A New Location Brings Visibility to Columbia Pacific Food Bank
On Columbia Boulevard, the artery of St. Helens, Oregon – you’ll find a building that doesn’t just feed bodies, it feeds hope. The Columbia Pacific Food Bank (CPFB), once tucked away off the highway in a modest 2,500 square foot facility at 474 Milton Way, now occupies a commanding space of 12,500 square feet at 421 Columbia Blvd. It moved in August 2022 with the help of a federal Community Development Block Grant, and the results are as visible as the building itself.
“We used to be kind of stuck out in the… nowhere,” said Lead Volunteer Patty St. John. “Now that we have this building here, we’re more visible. We’re getting an influx in clientele because they’re learning about us.”
How Columbia County’s Growth and Inflation Fuel Demand
That visibility couldn’t have come at a more pivotal moment. Columbia County is growing, fast. From the Broadleaf Arbor affordable housing development to the Graystone Estates subdivision and the Waterfront Redevelopment Projects, the population is expanding. And with it, so is the need.
“We’ve had some large apartment buildings built and things,” Patty noted. “We’ve had several new places opening up for people to move. And that has to do with the fluctuation in new clients.”
Those clients span the spectrum of need: working families struggling to afford inflated grocery prices, seniors on fixed incomes and single parents trying to stretch their last dollars.
Federal Grant Funding Made the Food Bank’s Expansion Possible
The move to the new facility was made possible through a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) administered by the state of Oregon. According to state sources, the federal grant provided vital infrastructure improvements and allowed CPFB to more than double its distribution capacity.
That kind of public funding doesn’t just matter, it saves lives. As federal programs face increasing threats of budget cuts, local organizations like CPFB are concerned.
“We haven’t really felt the cuts yet,” Patty said cautiously. “But we are getting less money, and the money that we are getting has to stretch farther. We’ll start feeling the crunch next year.”
The concern isn’t just abstract. Inflation has already reshaped the food landscape. “Prices have gone out of control,” she added. “Older folks, people on fixed incomes, families with children – everyone’s struggling to make ends meet.”
Current figures, demonstrate Patty’s point. According to Lending Tree “It cost 5.7% more to buy a typical basket of groceries in January (2025) than a month earlier” and “prices are 3.3% higher than three months ago and 4.5% higher than a year ago”(Source). The CPFB is needed now more than ever.
Volunteers Keep the Columbia Pacific Food Bank Running
The most astonishing fact? The food bank is largely volunteer-run. Out of the entire operation, only four staff members are paid. The rest: drivers, box packers, intake workers, shelf stockers, delivery handlers – are all volunteers.
“We have 41 volunteers that help at this food pantry,” Patty emphasized. “Our truck drivers, our delivery drivers, our Fresh Alliance driver—they’re all volunteers.”
That Fresh Alliance program is crucial (more information here). Volunteers collect food from local stores like Safeway, Fred Meyer, Walmart, and Grocery Outlet. Meat, bread, produce—whatever they’re permitted to donate, CPFB gets it and redistributes it to those in need.
Local Farmers, Stores, and Neighbors Fill the Shelves
It’s not just big chains. Local farmers contribute fresh produce. One recent morning, Patty pointed out a delivery of rhubarb from a community gardener. “We even have clients that bring in produce from their own gardens.”
There’s a kind of unspoken ethic here: Give if you can. Receive if you need. And there is no judgment.
“No one is turned away,” she told me. “We’ve had people come in from Texas who were working up here – we gave them a box. Homeless folks, young couples just learning how to budget. They all get help.”
Food Support, WIC Classes, and Dignity for All Residents
What many don’t realize is that CPFB is not just a pantry—it’s an educational hub.
Inside the spacious new facility, classes are held on topics like WIC (Women, Infants, and Children), breastfeeding, cooking with disabilities, and even how to stretch your grocery dollars through smart planning. “We try to explain to young couples that if you come in here before you go grocery shopping, your dollar goes farther,” Patty said. “We try to educate along with everything else.”
She’s not exaggerating. The facility is a distribution point for every school district in Columbia County. Each district has its own location, but CPFB is the core—the place from which food and hope ripple outward.
And if you’re wondering how to get food? “You come in, you fill out a paper. And then you turn around and you can get a box,” she explained simply. “That’s it.”
How to Volunteer or Donate to the Food Bank in St. Helens
So, what can you do?
“If they have the finances and are able to donate to the food pantry,” Patty urged, “donate directly to this pantry. And they can state whether they want it to go to the general fund or stay right here.”
You can do that here: https://cpfoodbank.org/get-involved/donate
Want to get your hands dirty instead? You’re welcome to walk in and fill out a volunteer form on-site, or start online: https://cpfoodbank.org/get-involved/volunteer
The site also lists local pantry locations across Columbia County: https://cpfoodbank.org/food-pantries
A Community That Cares
As a lifelong Columbia County resident, I walked into CPFB expecting a bit more of a political story however I left with something more. The CPFB gave me a sense of inspiration and a quiet conviction that this place is the heart of our community.
They do more than feed people. They restore dignity. They show up when policy doesn’t. And they prove, every single day, that good still exists – right here on Columbia Boulevard.
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