Oregonians who have experienced food insecurity are pushing the state to ensure everyone has access to federal food assistance. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program is the largest food aid program in the country but people who are undocumented are not allowed to apply for it. Janet Orozco Ortiz, a community health worker in Nehalem Bay, said her family was not able to afford enough food when she was growing up and couldn t access SNAP. .
Legislation in Salem would extend food assistance to Oregonians in immigrant communities. Federal law excludes people who are undocumented from programs such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, the country s largest food-assistance plan. Aldo Solano, strategic partnerships manager with Oregon Food Bank, is a DACA recipient and has personal experience with this exclusion. .
Colorado is one step closer to ensuring all kids can access healthy food at school regardless of their ability to pay, after Gov. Jared Polis signed Senate Bill 221 into law. The measure creates an account for funds collected for the program, which was approved by voters in 2022, and includes revenues from ending state tax deductions for people earning $300,000 a year or more. .