OKANOGAN — Facing a growing food insecurity crisis, the Okanogan County Community Action Council (OCCAC) has launched “Harvesting Hope,” a new initiative aimed at addressing the urgent need for supplemental food in the county. This effort, in collaboration with Blue Sky Minds and community volunteers, seeks to harness local resources and volunteer efforts to support the county’s food pantries.

“Okanogan County’s food shortage is like the perfect storm,” said Rena Shawver, Executive Director of OCCAC. “Inflation has sent food and gas prices sky high. Rent and housing prices are higher than wages, meaning families pay up to 60 percent of their income on housing costs, which leaves them without money for other things,”

Coupled with a national food shortage, the demand on our food pantries has increased dramatically. “Weather changes and market conditions make it tough to grow food, so food deliveries to pantries are down while the number of people relying on food pantries is up.”

According to Shawver, food insecurity affects one-third of Okanogan County’s households. She added, “This is not a brief trend. These conditions will be with us for a while. At the same time, we’re seeing new cuts to government food assistance funding.”

In 2024, the nine food pantries supported by OCCAC served 13,500 residents, a 25 percent increase from 2022. This surge comes amidst cuts to government food assistance, including the cancellation of $4.7 million in federal funding and proposed reductions to SNAP benefits.

“Sunsetting or cutting funding at a time when more people are relying on food assistance puts more pressure on food pantries,” noted Maria Hines of Blue Sky Minds, which focuses on cultivating local community food system collaborations through the Okanogan Food Council. “This county is rich in agriculture. We should be able to find local sustainable ways to feed our own community.”

According to Shawver, some of the nine food pantries across Okanogan County are serving up to 300 families weekly. OCCAC runs the county’s central warehouse, called a food bank, and provides food to the food pantries in Chesaw, Wacounda, Conconully, Brewster, Oroville, Tonasket, Omak, Okanogan, Winthrop, and Nespelem.

“Shortages, budget cuts, and an increasing number of residents depending on food pantries have left the central warehouse virtually empty.” said Shawver.

To tackle these challenges, Harvesting Hope has introduced several community-driven activities which include: Grow a Row, The Glean Team, Community Gardens, food drives and donations.

Shawver said this initiative represents a crucial step towards ensuring that Okanogan County can sustainably support its residents in need.

Community volunteer Emily Post, a local artist who is stepping up to help address food insecurity across the county, emphasized the importance of local involvement. “There are many reasons that a person might need to access food assistance. It is a great society that takes care of its people, and when people are not cared for, it is simply cruel.”

For more information on participating in Harvesting Hope, visit www.occac.com or OCCAC Food and Nutrition Manager at (509) 422-40241.