Food bank volunteer opportunities near Portland, Oregon

Last year, 1 out of every 6 people in the United States looked to food banks and food pantries for support, according to a 2023 report from Feeding America. The end of COVID-era government assistance programs and the rising cost of groceries due to inflation have many Americans facing food insecurity.

According to a 2023 Department of Agriculture report, 12.8% of households around the country—about 17 million—were food insecure in 2022. That's up from the 10.2% of households who had difficulty providing food for everyone in their home in 2021, and also up from the 10.5% who said the same in 2020. It's the highest share of food-insecure households in the U.S. since 2014.

The rise of food insecurity and the economic situation in the U.S. means that food banks are struggling to keep up with the demand. "Local food banks, pantries, and community meal programs have become an essential component of many households' food budgets, especially as we continue to face increased food prices and the end of pandemic-era benefits," Claire Babineaux-Fontenot, CEO of Feeding America, said in a statement accompanying the nonprofit's aforementioned report. In an earlier 2023 survey from Feeding America, 65% of responding food banks reported an increase in the number of people they served.

It can be difficult to know where to go if you want to help, as many do during the holiday season in particular. To help guide you, Stacker compiled a list of food bank volunteer opportunities near Portland using data from VolunteerMatch. Read on to see what you can do for those grappling with food insecurity in your community, from distributing lunches to seniors to serving meals at soup kitchens.

Meals from the Heart: Make meals for our guest families (Portland South Waterfront House)
- Organization: Ronald McDonald House Charities® of Oregon & Southwest Washington
- Read more on website

Portland Trail Blazers Foundation 5050 Raffle Volunteer
- Organization: Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization (IRCO)
- Date: Jan 29
- Read more on website

Love Your Neighbor Event
- Organization: CityTeam
- Read more on website

Thrift Store Volunteers Needed
- Organization: William Temple House
- Read more on website

Pantry Food-Tetris Assistant (Pantry Set Up)
- Organization: Lift UP
- Read more on website

Volunteers Needed!
- Organization: Idealist.org
- Read more on website

Regional Director
- Organization: The Borgen Project
- Read more on website

Daily Bread Express- Driver
- Organization: EMO- HIV Services
- Read more on website

Sack Lunches
- Organization: Path-Home (formerly Portland Homeless Family Solutions)
- Read more on website

Student Opportunity--Help Fight Hunger Around America's Breakfast Tables
- Organization: CEREAL4ALL INC
- Read more on website

Compassionate Christian to answer phone calls from people in need
- Organization: LOVE INC OF TIGARD TUALATIN SHERWOOD
- Read more on website

Spread Love, Joy, and Frosting as a volunteer baker in Beaverton, OR!
- Organization: FOR GOODNESS CAKES
- Read more on website

Grocery Shop for Seniors in Portland *West Side*
- Organization: Store to Door
- Read more on website

Food Delivery
- Organization: MUDBLOSM CONNECTIONS
- Read more on website

Deliver Meals To AMAZING Seniors! (non-contact delivery)
- Organization: City of Sherwood
- Read more on website

Beaverton Free Food Market
- Organization: Virginia Garcia Memorial Health Center
- Read more on website

Meals on Wheels NW- Newberg
- Organization: NWSDS Newberg Meal Site
- Read more on website

Food Stocker
- Organization: Willowbrook Food Pantry
- Read more on website

This story features data reporting by Karim Noorani, writing by Jaimie Etkin, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 101 metros.