Need for food help rises as SNAP uncertainty looms

Portland's St. Vincent de Paul has seen a surge in requests in recent days and weeks as the federal government shut-down has continued.

"I have been hearing from conferences' pantries who are inundated," reported St. Vincent de Paul's executive director, Brian Ferschweiler

People are getting scared over the potential loss of food and other benefits, he explained.

SVdP's food hotline set a record this year for the speed at which it filled orders for its special Thanksgiving food boxes. All allotted orders were filled in less than three days.

A St. Vincent de Paul pantry in east Multnomah County also reports seeing higher-than-normal traffic in recent weeks.

Your tax-deductible donation of funds would be greatly appreciated, and will help our all-volunteer pantries throughout the Portland metro area, from Clackamas County to the coast. Please click here to donate if you can.

While we’re grateful for all contributions, donations of pre-purchased food present a logistical challenge due to extra handling and preparation required to safely distribute them to pantries.