Food Share

OSU Extension Service Marion County, serving Marion, Polk, and Yamhill counties and Marion-Polk Food Share are combining resources and expertise to address a pressing need in Marion and Polk counties. A lot of people are hungry. Everyday more people are in need of assistance and visiting food pantries. Fewer people are cooking meals at home. Even fewer know how to prepare simple recipes. With some skills, they could make their food resources go further. We can make a difference in the lives of those who need emergency food boxes. We can share basic information about nutrition, food preparation, food safety and food shopping.

We need volunteers to train and to do food demonstrations in food pantries:  We are training volunteers in food pantries who can show people coming in for emergency food boxes how to maximize the food they receive (how to cook beans, rice, use dry milk, where to reduce more expensive ingredients, what to look for in the grocery store, etc.), depending on the actual pantry and space available. 

Do you have to know anything about nutrition? No. Trainings will include nutrition basics that volunteers need to know. Nutrition is a huge topic and there’s a lot of information out there. Some of it is accurate, some not. A good place to start is what we each already know and clarify areas of confusion. The program is being supported, in part, by funds from USDA Food Stamp Nutrition Education. All our nutrition information provided to emergency food box recipients will be based on MyPyramid.  Materials volunteers will be using for demonstrating in food pantries will include a featured recipe and talking points related to basic nutrition facts, needed equipment (measuring cups/spoons, etc.) how to prepare the recipe, handle, serve and store leftovers safely, as well as how to maximize food dollars. Recipes will be duplicated for food box recipients to take with them. MyPyramid information can be located at www.mypyramid.gov  

How much training is required? Six two-hour sessions cover the topics of general nutrition based on MyPyramid, food safety, food shopping, understanding poverty and food pantry culture, and practice selected recipes. Attendance at all the trainings is preferred. We do, however, understand life happens. We’ll do our best to arrange materials for makeup if necessary. A big advantage of attending the trainings is in the relationships we will build with each other and sharing related life experiences. 

Training is interactive; making recipes, finding information on the web, etc. There is an independent study project and follow up activities that need to be done outside training like contacting an agency or organization to find out more information about programs and assistance they offer for families in financial stress.

What is the time frame for volunteering? Once training is completed, volunteers can complete their 20 hours of time within a 6 month period. For a 1-2 hour period in a pantry, it’s probably going to require 2-3 hours prep, travel, set up, clean up and reporting. So, one pantry visit might very well take 3-5 hours. Our goal is to establish a once a month sequence.  We hope volunteers will be consistent with a pantry and build relationships with the pantry staff.

What about demonstration supplies? Food for demonstrations will be provided by OSU Extension Service and Marion Polk Food Share as will the printed materials for food box recipients. 

Reporting: We do need to keep some records.  For example a rough head count of people with whom volunteers speak is important. We use a form that to record the overall number, gender, race/ethnicity numbers for each pantry visit and the number of hours volunteers work. 

Is this a daytime volunteer opportunity? Most pantries are open during the day. Some are open on the weekends and some during the evening. Others have evening events that are more suited to working with families. We should be able to accommodate a variety of schedules.

Communication: We stay in touch during and after training via email, phone, monthly meetings at Marion-Polk Food Share, and an online blog: osutraining.blogspot.com

All recipes for food demonstrations are based on the Oregon State University Healthy Recipes at healthyrecipes.oregonstate.edu

and nutrient-dense foods that are available in the pantries, known as Core Foods. 

Grains

        Rice

        Cereal

        Pasta

        Flour/masa harina

Vegetables (shelf stable)

        Green (any)

        Corn

        Tomato products

        Soups

        Potatoes

Fruit (shelf stable)

        Any fruit

Milk/calcium (shelf stable)

        Any dairy/dairy alternative

Meat/beans/protein

        Shelf stable beans – pinto preferred

        Peanut butter

        Canned meat/fish/poultry

     Eggs

  Fresh/frozen meat