Director's Message

April 20, 2007

To: All DHS employees

From: Bruce Goldberg, M.D., Director

"Perhaps the truth depends on a walk around the lake."
~Wallace Stevens

Next week is "Hunger Awareness Week." With such abundance about us, it's truly a shame that many of our neighbors go to bed every night hungry. It's a shame that we need to have a hunger awareness week.

Next week, as you've probably heard, Governor Ted Kulongoski and his wife, Mary Oberst, are going to live off of an average food stamp budget of $3 per person per day for seven days, in recognition of Hunger Awareness Week. And they've issued a challenge for others to do the same, so they can experience first hand what thousands of Oregon families go through every day.

My wife and daughter and I have been discussing this all week and we are going to do it. And I'd like to extend that challenge to each of you as well.

Every day in our jobs we work hard to help our clients build independent, healthy and safe lives. Some of us have been or are in similar situations -- without housing, health care or food, ill, alone or impoverished. Others of us are more fortunate. Regardless, I believe it's important to understand the kinds of pressures our clients face on a day-to-day basis. This is one way to do just that. Each month, more than 425,000 Oregonians use food stamps to provide meals for their families. Even today, some of our co-workers depend on food stamps to help feed their families.

Some may view this challenge cynically, others may be skeptical of its value or think it demeaning. Still others may think it not enough, as food is but one of a family's basic needs. However, I think it's a valuable experience and I ask you to consider participating next week or at some point during the next few months.

As a first step, you might take some time this weekend, while you are visiting with family and friends, to introduce this idea and begin discussing the possibility of joining in this awareness effort.

More details about the Governor's Food Stamp Challenge can be found at www.oregonfoodbank.org, along with facts about hunger in Oregon and a list of ways in which you can help reduce food insecurity among Oregonians.

If you do decide to take up this challenge, you can send an e-mail to the Oregon Food Bank at advocacy@oregonfoodbank.org. And, once you've experienced a week living on a food budget of $3 per person per day, I would very much like to hear from you about the experience.

To provide feedback email: DHS.Directorsoffice@state.or.us

This message is intended for all department employees. Please read it electronically, if possible. Managers and supervisors are asked to share the message each week with employees who do not have email access.