by Annie Kirschner

What are you looking forward to in 2018? What do you enjoy about your work? Before closing for a week of rest over the holidays, we asked everyone here in the office these two questions.

Themes definitely emerged: we’re energized by partnering with other groups, learning from and standing side-by-side people experiencing poverty and celebrating communities doing great work to end hunger.

We’re excited about launching a few new projects in 2018: a new campaign to create “Hunger-Free Schools” through state policy changes; taking a group of women from our Hunger-Free Leadership Institute to Washington D.C. to meet with Members of Congress and present at a national conference; working with new partners within healthcare, workforce training and community colleges to connect people with SNAP. Just to name a few.

We’re also entering the new year with a healthy dose of realism. The Trump administration has indicated that “welfare reform” is next on its list of priorities (historically a euphemism for making life harder for people already on the losing end of income inequality). The outcome of the state Ballot Measure 101 (we recommend you vote YES) will have a huge effect on the health and well-being of Oregonians.

So, we’re gearing up to make our collective voices heard. If one of your New Year’s resolutions was to get more involved this year-I hope you’ll join us and the Oregon Hunger Task Force at our listening session, January 23rd and Day of Action at the capitol on February 16th.

Thanks for standing with us this past year. Little of what we do is easy, but the changes we’re making together are real and lasting.

To a new year!

Annie