The Oregon Hunger Task Force (OHTF) believes that effective policies and lasting solutions to hunger must be informed by the people and communities most directly affected.

Through statewide listening sessions, community site visits, and one-on-one conversations, the OHTF connects with local food providers, community organizations, farmers, mutual aid groups, advocates, and people with lived experience of hunger to better understand the challenges, strengths, and opportunities within Oregon’s food security system.

These conversations take us beyond the data and into communities, where we can see firsthand how organizations are responding to growing needs, navigating limited resources, building innovative partnerships, and finding creative ways to support their neighbors. They also help us better understand the unique challenges facing rural, urban, frontier, and Tribal communities, and identify gaps that may not be visible through traditional research or statewide reporting.

What we learn directly informs OHTF’s research, legislative priorities, policy recommendations, and reports to the Governor and Legislature. Just as importantly, these visits and conversations create opportunities to connect organizations with one another, share promising practices, elevate community-led solutions, and strengthen collaboration across Oregon’s food security network.

These conversations and site visits help ensure that the OHTF’s research, policy recommendations, and legislative priorities reflect the realities communities face, the gaps in existing systems, and the practical solutions being developed by organizations and individuals across Oregon.