November 2025
At Providence, caring is at the heart of everything we do. Especially in times of hardship, we stand strong alongside the communities we serve.
Recent rollbacks to essential services and SNAP benefits in Oregon have affected more than 125,000 residents. In this time of crisis, Providence offers access to a community resource desk, providing free, confidential support to connect Oregonians with resources in their local areas.
For the past decade, the Providence Community Resource Desk has helped individuals navigate essential services. Originally created by Providence Medical Group and Providence Oregon Community Health, the program began as a way to screen patients for food insecurity.
Over the years, we have expanded this program to identify other needs beyond food security. Today, when you ask about our community resource desks, a clinician can refer you to resource specialists who assist with housing, transportation, financial assistance, and more.
Today, Providence partners with Impact NW in Portland, ACCESS in southern Oregon and Clatsop Community Action on the north coast to operate six program locations. Bilingual and bicultural resource specialists offer help to everyone — patients, healthcare workers, and community members — in the counties served: Clackamas, Clatsop, Jackson, Multnomah, and Washington.
Over the past 10 years, the program has served more than 48,000 clients. Just this year, nearly 4,500 clients have received support, benefiting a total of 10,800 family members. The greatest needs continue to be food, utilities, housing, and transportation.
If you know of someone in need in one of the counties served by the community resource desks, please make them aware of the help that is available.
Additional resources
- Connect anyone who needs help with our community resource desk page on Providence.org.
- Find more opportunities to be of service for those facing food insecurity at FeedingAmerica.org.
- See a list of where to find food resources in Oregon.
