Behind the Curtain: There Is Enough
When one begins to look at the issue of food insecurity the statistics are staggering, the anecdotes are harrowing, the facts are halting — but all of those things are true because of one prevailing truth: “There is enough food for everyone; people go hungry because of policy choices, not scarcity.” This sentence wraps up Oregon Food Bank’s “The State of Hunger in Oregon: Hunger Facts” and before one can get any deeper into the realities of food insecurity, how we as a society got here and what we do next, it feels imperative to begin with that simple fact. There is enough food for everyone. People go hungry because of policy choices. Not scarcity.
The USDA defines food insecurity as “the limited or uncertain availability of nutritionally adequate and safe foods, or limited or uncertain ability to acquire acceptable foods in socially acceptable ways.” In Oregon, those staggering statistics, as reported by Feeding America, state that 1 in 7 adults face hunger and 1 and 6 children. The Oregon Food Bank reports that these numbers are growing — food bank visits grew by 51% in the last two years but the amount of food distribution only grew by 5%. The Portland branch of OFB saw 914,200 visits last year. It is also reported that communities of Color — particularly Black and Indigenous communities — experience food insecurity in Oregon at a rate that is 2 to 3 times higher than other communities.
There are many contributing factors to food insecurity. Chief among them is the rising cost of living. The USDA predicts that all food prices are going to rise by 2.9% this year alone — meaning that the carton of eggs at Safeway which, according to their website, currently costs roughly $2.49 will cost closer to $2.56 by the end of the year. While that $0.07 increase seems minimal, the United States federal minimum wage has remained stagnant at $7.25 since 2010. For context, a dozen eggs in 2010 averaged $1.44. And while Oregon’s minimum is nearly twice the federal wage, the widening gap between wages and expenses means that more and more Americans are facing a world wherein they cannot afford the basics.
Oregon, as of 2025, has the third highest SNAP eligible population in America and another contributing factor to food insecurity is the continued cuts to those benefits. SNAP — Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program — which was formed in the 1930s, will receive $186 billion in cuts over the next decade, due in large part to the current administration’s “Big Beautiful Bill.” This bill excludes many formerly eligible SNAP recipients based solely on being an immigrant, it foists food assistance costs onto the states and in some cases eliminates all federal funding, and imposes restrictive time limits and benefits freezing that cannot respond to the rising cost of living. In Oregon, this means $9.5 million a year in SNAP funding is eliminated and 93 full time employees lose their jobs.
Policy changes drive hunger. In Portland, there are many people combating these attacks on our community’s health and survival. Urban Gleaners is an organization that seeks to eliminate food waste by redistributing excess food from farms and businesses and serves 8,500 Portlanders a year. The Oregon Food Bank has 21 regional food banks. The PDX Meal Map allows users to search for free food based on location and meal type. Many community members have started free fridges and pantries across the city. The Feed’em Freedom Foundation supports small Black owned farms and has served 3150 households in 2026 with their food pantry in NE Portland. Portland Backpack, an organization that specifically serves the children of our city, provides snacks for weekends, when students are not receiving meals from school. There are many more individuals and organizations in our city that offer support — and in turn, they need the support of those who can to aid them on the mission of making sure that no one, regardless of how legislation hinders them, goes hungry — because there is enough food. For everyone.
More about Kristina Wong, #FoodBankInfluencer:
Community Food Resources: Places to Get Help & Give Help
This guide highlights a selection of local food pantries, meal programs, and volunteer opportunities in the Portland area. While not comprehensive, these organizations offer ways to access food, support neighbors, and get involved in the community.
Snap!: The vibrant ‘Kristina Wong, #FoodBankInfluencer’ entertains and enlightens with karaoke-style songs
By Linda Ferguson for Oregon ArtsWatch
Wong’s solo musical comedy, playing at Portland Center Stage, also digs deep as it schools us on rising food insecurity in the richest nation in the world.
Stage & Studio: Interview with Kristina Wong
Stage & Stduio's Dmae Lo Roberts interviews Kristina Wong about her new show #FoodBankInfluencer, returning to Portland, and why "food banks?." Listen online or wherever you get your podcasts now.
Multnomah County Library My Discovery Pass Reading List
Enjoy a thoughtfully curated list of readings to complement your Kristina Wong, #foodbankinfluencer experience!
How do you become a food bank influencer? Comedian Kristina Wong has answers
Isabella Bernstein interviews Kristina Wong on #FoodBankInfluencer for the Boston Globe
Current & Upcoming
BIPOC Affinity Night: Karaoke Party for Milk Crate Kitchen & Equitable Giving Circle
Wanna help fight food insecurity? Sing a song with us! Sticking with Kristina Wong's amazing theme, for our BIPOC Affinity Night, we will be hosting a Karaoke Party at The Armory. Every song sung will be a meal donated to local nonprofit Milk Crate Kitchen & Equitable Giving Circle, so come sing for a good cause! Oh, and of course, there'll be come complimentary beer from Deschutes Brewery :)
PCS Teen Playwrights Spring Showcase 2026
Don't miss this evening of phenomenal plays written by teens from our PCS Teen Playwrights residencies, directed and performed by PCS professionals.
Improv Comedy: Love, Shakespeare
Witness the Magic of Unscripted Shakespeare! Step into the offbeat word of Love, Shakespeare, where seasoned Portland comedians attempt something audacious: performing a fully improvised Elizabethan play based on your suggestions!
Storm Large Makes it Home
Portland Center Stage presents Storm Large Makes It Home, a gripping new memoir-on-stage from acclaimed singer, actor, and songwriter Storm Large. Featuring new original music written and performed live by Storm, this intimate one-woman show explores family, identity, belonging, and the search for a place to call home.
Improvisation Classes for Beginners
Whether you're looking to get more confident in social situations, think quicker on your feet, or get in touch with your imaginative side, these "one-off" improv classes will set you on the path to success!
Liberace & Liza: A Tribute
Liberace & Liza Minnelli never performed together, but should have! David Saffert & Jillian Snow have created a wildly successful mashup of two over-the-top icons, which is now headed to London’s West End after a sell-out UK tour. Saffert’s dizzying piano skills and Snow’s powerhouse belt team up in songs such as Cabaret, New York, New York, Over the Rainbow and even in surprise covers of Lady Gaga and Britney Spears. There are as many laughs as sequins when Liberace & Liza take hilarious turns vying for the spotlight. No matter what, they both come out winning and audiences are left in awe after a night they won’t soon forget. We hope to see you at The Armory and if you’re feeling frisky, come on over and join us in London!
Portland Center Stage is committed to identifying & interrupting instances of racism & all forms of oppression, through the principles of inclusion, diversity, equity, & accessibility (IDEA).
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