Oregon Food Bank Absorbs $20,000 Monthly Fuel Hike as Iran War Sends Diesel Soaring
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · May 20
Oregon Food Bank Absorbs $20,000 Monthly Fuel Hike as Iran War Sends Diesel Soaring
2 articles · Updated · The New York Times · May 20
$20,000 in extra monthly fuel costs is hitting the Oregon Food Bank, forcing it to weigh diesel spending against how much food it can load onto trucks.
Diesel prices jumped after the war in Iran, raising the cost of delivery runs from the food bank's Portland warehouse to pantries across Oregon, including routes stretching six hours to the Idaho border.
Andrea Williams, the food bank's president, said the added fuel bill is an opportunity cost because money spent on gas cannot be used to buy food for people in need.
Up to 50 million Americans seek emergency food assistance each year, according to a 2024 Feeding America report, leaving food banks nationwide exposed as higher fuel costs ripple beyond drivers to hunger relief.
How can food bank supply chains be redesigned to withstand future global energy crises?
Is the Iran conflict creating a hidden food crisis for millions of Americans?