Category: Food Security

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What is Fresh Food Friday?

What is Fresh Food Friday?

Fresh Food Friday is pantry service we provide the first Friday of every month. It is currently a two hour pantry held from 10:00am to 12:00pm. Coming soon in the fall, it’ll be a one hour pantry every first Friday. At FFF’s we only provide fresh produce from our garden or from Linn Benton Food Share, these differ from the Shopping Style Pantries where we walk clients through the pantry to get dry goods.

Why do we have a pantry dedicated to produce?

Ask yourself, how often you eat something that has come directly from a tree, the ground or a plant? Did you eat a fruit or vegetable today? Yesterday? Students don’t have easy access to affordable produce. That’s why we provide produce at our shopping style pantries as well as our Fresh Food Friday’s. The last year we learned a lot at the HSRC and our goal is for everyone who walks away from our Fresh Food Friday to have a few days worth of fresh produce.

Students and fresh produce? Is it an actual need?

To put it simply, yes! We also connect students to a resource here in Oregon called SNAP that can get them a monthly allowance to buy expensive items like produce. 

Below are some real examples of students expressing interest in produce.

“A few weeks ago, we helped a student sign up for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, commonly known as food stamps), connecting her to $192 in monthly grocery money. She was emotional as she shared that she’d been getting all her food from the dollar store and was so excited to be able to afford some fresh produce and buys salads again.” – Miguel Arellano Sanchez, Basic Needs Navigator at HSRC

“Having SNAP has been so great. I am less stressed about buying food. My month started again last week. I invited my friends over for dinner this Sunday and I even bought asparagus & salad!” – Student

– Breonna

 

 

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How the Human Services Resource Center (HSRC) helped me

The summer of 2018 was a difficult time; I experienced severe food and housing insecurity. I was homeless and had to look through trash bins for cans/bottles to deposit in order to eat.

In July, I met with Miguel Arellano, the Basic Needs Navigator at the HSRC to talk about Emergency Housing. Unfortunately, this resource was unavailable during the summer. However, we brainstormed other solutions and he shared resources regarding housing insecurity with me. I ended up couch surfing at different friends houses. Miguel was very nice and committed to help me through this difficult time. He asked if I was experiencing food insecurity as well and informed me about SNAP benefits (food stamps). Not only did he help me apply for SNAP, which I now receive, but also put some money on my student ID card which allowed me to grab something to eat on campus so I could focus on my classes. All these resources and connections helped me more than words can describe.

I also met with Nicole Hindes, the Assistant Director of the HSRC who welcomed me and shared other resources the HSRC offers. She informed me of the shower students are able to use and set me up with a locker to store my belongings. This helped tremendously as it relieved me from carrying my stuff around and worrying my car would get broken into (as most of my belonging were in my car).

I think it is important for people to know what the Human Services Resource Center does and the resources it offers students experiencing any basic needs insecurities.

This is my story. This is how the HSRC and their staff helped me. They are incredible people! They make THE difference! They care. I will always remember the generous helping hand they offered me.

Submitted Anonymously by an HSRC student

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Cherish your Perishables

Our primary supplier of fresh produce is LBFS. The fresh produced is ordered along with perishable goods. Once the delivery is made the fresh produce is inspected for rotten, squished and moldy produce. Then the quality approved produced is stored in the cooler present in the community kitchen.

HSRC cooler for fresh produce and other perishable items. The cooler is also used to store eggs, margarine and fresh milk. 

Produce for the People is the primary community partner we obtain fresh produce from in addition to the produce received by LBFS.  

Sometimes, HSRC staff goes out to different organizations when they have produce to donate.

The HSRC also has a garden which was built and maintained in partnership with the OSU Center for Civic Engagement. When the garden is in full production, we will harvest produce for pantries from there. When planting produce in the garden we usually conduct a survey with our patrons on what they would like to be planted in the garden.

The HSRC garden

For the Pantries, the produce is laid out in crates and trays almost 30 minutes before the start of the pantry and restocked from the cooler once it is low in quantity by our volunteers and staff members.

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Recipe: Banana Pancakes

As college students we hardly have time to have breakfast. Having something to eat before starting the day keeps our energy up and makes it a little easier to go on with the day! For our cooking class we prepared easy breakfast recipes that you all can try. This recipe was adapted from Good and Cheap by Leanne Brown. We have several copies of the book, you are welcome to come check out the cookbook!

