Free Lunch
It’s National School Lunch Week, and in Oregon, advocates are seizing the opportunity to encourage lawmakers to make school meals accessible to every student in the state. The School Meals for All coalition is pushing for legislation in the 2025 session to provide free breakfast and lunch to all Oregon students. David Wieland with Partners for a Hunger-Free Oregon says the state is already close to reaching this goal.
“About 1,191 schools in the state are already participating, and we’re only 65 schools away. We’re so close to the finish line in realizing this vision,” Wieland said.
Currently, nine states have adopted universal school meals. Critics often point to the high cost of providing meals to every student, but according to Feeding America data, one in six Oregon children faces hunger.
The Siuslaw School District has already been making strides in this area, having qualified for the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) for several years. Through CEP, every student in the district is eligible for free breakfast and lunch every day.
In September alone, during 20 school days, Siuslaw’s nutrition staff served 12,526 student meals, averaging 626 lunches per day, which accounts for 51% of the student body. Breakfast numbers run at about half of the lunch count daily. Meal participation is up from last year, with the most significant increases seen at the middle and high school levels.
Additionally, the district provides after-school meals to around 130 students who participate in the WeCC afterschool program and the Boys & Girls Club.
Holiday Bazaar
The Florence Events Center’s 3rd Annual Holiday Bazaar returns on November 16th and 17th from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. This free, two-day event is your chance to explore handcrafted treasures, from unique jewelry and woodwork to delicious smoked cheeses. Vendor applications are open until November 1st. Artisans looking to showcase handmade items can apply for a single booth at $100 or a double booth at $200. Applications and event info are available at the Florence Events Center or online at eventcenter.org.
Yard Debris
This Saturday is the last opportunity to dispose of yard debris. The city of Florence will have the final reception of the season two weeks ahead of the proposed opening of burn season. Cost for disposal begins at $15 for a standard truckbed load and goes up from there. The County has moved the opening of burn season due to the limited amount of rainfall over the past several weeks. The proposed November 1st date is still in question and may be revisited by the ODF and county entities. Fire conditions are currently moderate for the coast.
Long-Term Care Conversation
October is Long-Term Care Planning Month, and a few tips can help people when talking with their loved ones about this topic. Conversations about long-term care can be difficult. A-A-R-P Oregon State Director Bandana Shrestha says approaching the topic with compassion and care is key. She also notes that the 470-thousand family caregivers in Oregon provide most of the care for close friends and family members, and need to be part of planning conversations.
“Making sure that you’re talking early is really important, and also making sure you are involving all parties who may responsible for supporting somebody is really important.”
The population of people over age 65 is increasing rapidly in the U-S and most will need long-term care supports of some kind, underscoring the need to begin planning for how that care will look.