Powell Butte nonprofit boosts beef donations to C.O churches and food banks

The 1017 Project is upping its donations from six cows a month to 16 cows

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- COVID-19 restrictions have closed restaurants and crowded grocery stores, which has made finding the right or sought-after food a challenge at times. Also, with so many people being laid off, paying for food is now difficult for some. 

That’s why The 1017 Project out of Powell Butte is increasing its beef donations to local churches and food pantries. The nonprofit has been donating extra cattle from its cattle roping events since 2014. When cows become too large to perform they are transitioned to the food program where they are processed into hamburger.

Typically, the nonprofit donates six cows a month to 36 churches and food pantries, but it will now be donating 16 cows a month.

“It’s a time that we could step up and do something to help,” Jordan Weaver, the executive director at The 1017 Project said.  “Obviously this doesn’t solve every single problem but we are in a position where we can up our giving for the next few months to when it feels like people are getting their feet back on the ground.”

The St. Vincent De Paul food bank in Bend is one of the places that will see an increase in beef donations. About every month the food bank receives around 300 pounds of beef from The 1017 Project. It’s one of the food banks most popular items.

“People love the ground beef,” said Jordan Reeher, the executive director at St. Vincent de Paul food bank said.  “So it’s one of our few items we have to limit how much people could take, because otherwise it just flies off the shelves.”

For the last two years, St. Vincent de Paul has been working with The 1017 Project. It works with NeighborImpact and most major grocery stores in the area.

But what’s unique about the beef from The 1017 Project is that it’s all specifically made for food banks.

“Realistically, it’s probably better ground beef than what you are going to get, even at the store because where they are using some of the lesser cuts. This is all of the most high-quality cuts of all the ground beef that we get,” Reeher said.

The food bank will need the increased donations as well. It usually serves about 150 people a week, but in the last week, it has served closer to 250 people.