This is a CALL-TO-ACTION to help our neighbors! SNAP (food stamps) benefits are being cut so families are looking to local food banks and food pantries for more support. Unfortunately, that support is facing major hurdles. Federal support to the Oregon Food Bank is frozen so their food pipeline to the local food banks will soon be exhausted at the same time that the number of clients is dramatically increasing. Local food banks receive no direct support from Federal or State taxes, and are not affiliated with any parent funding agency – they depend on support from individual donors like us.

Take a look at some of the statistics from the North County Food Bank.

Who we served (adults and children) by year:

2021 – just under 2250 clients
2022 – just under 4500 clients
2023 – just under 5700 clients
2024 – just under 9000 clients

In other words they have TRIPLED the number of clients served in the last four years, and 2025 looks to be even higher, maybe much higher.

Where we get our food – donations:

35% – individual/group
29% – locally grown produce
25% – local food drives … such as the Food Can Tsunami event
12% – local businesses

Where we get our food – purchases:

59% – Local stores
20% – Big box stores
14% – Oregon Food Bank – significantly less then in the past and with current funding frozen, it will be less and less as the food chain empties out
7% – Western Box Meat

How are we funded:

39% – Groups and Foundations
61% – Individual donors

So our food and $ donations pay a major part in helping to feed local families facing food insecurity.

What is the Food Can Tsunami?

The Food Can Tsunami is a combination Food Drive and Emergency Preparedness Drill sponsored by EVCNB. The food drive supports the North County Food Bank and the Nehalem Bay Community Services Food Pantry. If you are part of EVCNB, think of this as an opportunity to review your GoBag contents, fill it with food or check donations, use your Yellow Radio skills, and practice the route to your Neighborhood Gathering Site or one of the other donation drop-off locations. If you aren’t part of EVCNB, you can still participate by bringing donations directly to the drop-off locations.

How It Works

Take this opportunity to empty your GoBag and check for expired food, water, medicine, etc. Don’t have a GoBag? Any bag will do!
Put your Food Bank donation (food or checks, payable to either the North County Food Bank or the Nehalem Bay Community Services) in your GoBag.
If you have a Yellow Radio, check in with your Zone Net Control to let them know you’re on the way
Walk (or drive) to your designated evacuation site (see below) to deliver your donation

Donation Locations

Bring your donation to:

Manzanita Police Station (South Bay)
Nehalem City Park
Wheeler Upper Park
Little Apple
Fresh Foods
Mohler Co-Op
Or your participating Cluster Neighborhood Gathering Site

What Do The Food Banks Need?

The Food Banks kindly request:

Checks made out to North County Food Bank or the Nehalem Bay Community Services (formerly United Methodist Church Food Pantry)
Commercially canned products (fruits, vegetables, chili, Spaghetti-O’s, ravioli, refried beans, pork and beans, beef stew, soup, spaghetti sauce and tuna)
Dry pasta
Boxed macaroni and cheese
Peanut butter
Fruit jams
Boxes of cold cereal
64-ounce bottles of apple or orange juice
New: Unopened dog or cat food

Don’t worry about expiration or sale-by dates. If they can’t use it, it will be disposed of.