Banana Pancakes:

Serves 4 (Makes 10-15)                                                           

Ingredients:

2 cups all purpose flour

¼ cup brown sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon of salt

4 bananas

2 eggs

1.5 cups of milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Butter

Syrup for serving

  1. Combine the flour, brown sugar,baking powder,baking soda, and salt in a medium-size bowl. Mix thoroughly with a spoon.
  2. In another bowl, mash 2 of the bananas with a fork. Add the eggs,milk and vanilla, and mix well to combine.
  3. Add the dry mixture to the bananas, stirring with a spoon until everything just comes together. Tender pancakes come from not over mixing the batter.
  4. Let the mixture sit for 10-15 minutes. Meanwhile slice the 2 remaining bananas.
  5. Turn the griddle to medium heat. Once its hot, melt a small amount of butter, about ½ teaspoon, in the skillet and ladle some pancake batter into the center of the pan.

Cook until it’s browned on both sides, about 30 seconds to 1 minute per side.

Serve hot with syrup plus the remaining banana slices.

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Here to help

Navigating college as a first-generation college student can feel like making your way through a maze with no map, filled with “learn as you go” lessons, and “crap, I wish I knew this then.” When you combine that with being low-income, it can feel like you’re navigating the same maze blindfolded, on a tightrope, balancing multiple responsibilities. It should not be like this.

I started OSU in 2008 and graduated with my masters in 2014. Recently, I returned to OSU to serve as the first ever Basic Needs Navigator at the HSRC. My role boils down to connecting students to resources that help ensure basic needs are being met. I also support students as they navigate institutional policies and procedures in search of resources.

At the end of the day, I am most concerned with connecting students to resources (this often means $$$), so they may only worry about studying for midterms, not about how they will eat or pay for rent. Since July, I’ve helped students access over $161,500 dollars in resources. Keep reading to learn how I can help alleviate financial stress.

 Above are some common ways I help students access $$

I know firsthand how difficult it is to navigate college on your own. Of seven siblings, I was the first one to attend college. I have one memory in particular about my transition to OSU, no matter how far removed I am from it, I feel what I felt then by just thinking about it. 10 years ago, I was walking across from where my office is now, Champinefu Lodge, eating cheerios out of the box- it was the only thing I had eaten that day. I had no money to buy anything else. Out of the blue, I began to sob as I stuffed handfuls of Cheerios into my mouth. It was 10pm, dark with no lighting, I assumed no one would see me cry. I had never felt so alone in my life. Not knowing where to go or who to turn to for help, I felt like I had no choice but to get through this experience alone. “Who else would be experiencing this in college?”I thought to myself.  

The reality was that I was not alone in my experience. Of the 970 OSU students who applied to the Food Assistance Application in the Fall of 2018, 54% percent were “very-low food secure” as determined by USDA’s Definition, with 18%  of applicants reporting to have gone an entire day in the past 12 months without eating because of financial concerns. That is 172 students, 42% higher than last year when 117 students reported that!

I was not alone in my experience back then, and you are not alone in your experience today, WE SEE YOU! The HSRC is here to help.

What can I help you with?

Almost anything! I’m kind of like a generalist who is pretty savvy about finding things out and navigating resources. I get paid to navigate, it’s literally in my title! If I do not know the answer to your question, I  know the person who does & I will walk you over to meet them (unless it’s raining. I can’t do wet socks). Here are some common things I can often help with:

      • Access to  food & groceries
      • Unforeseen emergency expense causing barriers to enrollment
      • Tuition refund due to an extenuating circumstance
      • Lost scholarships due to unforeseen circumstances
      • Finding help paying for utility bills
      • Signing up for Oregon Health Plan
      • Grant money!- parent lost a job/financial situation does not reflect that of 2016 tax year?
      • Financial Assistance with a medical bill/emergency
      • Pell/financial aid running out a few terms away from graduation!
      • Hard time making ends meet
      • Feeling like you are a bill away from homelessness
      • Place to stay- homeless or housing insecure
      • Financial stress!

Why should you come see me?

