Hand Up Project

Starting June 1, 2026, all SNAP households must complete an interview when they apply for or renew their monthly food benefits.

This change returns SNAP to standard federal rules, which require interviews for all applications and renewals. These rules help make sure benefits are accurate and reflect each household’s current situation. An interview must be completed before benefits can be approved.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, some households were allowed to skip renewal interviews. This temporary flexibility ends May 31, 2026. Learn more at https://apps.oregon.gov/oregon-newsroom/OR/ODHS/Posts/Post/snap-interviews-required-for-all-households-starting-june-1-2026?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery

For a while, food insecurity dominated the headlines. Now it’s gone quiet.

But on the ground—in places like The People’s Pantry—the story hasn’t improved. It’s getting harder.

Across the country, millions of people are losing or being pushed off SNAP after recent federal changes. Fewer households are receiving benefits—not because they no longer need help, but because eligibility rules have tightened and funding has shifted. And when that happens, people don’t stop needing food. They come to us.

Food banks nationwide are reporting increased demand, and we’re seeing the same locally—more first-time visitors, more households stretching limited resources, and more people relying on pantry support to fill the gap.

At the same time, the system supporting that food is under strain. Supply has dropped as federal food purchasing programs are cut back. Fuel and transportation costs continue to rise, making it more expensive to move food from farms to shelves. Even grocery prices are climbing again, meaning SNAP benefits—when they are available—don’t go as far.

And there’s another challenge just beginning to surface.
Global conflicts are disrupting fertilizer supply, which farmers rely on to grow crops. As fertilizer prices surge and
availability drops, many farmers are planting less or paying significantly more to produce the same food. The full impact of this won’t show up overnight—but it’s expected to drive future food prices higher and tighten supply even further.
In other words, the pressure is building.
The reality is simple: The food crisis didn’t end—it just slipped out of the spotlight.

At Hand Up Project, we’re still here—feeding the family, holding the line, and making sure our community has access to food that is dignified, affirming, and nourishing.
But we can’t do it alone.

Now is the time to stay engaged, stay aware, and continue showing up for one another—because the need isn’t going away.
🧚 Join the Food Fairies
Behind every full table is someone who chose to show up.
The Food Fairies are our community in action—quietly making sure food keeps moving, even when the system falls short.
✨ Give what you can
✨ Share the message
✨ Show up when it matters

Because it still takes a village to feed the family.

Find more recipes like this at https://www.handupproject.org/food-as-medicine

🌿 Spice of Life: Ginger

Food has always been more than fuel. Across cultures and generations, everyday ingredients have quietly supported health—meal by meal.

This month, we’re highlighting ginger.
A familiar root that brings warmth, balance, and depth to the foods people already eat.

Not a trend.
Not a supplement.
Just real food, used in real ways.

We’ve created a new Spice of Life: Ginger fact sheet as part of our Food as Medicine series—grounded in accessibility, dignity, and everyday use.

If you’re curious how ginger shows up in meals, tea, and simple cooking, you can explore it here:
www.handupproject.org/food-as-medicine

One ingredient.
Many traditions.
Care built meal by meal.

https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/peer-to-peer/it-takes-a-village-to-feed-the-family

Working Together for our Community.