(Photo courtesy of High Desert Food & Farm Alliance)
High Desert Food & Farm Alliance (HDFFA), Fill Your Pantry, and the Bend Farmers Market have launched a year-end fundraising campaign with the goal of raising $75,000 to strengthen food access and support local agriculture. The campaign will support three initiatives: Fill All Pantries, Protein Perks at the Bend Farmers Market, and VeggieRx.
This effort builds on the success of the inaugural Fill All Pantries campaign in 2025. When the federal government shutdown threatened to delay SNAP benefits for hundreds of thousands of Oregonians, the organizations came together to respond to the urgent need. The community response was incredible, meeting the initial $15,000 goal to purchase more than 7,000 pounds of produce, 200 pounds of meat, 150 loaves of bread, and 150 jars of jam directly from Central Oregon farmers and food producers. That food was made available at no cost to community members at the annual Fill Your Pantry event.
And the generosity didn’t stop there. In addition to the Fill All Pantries effort, the community raised another $85,000 to support HDFFA’s work ensuring that Central Oregonians who need nutritious, local food can access it while supporting the local farmers, ranchers, and food producers who grow and raise it.
“These efforts show what’s possible when our community comes together around a shared belief that everyone deserves good food,” said Amanda Singh, HDFFA Senior Manager, Food Access. “At a time when SNAP benefits continue to be threatened for many, federal funding is increasingly uncertain, and local organizations face growing pressure to meet community needs with limited resources, local support is more important than ever. This campaign gives people another opportunity to make a tangible difference for their neighbors and the local farms that nourish our community.”
The year-end campaign will raise funds in three phases, with each goal supporting a different element of HDFFA’s food access work.
- $15,000 for Fill All Pantries: In partnership with Fill Your Pantry and the Bend Farmers Market, funds will help purchase locally grown food from Central Oregon farmers, ranchers, and food producers for distribution to community members facing food insecurity at the annual Fill Your Pantry event.
- $10,000 for Protein Perks: Funds will help SNAP shoppers at the Bend Farmers Market access locally produced protein while supporting the local farmers and ranchers who produce it.
- $50,000 for VeggieRx: Funds will support HDFFA’s free produce prescription program, which connects eligible participants experiencing food insecurity and managing diet-related health conditions with fresh fruits and vegetables, along with nutrition education and support.
Any funds raised beyond the $75,000 goal will directly support HDFFA’s three core program areas: Food Access, Agricultural Support, and Community Education. These programs help connect community members with nutritious food, provide resources and support to local farms, ranchers, and food producers, and increase awareness of the value of a strong local food system.
“Increasing food access and supporting local agriculture go hand in hand,” said Ann Pistacchi-Peck, associate director at HDFFA. “When we help people access nutritious food, we’re also supporting the local farmers and food producers who grow and raise it. This campaign is an investment in both, helping build a stronger, healthier Central Oregon for everyone.”
HDFFA invites individuals, businesses, and community partners to participate in the year-end campaign by making a donation and sharing the effort with their networks.
To contribute to the year-end campaign, please visit hdffa.org/donate.
