About Ashland Community Food Bank
We serve the residents of Ashland, Talent, and surrounding areas within 97520 and 97540 zip codes, who are facing food insecurity.
Ashland Community Food Bank is an independent, private non-profit 501(c)(3) organization, Federal ID #93-1329669. Donations are tax deductible to the extent allowed by the tax code.
Location and Service Hours
560 Clover Lane, Ashland, OR 97520
541-488-9544
Monday to Friday
and Every 3rd Saturday
9:30am to 12:30pm
Our History
The Ashland Community Food Bank was founded in 1972 by a group of churches who believed that no one in our community should go to bed hungry. They pooled their efforts from their individual congregations and began distributing food to people in need.
Over five decades, so much has changed! The need in our community rises each year. We are fortunate to own our building to best serve our friends and neighbors. And, one thing has remained constant – our mission. That is, to provide food at no cost to all those in need living in Ashland and Talent, while increasing awareness of food insecurity. We serve ALL people with dignity.
Who Do We Serve?
We serve any resident of Ashland or Talent who needs our support. For some, this may be a one time visit because of a short term crisis. For many, we are part of their monthly household budget. We provide for working families, seniors on fixed incomes, people in transition, and many who simply cannot make enough to afford basic living expenses.
About 90% of the food we distribute goes to housed residents. 40% of the food goes to seniors and children.
Some believe we serve mainly the homeless. About 10% of the food we distribute goes to unhoused residents of Ashland and Talent. Many unhoused are local families who have children under the age of 18. Some are still trying to secure a permanent home after the Alameda fires.
ALICE
ALICE is an acronym (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) that describes individuals and families who are working, but are still unable to afford basic necessities, such as food, housing, transportation, and child care. Essentially, residents earn more than the Federal Poverty Line, but less than the basic cost of living in the county they reside. Because of this, families may need to choose between purchasing groceries for the month or purchasing medication they may need.
Ashland, Oregon: 44% of households are below the ALICE Threshold
Talent, Oregon: 54% of households are below the ALICE Threshold
Our Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice Statement
Board Approved 1/14/25
At Ashland Community Food Bank, we are committed to providing safe, respectful, and quality service to people who disproportionately experience hunger in Ashland and Talent. This includes: People of Color, individuals with different abilities, immigrants and refugees, trans and gender-nonconforming individuals, and single parents and caregivers. We honor and value each person’s unique lived experience. We recognize the numerous barriers to accessing healthy food.
To address these, we strive to:
- Structure Services to Meet Community Needs: We aim to tailor our services to effectively meet the diverse needs of our community.
- Maintain a Learning and Growth Mindset: We continually seek to enhance our understanding of equity, diversity, and inclusion to create belonging for all in our community.
- Network with Other Organizations: We collaborate with organizations close to underserved communities to strengthen our outreach and impact, and because we understand that some people we serve need additional support.
- Extend Authentic Invitations: We welcome volunteers who represent the communities we serve, ensuring we include diverse perspectives and voices.
Through these commitments, we strive to foster an inclusive and equitable environment, ensuring everyone in our community has access to healthy food.
What We Provide
As a Community Food Bank, we provide 3 days worth of food. We distribute 15,000 pounds of food on a weekly basis. This is distributed to 240-250 families who shop with us to meet their household’s needs.
Shoppers are provided a list giving them agency to choose what they need and prefer. Amounts from each category of fresh and shelf stable foods (soup, fruit, protein, dairy, etc.) depend on family size. We strive to provide the healthiest choices possible for our shoppers. Our job at the Food Bank is to provide food, with dignity and compassion, when a family needs a little extra help to get through the month.
Service Partners
- Ashland High School
- Ashland Middle School
- Ashland Public Library
- Ashland Senior Center
- First Presbyterian Little Free Pantry
- Head Start (Ashland)
- Organizations serving hot meals
- Powerpack Backpack Program
- SOU Pantry
How Do We Do It?
Our Community. We choose to not receive government funding to remain a low-barrier organization. Our community blessedly provides donations of time, money, and food to support our efforts.
Supplier Partnerships: Ashland Community Food Bank has many supplier partners and has always been supported by the wonderful community. One of the most critical and beloved partnerships is with the Ashland Food Project. Green Bag drives bring us 30,000 pounds of food 6 times per year on the 2nd Saturday of even months of the year. This is just one of many important supplier partners.
Volunteers: We have nearly 300 dedicated, generous and heartfelt volunteers who in 2023, gave over 11,000 hours of their time to help their neighbors in need.
Our Board of Directors
Stef Seffinger
Our Generous Sponsors