“Miguel came in clutch when I needed help with resolving a hold I had on my account.” – HSRC student fall 2018

I helped 120-ish students access over $161,000 since I started in July. You might be missing out on resources that you would otherwise be receiving. Looking back at my college experience, I identified over $10,000 dollars that I missed out on because of bad advising or not being aware of resources. I will do everything I can to try to make sure that you will leave our meeting with knowledge of at least one new to you resource ($$) that you have access to, if not more.

Don’t take my word for it. Here are what your peers have to say:

I will try my hardest to figure things out together

“I took your advice… and I was awarded a scholarship of $1360 to cover my balances. As of right now, I have been able to sign up for a few of my classes…. I am forever grateful”

“Miguel’s best quality is empathy, he connects with the student in a way that he feels the student’s pain and stress, this leads him to want to fight and resolve the issues!…”

You might leave with a lot more than what you came in for

“Miguel has your back. Not only will he help you with what you’re seeing him about, but if he overhears another concern he will help with that too.”

“…Meet with Miguel about financial aid, food stamps and finding other financial help. He helped me so much!!! I really appreciate him”

Wrap around support in a supportive space

“Going into these types of meeting can be difficult because suddenly you are talking about yourself and the difficulty of your situation, which is hard to talk about in itself…Miguel works with you to meet you in a spot that you leave with a plan or next move and is focused on your overall well-being and your individual needs.”

“Miguel is very understanding and knowledgeable. He’ll ask you questions to get a full understanding of your situation without prying for any personal detail. He’s really pleasant and easy to talk to.”

I am here to support you!

You should not feel alone in your experience. College and academics are hard as it is- financial stress is the wrong kind of rigor many student face. Let me work alongside you to make it a little less stressful by connecting you to resources.

If you would like to find a time to meet or have questions, please email me at miguel.arellanosanchez@oregonstate.edu.

 

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Black Bean Chili with Acorn Squash and toasted pumpkin seeds

 

Serves 6

  • 1 teaspoon Chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1/4 teaspoon Crushed Red pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon Black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • 1 small onion, diced
  • 1 acorn squash, peeled and diced
  • 2 cans (15-ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 cup vegetable broth
  • 2 teaspoons tomato paste
  • 2 cans (14-ounce) fire-roasted tomatoes
  • Toasted pumpkin seeds, for topping

Directions

1.In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium high heat. Add acorn squash and onion. Saute until soft, about 5 minutes. Add black beans, vegetable broth, tomato paste and fire-roasted tomatoes.

2.In a small bowl, combine spices and mix. Add to chili pot.

3.Reduce heat and simmer for about 30 minutes.

4.Top with toasted pumpkin seeds.

 

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Inside the HSRC – Breonna

My major is Liberal Studies, with the theme of Human Rights and Government. Liberal Studies is a program where you can design your own major by creating a plan with 2+ majors in it. I’m currently studying Ethnic Studies, Women Gender and Sexuality Studies as well as Political Science. I bring this up because my major is an intersectional lens on how government systems can affect marginalized communities. The Human Services Resource Center is financially supported through Oregon State University, which is a federally funded institution that works with multiple minority groups, and identities unique to a university like first-generation students. In my major, I learn about textbook definitions of poverty, homelessness, race, gender, sex, sexuality and many other identities. At the Human Services Resource Center, I see these situations actually happen in front of my eyes. They don’t always appear the way classes say they do.

Since working at the HSRC, I’ve noticed that people from all walks of life come in to use the food pantry, the textbook lending program, laundry facilities, or meet with our Basic Needs coordinator. There is no uniform, cookie-cutter description for what food insecurity looks like. My position is the Food Pantry Volunteer Liasion, I work directly with volunteers and train them how to stock the pantry or how to work food pantry days. I work with university organizations to host food drives or bringing in more regular volunteers. I walk clients through the pantry and explain our point system and every time it’s a different experience. I make emergency food boxes for people who come in. The one huge lesson, I’ve really taken away is that struggling materializes in many different ways. It’s not always the people who’d think it is. Often times, especially with college students, food insecurity and houselessness are invisible. It’s sometimes easy to hide that you need help. This has taught me that there is never a wrong time to tell people about the Human Services Resource Center.

P.S. If you’re reading this, November of 2018, we have a surplus of all kinds of squash at Champinefu Lodge. Please come get some free squash.

