Oregon Public Broadcasting

As the Northwest economy continues to sour, more people than ever before are seeking emergency food boxes in Oregon.

The Oregon Food Bank released figures Wednesday showing a 15 percent jump in requests over the past few months.

Demand climbed even faster in rural areas as much as 40 percent in Astoria and Grants Pass.

Oregon Food Bank CEO Rachel Bristol says she expects the trend to continue.

Rachel Bristol: “Our current projections are that it is going to require an additional million pounds of food per month to keep up with this level of demand.”

The increase in requests for food aid mirrors a similar rise in the state’s unemployment rate over the same period.

Food Bank officials are lobbying the Oregon legislature to increase spending on emergency food assistance.  The request comes at a time when lawmakers face a major budget shortfall.