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Tualatin food pantry reports rising demand, installs larger walk‑in cooler with county grant
Summary
The local food pantry told the council it served just under 15,000 people last year, is seeing an 8% year‑over‑year increase, projects serving more than 52,000 encounters in 2026 if trends continue, and has secured Clackamas County grant funding to install a longer walk‑in cooler and HVAC to support operations.
The Tualatin Food Pantry briefed the City Council on April 13 about expanding need and recent facility upgrades funded through a county grant.
“Last year we served just under 15,000 people,” said Daniel, the pantry speaker, and he said the pantry has already seen an 8% increase over 2025 and could record more than 52,000 service encounters in 2026 if current trends persist. Daniel added that about 24,000 of those encounters are from local residents in Tualatin.
Facility improvements: Daniel reported that, thanks to Clackamas County grant funding, a longer and wider walk‑in cooler with exterior access and a ramp was installed in late March, and HVAC installation has begun to stabilize temperatures for coolers and freezers. He said volunteers immediately reported the new cooler was a “huge improvement.”
Operations and access: The pantry operates with a small paid staff and volunteers, expanded hours in January 2026, provides low‑barrier service (no proof of income required) and runs a limited home‑delivery program for homebound clients. Daniel said Wilsonville will add a stop service starting May 4 to help people from neighboring jurisdictions access the pantry, but he cautioned that home delivery capacity remains limited by staff and volunteer resources.
Why it matters: The pantry emphasized rising demand for perishable items (milk, eggs, frozen meat), the operational limits of a small staff, and the need for continued funding and volunteer support. The speaker thanked the council and county for grant support and asked for continued community engagement.
Next steps: Council members asked clarifying questions about frequency of visits, how the pantry counts service interactions, transit access and delivery limits; staff and the pantry said they will continue coordination with partners to increase access.
