Kotek addresses loss of SNAP benefits for 35,000 Oregonians

Bend, ORE. (KTVZ) --- Gov. Tina Kotek hosted a roundtable discussion on Saturday at an Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon food bank in Northeast Portland to address major federal changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.

Approximately 35,000 Oregonians have lost their SNAP benefits under federal law HR 1, which expanded work requirements and altered eligibility criteria for certain adults.

Data from the Oregon Department of Human Services shows total SNAP participation in Oregon dropped from approximately 757,000 recipients down to 646,000 in June following the federal changes.

The decline in federal food assistance comes as state records show one in eight Oregonians and one in six children currently experience food insecurity.

Gov. Kotek met directly with six families who lost food assistance, alongside community leaders, emergency food providers and state agency staff. Following the discussion, Kotek emphasized the impact on local households. “What has always been key to my work has been listening to the people who are hurting and listening to the people working hard to help them,” Kotek said. “Today, I sat down with Oregonians who have lost their SNAP benefits because of President Trump and his Big Ugly Bill and what I heard was heartbreaking. Hunger should not be a political weapon and Oregon will not stand by while families go without food.”

State staff at ODHS are reviewing individual circumstances for residents subject to federal work requirements to identify exemptions or good cause exceptions. The agency is also coordinating with the Oregon Employment Department and WorkSource Oregon to connect affected residents with job placement, education and training programs. Official guidance updates, policy revisions and staff training have increased workload across the department.

Roundtable participants noted that food insecurity disproportionately affects lower-income households, families with children, communities of color and rural residents. Mark Edwards, director of the Oregon State University Policy Analysis Lab, stated that federal funding for key food insecurity data collection was recently eliminated, creating challenges for tracking local needs and allocating resources effectively.

In response to security concerns regarding benefit distribution, state leaders are taking action to prevent benefit theft. State Rep. Andrea Valderrama, House chair of the Ways & Means Subcommittee on Human Services, spoke about the federal law and local preventive measures. “These changes to SNAP in HR 1 have nothing to do with fraud or getting people back to work—it's all about tax cuts for billionaires and cutting people's benefits,” Valderrama said. “Here in Oregon, we are partnering with Gov. Kotek to modernize EBT cards and prevent theft from happening to our families most in need.”

The event took place at the Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon food bank in Northeast Portland, which serves as the largest food bank facility in the state and provided food to approximately 350 people earlier that day. Additional attendees included leadership from The Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization, Oregon Food Bank and Farmers Ending Hunger.

In the coming months, Oregon officials plan to roll out updated SNAP Electronic Benefit Transfer cards featuring security microchips to protect benefit funds from theft.