After huge successes in Oregon in the November general election that helped to elect Barack Obama president, Jeff Merkley to the U.S. Senate, and give super-majorities to Democrats in the state house and senate, Oregon Democrats opened their hearts and wallets towards helping with the suffering caused by the George Bush recession and donating thousands to Oregon's food banks in an emergency appeal. American liberalism has a strong tradition of offering compassion to the poor.

Other Portland, Oregon helping food agencies such as Loaves & Fishes(the name taken from the reported Biblical account of Jesus feeding the poor) has witnessed a recent 15% increase in persons requiring food aid, yet has witnessed a drop in donations as many families who used to offer help now have to cut back themselves in their charity donations, as Portland's African American community newspaper THE PORTLAND OBSERVER has noted in a fine article by writer Jake Thomas.

Loaves & Fishes operates 30 meal sites within the Portland area, and to continue to fund all of this requires extensive private donations as private charities such as this have no government funding except for the occasional grant that might come along. But helping agencies such as this pick up the important slack of persons without Food Stamps or other public assistance help. Much of the persons needing such food assistance help are actually seniors aged 62 or older where their meager Social Security checks just do not go far enough after they pay their rent and utility bills.