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Recipe Spotlight: Chicken and Orzo with Spinach and Feta

This is the recipe we prepared during our first cooking class this term; Cooking for 1 or 2. The goal of the class was to learn how to cook efficiently for 1 or 2 in order to cut down on food waste.

Recipe serves 2

Why this recipe works:

In order to make a simple skillet chicken memorable we made the side the star of the show. We used Orzo pasta, which is a small pasta that is easy to cook.

Image result for orzo

In order to add a  deep and complex flavor, we toasted the orzo until golden brown and then simmered it in just the right amount of turkey broth until it was perfectly tender.

Image result for toasted golden brown orzo

To give the recipe some flair we added garlic, oregano and red pepper flakes and stirred in baby spinach, feta cheese and a squeeze of lemon juice just before serving.

You will need:

3/4 cup orzo

2 ( 6-8 oz) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed and pounded if necessary.

Salt and Pepper

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 garlic cloves

1 teaspoon minced fresh oregano

1(1/4) chicken/turkey broth

4 oz (4 cups) baby spinach

2 oz feta cheese (1/2 cup)

1 (1/2 )teaspoons lemon juice

Directions

1.Toast orzo in 10 inch non-stick skillet over medium heat until golden brown, 3-5 minutes, transfer to bowl.

2. Pat chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in now empty skillet over medium high heat until just smoking. Brown chicken lightly, 3-4 minutes per side. Transfer to plate.

3. Add remaining 2 teaspoons oil, garlic, oregano and pepper flakes to now empty skillet and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in broth and toasted orzo.

4. Nestle browned chicken into orzo add any accumulated juices, bring to simmer. Reduce heat to medium low, cover and simmer until chicken registers 160 degrees, 10-12 minutes, flipping chicken halfway through cooking. Transfer chicken back to skillet, tent loosely with aluminium foil.

5. Continue to cook orzo until al dente and creamy, 2-5 minutes, stirring in additional broth, 1 tablespoon at a time as needed to loosen consistently. Stir in spinach, 1 handful at a time, until wilted about 2 minutes. Stir in feta and lemon juice and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve chicken with orzo.

(Recipe adapted from The Complete Coooking for 2 cook book)

 

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Food Recall: Raw Beef Products

URGENT FOOD RECALL

JBS Tolleson, Inc. Recalls Raw Beef Products Due to Possible Salmonella Newport Contamination

Oct 4, 2018 – JBS Tolleson, Inc., a Tolleson, Ariz. establishment, is recalling approximately 6,937,195 pounds of various raw, non-intact beef products that may be contaminated with Salmonella Newport, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today.

For more information and to view a list of the products please visit this site: https://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/recalls-and-public-health-alerts/recall-case-archive/archive/2018/recall-085-2018-release

The products subject to recall bear establishment number “EST. 267” inside the USDA mark of inspection. These items were shipped to retail locations and institutions nationwide. These products may have been distributed through the Oregon Food Bank Network.

FSIS advises all consumers to safely prepare their raw meat products, including fresh and frozen, and only consume ground beef that has been cooked to a temperature of 160°F. Other cuts of beef should be cooked to a temperature of 145 °F and allowed to rest for at least 3 minutes. The only way to confirm that ground beef or other cuts of beef are cooked to a temperature high enough to kill harmful bacteria is to use a food thermometer that measures internal temperature, http://1.usa.gov/1cDxcDQ.

Consumers with questions regarding the recall can contact the JBS USA Consumer Hotline at (800) 727-2333.

About Oregon Food Bank

Oregon Food Bank works to eliminate hunger and its root causes… because no one should be hungry. Oregon Food Bank believes that hunger starves the human spirit, that communities thrive when people are nourished, and that everyone deserves healthy and fresh food. Oregon Food Bank helps feed the human spirit of 740,000 people through a food distribution network of 21 regional food banks serving Oregon and Clark County, Washington. Oregon Food Bank also leads statewide efforts to increase resources for hungry families and to eliminate the root causes of hunger through public policy, local food systems work, nutrition and garden education, health care screening and innovative programming. Find out how to feed the human spirit at oregonfoodbank.org.

