

Increased participation means that Oregon now brings in more than $450 million in federal food stamp dollars annually. This represents federal taxes being returned to Oregon communities to support low-income households, local retailers and local economies. If all eligible households participated, Oregon could bring in almost $100 million more each year.

Additional Food Stamp Materials and Resources are also available online.