Ten Years of HFO: A Recap of Hunger Fighters' Early Days

A boy took a leap–on Leap Day in 2016. Michael Murray, a Lake Oswego Junior High School (now Lake Oswego Middle School)  8th grader, sent an email to Lake Oswego area churches and civic organizations. Only one responded, Lake Oswego Rotary. 

LO Rotarians had been going through the exercise of strategic  planning to determine where they were headed as an organization. Their areas of focus were building community, a signature project, and combating hunger. 

Michael started Hunger Fighters while in 6th grade at LOJHS after seeing a larger need in the community. The needs were seen in the number of LO students receiving free and reduced priced lunch–in 2016 almost 700 students were on the list. That was an indicator that their families could use  some help.  

Michael visited the Tualatin Food Pantry and saw the potential for Lake Oswego. Michael’s perfectly timed letter to the community was seized with Rotarian vision, connection and energy! 

Michael submitted the paperwork to become a 501c3, Dr. Heather Beck, then LO superintendent, connected HFO with a space in Waluga Jr. High, and the community–through school food drives–generously donated food and cash! It was amazing to see every need met. Linda Mathes stepped in to become the first Executive Director and Michael built a board, quickly learning Roberts Rules of Order! Pantry volunteers showed up from around the community, where all ages and economic backgrounds were represented. Our volunteers did everything from stocking shelves, shopping with customers, to programming our donated computers–they were amazing and energizing (and it’s great to see that energy and commitment still holding strong in our volunteers today.)

During our first couple of years, HFO was only open on Saturday afternoons from 1:00 to 3:00 pm. It took a couple of months before anyone came to shop. The first customers were three retired women–living on fixed incomes–who were neighbors in an apartment complex. They were delightful, only taking what they needed, not everything that was offered or available. Then single parents began to come. Often, they were fighting back tears. They arrived feeling betrayed, broke, and embarrassed. These guests also only took what they needed, but came back stronger in the following  weeks. They often connected with one another in the waiting area and began to support and encourage each other. They were  making it through a tough season of life and seeing light at the end of  the tunnel with the support of Hunger Fighters. 

I remember one woman–probably early 60’s–who balked at the  “only one roll of toilet paper per family”. She said she had always been one to give, but now found herself shopping at the pantry due to a cancer diagnosis, which drained her savings and retirement accounts. She wanted two rolls of toilet paper. I explained, “If we gave you two rolls, we would have to do that for  everyone, and we don’t have the resources.” She grabbed that second roll of toilet paper anyway and put it in her bag–I let it go! How I wish toilet paper and feminine products could be given to food pantries in endless supply! 

But we know that's not the case. Individuals and families will never be able to get all of their grocery needs met at the pantry, but Hunger Fighters has been working for 10 years to make sure that we can support people as much as possible so that they can support themselves and redirect their energy to other life-enhancing opportunities. 

Becoming a non-profit 10 years ago has allowed us to tap into foundation and government grant opportunities, which have helped us purchase needed items (like toilet paper) making sure basic needs are met. This community has also stepped up to fill the gaps, and I am so happy to have been a part of it from the start! 
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Here's to 10 more years and more toilet paper for all! Happy Birthday, Hunger Fighters!

–Terri Childress, Former LO Rotary President and HFO's first Volunteer Coordinator and early Board Member 

HFO founder, Michael Murray when the pantry moved to the "Green House" on the old LOHS property.