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County reports distribution of $100,000 emergency food-security funds after 2025 SNAP lapse
Summary
County staff reported how a $100,000 emergency allocation from October 2025 was distributed among local food partners: $50,000 to Clackamas Service Center, $10,000 each to Colton Helping Hands, Estacada Area Food Bank and Sandy Community Action Center, with a $20,000 reserve for WIC needs ultimately unused.
Tony Marinick, policy adviser in the office of the county administrator, briefed the Board of County Commissioners on a 2025 food-security emergency response spending report authorized during an October 2025 state of emergency related to a potential lapse in federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits.
Marinick said the board authorized $100,000 in one-time grants to local agencies to support individuals who might temporarily lose SNAP benefits. The county distributed $50,000 to Clackamas Service Center, which Marinick said served 3,872 households; Colton Helping Hands received $10,000 and served 1,614 households; Estacada Area Food Bank received $10,000, used the funds to purchase 8,406 pounds of food and served about 2,585 households; and Sandy Community Action Center received $10,000 to enhance holiday food boxes and senior produce distributions and to serve approximately 547 hot meals to local households and people experiencing homelessness.
Marinick told the board $20,000 had been held in reserve for expected needs related to baby formula and other Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program items; he said that need was met through other funding sources and the reserve was not spent. He said staff favored direct grants to local agencies because those groups were best positioned to use the dollars quickly and where need was greatest.
Commissioner Schroeder and others asked about urban coverage and whether organizations such as Hunger Fighters Oregon (Lake Oswego) and the Tualatin food pantry were evaluated; Marinick replied those providers were considered and often receive resources from Oregon Food Bank and other partners, explaining staff prioritized rural and unincorporated areas with fewer philanthropic resources.
The presentation concluded with staff offering to follow up on questions about geographic coverage and provider capacity.
The board did not take formal action during the briefing; staff said they would answer outstanding commissioner questions and could bring items back for further consideration.