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I Used SNAP Benefits in College and I’m Proud of It

Jenesis sits at a table outside with a laptop and a mug in front of herI Used SNAP Benefits in College and I’m Proud of It

By Jenesis Long, MAAPS Academic Counselor, Oregon State University

Being an OSU Honors college student from a low-income family, with a FAFSA EFC of $0, came with a unique set of challenges. Even with earning high grades that helped me get scholarships, working two work-study jobs, and going to every free event where food was provided that I could – I still needed more help to ensure my basic needs were met.

I had heard of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits available but had no idea if I would qualify or how to complete the application, so I postponed really looking into it out of fear. I even sacrificed eating regularly and didn’t always buy required textbooks to afford food and avoid accessing this resource.

The idea of needing SNAP (which used to be called Food Stamps) was just really hard for me to come to grips with. I spent hours trying to convince myself I didn’t really need it, that I’d be okay. I remember my roommate offering me food and asking if I’d go out with her to dinner and even offering to pay for my meals so we could hangout (food was a huge source of community!). I finally recognized that it was time to stop letting my pride get in my way and learn how to apply for SNAP benefits and accept that I really did need this service. So, I applied online and hoped for the best.

I was in my bedroom when the phone rang for the follow-up call to my application for SNAP benefits, and my heart was racing. I had no idea what to say (or not say). I didn’t know what they were looking for or what the rules were for eligibility. I was working on campus, so did that mean I wouldn’t qualify for the program? I earned scholarships that helped with my tuition, did that mean I “made too much” for help? I was just hoping that my situation would be “good enough” for their program.

Looking back, I wish I had accepted support more readily. I was so nervous for that call and had no clarity on what to expect. Knowing now that there are resources for OSU students that are seeking SNAP benefits makes me so happy!

If I had been more open to support back then, I definitely would have reached out to learn more about what the process would be like so it didn’t take up so much mental energy to prepare for. After going through what ended up being a pretty brief interview, I was granted the full amount of food benefits possible, I was SHOCKED! It would have taken me an extra 25-30 hours a month of work to earn those same dollars for food. SNAP benefits helped me to regularly have food at home, and provided me with a sense of stability that I couldn’t have achieved on my own while balancing going to lectures and labs, doing homework, working, sleeping, exercising, preparing for my career through internships, and trying to spend time with my friends and family.

Jenesis at an outdoor event with three friends(attending an OSU Football game with my roommate and our friends)

I used to be too fearful to use the HSRC resources. I never even went in to see the space or meet the people who worked there until I had been at OSU for two full years. When I did finally go in, I met welcoming and friendly people. I learned about all the resources available to students like the textbook lending program, the food pantry, and comfortable, safe spaces to spend time and meet new friends. I decided right then and there that I was a forever advocate and supporter of the HSRC.

Jenesis in graduation garb with her friend Alexsandra, also in graduation garb

(celebrating earning my bachelor’s degree at graduation with my friend, Alexsandra Cortes, CAMP – academic counselor)

After graduating from OSU with my honors bachelor’s degree in psychology, I went on to earn my masters of education in college student services administration and now serve as an academic counselor for a program that supports first-generation and low-income students, just like I was. I no longer need the support of SNAP, but am so thankful that I utilized that program when I needed it because it is one of the many support systems I needed to get me to where I am today.

Jenesis with a staff mentor on campus

(celebrating earning my master’s degree with my mentor, Kim McAloney, EOP – Academic Counselor/Academic Engagement Coordinator)

Now as an academic counselor, I tell all of my fellow academic counselors and advisors about the resources available at the HSRC and encourage them to make referrals to their students. As part of the training our staff of academic counselors did, we went and visited the new HSRC space in Champinefu Lodge and we all were delightfully greeted by a home-y, comfortable, welcoming space.

If you or someone you love is an OSU student with questions about how the HSRC can help you, what SNAP benefits are and if you qualify, or want to connect with other people who might be able to understand your situation and support you, I encourage you to contact the HSRC.

 

Human Services Resource Center

Champinefu Lodge
1030 SW Madison Ave.
Corvallis, OR 97333
Send Email
 Phone: (541) 737-3747

Email:

hsrc@oregonstate.edu
hsrc.foodpantry@oregonstate.edu (for anything related to the food pantry – Please see the Food Pantry page for pantry hours, etc. )