Clackamas Service Center (CSC) largely serves the metro Portland area, offering those in need a nutritious meal, donated clothing, and a warm shower. However, this fall as the challenges for those facing food insecurity mounted—grocery prices rising, SNAP benefits decreasing, and the SNAP lapse in November—CSC responded by leaning on their existing relationships outside the metro footprint and extended their service area. “We know people are experiencing food insecurity in rural Clackamas County, especially among farmworker and immigrant communities, but many of those folks aren’t able to get to our main center easily or are currently afraid to travel,” says CSC Executive Director Celess Roman. “During the SNAP lapse, we had to do more to reach those neighbors in need.”
CSC provided the food for multiple pop-up food pantry events in the fall and winter of 2025, including rural Beavercreek. They also partner with Bridging Culture in Canby to support pop-up distributions three times a week. While initial support for these events was largely through emergency funding from Clackamas County, CSC continues to sponsor these distributions, which reach dozens of rural families who have few alternative food options. With funding from private donors and grantors like the Roundhouse Foundation, CSC plans to continue providing food and staff support for rural pop-ups in 2026, on top of their food distributions in urban and suburban Clackamas County neighborhoods. “Rather than asking rural people to travel to us, bringing our services to rural areas just makes sense,” says Roman. “Our partners on the ground rural communities have been a critical bridge, and CSC volunteers and donors have really made it possible.”
At CSC’s main service location in North Clackamas, where groceries, showers, clothing, hot meals, and more are available to community members, they saw record crowds this year, with some lunches exceeding 350 meals served. They attribute their ability to meet the growing demand to their volunteer and donor base, who have helped CSC’s year-end emergency fundraiser nearly reach its goal.
Learn more about resources and grants for rural food banks>
