Our Mission
The Josephine County Food Bank responds to the root causes of hunger and supports our community by striving to nourish, restore dignity, provide health, and champion community. Our mission is to lead the effort to eliminate hunger by empowering our community…because no one should be hungry!
Our Vision
Our vision is to build a healthy, hunger-free tomorrow for all of Josephine County.
Who We Serve
Our primary mission is to serve anyone facing food insecurity in Josephine County. Every month, we provide meals to over 18,000 people through our network of partner organizations.
This encompasses a diverse range of individuals and families, including working households striving to make ends meet, senior citizens on fixed incomes, individuals with disabilities, and those experiencing homelessness. Notably, over a quarter of those we serve are children, underscoring the critical role we play in addressing the nutritional needs of the younger members of our community.
We extend our services to embrace the entire spectrum of those in need, recognizing that hunger can affect anyone. By offering support to such a wide array of community members, we strive to ensure that no one in Josephine County goes to bed hungry, advocating for a community where access to nutritious food is a fundamental right for all.
How We Help
We work with a network of more than 25 local agencies to provide nutritious food to our community’s low- and no-income residents. Our work includes providing immediate food assistance to end hunger in the short term and coordinating efforts and policies to end hunger in the long term.
Our network includes sites where hot meals are served and food pantries where canned goods, fresh and frozen vegetables, milk, meat, bread, and other staples are distributed. We also serve agencies that provide food for children, homeless youth, veterans, victims of domestic violence and their children, people with chronic mental illness, and many others who may need help. We distribute an average of 2,100,000 lbs. of food every year and feed roughly 18,000 people every month. We receive food through the Oregon Food Bank, USDA, grocery store partners, local donors, local purchasing, and our own Raptor Creek Farm. Because of our buying power, we are able to turn every dollar donated into 3 meals for our community.
Our History
The Josephine County Food Bank has been serving our community since 1990. Originally, we were part of the Josephine County Community Action Agency and were run as a county program. During the early years, we developed our network to serve hungry individuals and families throughout the county. Along the way, we have managed to build many long-lasting partnerships.
In 2005, the County discontinued funding for the Josephine County Food Bank. Thankfully, the United Community Action Network stepped in to run the program. In 2010 a community collaboration between the City of Grants Pass, the United Community Action Network, Rotary Clubs of Grants Pass, and many local donors resulted in the construction of a new 10,000-square-foot food storehouse. This also marked the establishment of Raptor Creek Farm, an onsite community garden used to grow food for local families.
Today, the Josephine County Food Bank is an independent non-profit organization. In addition to collecting, storing, and distributing food, our unique location allows us to efficiently incorporate fresh farm-grown foods as part of our program. We look forward to continuing to serve our community from our food distribution center at Raptor Creek Farm.