PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – On the heels of the COVID-19 pandemic and the end of SNAP benefits, The Sunshine Division — a non-profit feeding families in need in the Portland metro area — says it’s busier than ever.
During a normal week in 2019, the non-profit says it served about 320 people at their two food pantries. But at the end of April 2023, the organization says it served almost 2,000 people.
“I can’t put it into words really how much it’s changed, how hard it’s been the past three years,” Sunshine Division Executive Director Kyle Camberg said.
The Sunshine Division has two food pantries in Portland, near the Moda Center and David Douglas School District. At the beginning of the pandemic, the non-profit launched a home delivery program.
While the community is still feeling the economic effects from the COVID-19 pandemic, inflation and the expiration of SNAP benefits, Camberg says The Sunshine Division saw a 60% jump in need.
“There was a number of amazing programs that helped nationally and locally, people weather the storm of the pandemic,” Camberg said – noting that a family of four could get about $200 in SNAP benefits when the program was intact, and a single individual or senior could receive about $100.
According to Camberg, there were over half a million people in Oregon who relied on the benefits.
“It’s not just our organization, it’s food banks across the state, across the country, we’re all struggling to meet this demand because what used to be, like I said, a few hundred people a month is now certainly pushing 2,000 for what we do in Oregon. We’re just one of many,” Camberg said.
While the last two months have been busier than he anticipated, Camberg is hopeful the need will decrease by summer.
“I’m very proud we’ve been able to respond to this level, but it’s extremely difficult for a small charity,” Camberg said. “We rely on the community whether it’s food drives or volunteerism or financial support to do this. And when our numbers have more than quadrupled lately, that’s very difficult for us to respond to.”
Camberg added, “it’s times we’ve never seen before.”