A Message From PHFO's Board Chair

With nearly two decades of work behind us, Partners for a Hunger-Free Oregon has never faced a moment quite like this. The passing of HR.1, coined the “big beautiful bill,” was a devastating blow to food access across the country, and right here in Oregon. This bill paved the way for the deepest cuts to SNAP in its history, potentially impacting tens of thousands of Oregonians.

Here in Oregon, we had hoped our state leadership would rise to meet the urgency of this moment. Instead, the 2025 Legislative Session was marked by caution when boldness was needed. While federal threats intensified, our communities needed a firewall—and it didn’t come.

And yet, even amidst these setbacks, we continue to fight, and we continue to win.

Over the past year, we helped expand universal free school meals to over 94% of K–12 schools across Oregon. We protected Summer EBT, ensuring that children don’t go hungry when school is out. We fought for college students, safeguarding their access to food and basic needs that allow them to stay enrolled and succeed.

In moments like this, we turn to critical hope—not the hope that ignores reality, but the kind that stares down injustice and says, we still believe in the possibility of change.

We know this work is not easy, and it is far from over. We here at PHFO are not just reacting to attacks, we are moving forward to build a future where hunger is no longer used as a political bargaining chip. Where food is treated not as a privilege, but as a right.

And as PHFO moves forward in our fight, we also continue to build an organization with the skills and expertise that position us for the greatest amount of success in carrying out our mission. To that end, I am excited to welcome Allie Yee as our interim Executive Director.

Allie has over a decade of experience in nonprofit organizational development, HR, project management, communications, and fundraising, and she was previously Co-Executive Director of Finance, Operations, and Development at APANO. She is working closely with organizational development consultant Kathleen Holt and our board and staff to help chart PHFO’s next steps.

Though we have faced devastating challenges this summer, we also know that there are more challenges ahead, and we believe strongly that together with our community partners we will continue to fight, push forward, and win. 

Finally, I want to express my deepest gratitude for this community of partners, supporters, and advocates standing with us against hunger at this critical time. As mentioned before, the work is not easy but I look forward to working together, in community with all of you to face the challenges ahead.

Thank you for standing with us. This work takes all of us.

In solidarity,

Mike Stadther
Board Chair