As advocates for a strong social safety net, we at Partners for a Hunger-Free Oregon woke up to a stark new reality: recent election results have ushered in leadership in both the White House and Congress that could lead to deep cuts to essential programs like SNAP. 

In the past 24 hours, I’ve connected with numerous friends, colleagues, and community members – both newcomers and long-time advocates in the fight for justice. They are direct service providers, community organizers, volunteers, advocates and activists of all kinds. Almost without exception, they’ve shared with me a deeply felt sense of concern for what lies ahead.

At Partners for a Hunger-Free Oregon, we understand the deep fatigue of a long, hard fight for change. The intensity of emotions is high today. I’m hearing from people who are exhausted and full of grief. And we need to give time to hold these feelings – to rest and to breathe.

In moments like this, we also remember that our job is to hold the structure of advocacy work. Our job is to keep the work moving forward alongside you: our partners and community who are constantly learning, adapting, and growing in our ability to support one another and create change.

We bring to this moment the wisdom gained from all that came before, and the interconnected networks of resilience we’ve built along the way.

On a day not unlike today in 2016, when the weight of the work threatened to extinguish the flame of our belief in change, the wise activist and Sikh teacher Valarie Kaur invited us to consider this: What if the darkness we face is not the end, but the beginning? As she expressed so powerfully:

“In our tears and agony, we hold our children close and confront the truth: The future is dark. But my faith dares me to ask: What if this darkness is not the darkness of the tomb, but the darkness of the womb?”

So while today we renew ourselves in the fight to protect and expand existing programs, we’re also asking ourselves: what food just and sovereign futures may be grown in the darkness of this womb? 

We’re growing a strengthened Farm Bill based in Indigenous rights and sovereignty. We’re growing universal free school meals for all of Oregon’s kids. We’re growing support for college students to get their basic needs met, and we’re growing expansions that will mean all Oregonians can access SNAP regardless of immigration status.

We invite you to take a moment to rest, and then rejoin us in this work.

In solidarity,

Sarah Weber-Ogden
Co-Executive Director


To support the work, head to: giveguide.org/nonprofits/oregonhunger