Cloudy with occasional rain during the afternoon. Potential for heavy rainfall. High 58F. Winds W at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch..
Tonight
Cloudy with periods of rain. Low 37F. Winds W at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall may reach one inch.
THE GORGE — The food pantry at Columbia Gorge Community College (CGCC) closed this spring, but may re-open when the college and Columbia Gorge Food Bank are finished re-organizing it.
Chinook Campus Pantry used to serve anyone who visited it on The Dalles campus through an affiliation Columbia Gorge Food Bank, itself affiliated with Oregon Food Bank. In March, the college and food bank agreed to pause operations, to ensure student volunteers and college staff had the right training for client and food safety, according to Columbia Gorge Food Bank. They planned to reopen within weeks, but staffing changes and spring and summer breaks at the college delayed that.
By November, the college was ready to re-open, but the food bank was not. The federal government had paused SNAP benefits, straining their already burdened resources.
“We’re doing what we can, and also acknowledging that there’s some hardship, that has been caused by some changes at the federal level,” President Kenneth Lawson told the CGCC board of directors last month.
Director Oralee Branch asked if the board can help organize “at least some food stables, nonperishables” for students on campus.
According to Columbia Gorge Food Bank, the two organizations are still working together with the aim of re-opening the college's pantry in the future.
The college could organize its own food drives, but must include public notice that it’s not affiliated with any food bank, said Tiffany Prince, director of executive services and director of housing and student life.
“I understand, the Oregon Food Bank was a much bigger player and a much bigger provider, but whatever we can do to help our students and our community, I think it’s important,” Branch said.
Prince told the board the first fundraising event could be in winter term, potentially organized by work-study students. The hope is to reopen something in spring, she said.
Commented
Sorry, there are no recent results for popular commented articles.