Take Action INC and Blessings in a Backpack Feed Kids in Northwest Oregon

In the Spring of 2010, Michael and Janet Huber were leading a food drive to help feed the homeless when they were notified that elementary-school children in their community were going hungry and needed help. These kids were stuffing tater tots in their pockets at lunch to bring home and eat over the weekends. When asked if some of the food drive collections could go to these kids, Michael and Janet gave a resounding “yes!”.

After a few phone calls, the Hubers realized that many of the children in Northwest Oregon were in this same situation. Wanting to make a difference and help feed these kids, Take Action INC was born. With unbelievable support from the community, TAI is now serving over 2,000 kids at 51 schools in Northwest Oregon.

Over the years, the Hubers have heard amazing stories about the impact these backpacks of food are making. One principal shared a story about three little girls from the same family who lived with a single mother. Although the mother worked, she could not afford the food they needed, so these girls got backpacks of food to take home each Friday. The mother was tragically killed in a car accident, leaving these girls with no one. The principal shared that the oldest daughter—a 5th grader—came walking into her office holding her two sisters by the hand and asked if they could still get their food backpacks. In addition to the incredible support Take Action INC was able to provide for these girls, the school arranged a memorial service for their mother, and the school librarian took the three girls into her home, so that they could continue to be raised.

With the tremendous growth that TAI has seen, Michael and Janet have come to realize how important it is that they ensure the work they are doing continues well into the future. We are proud to announce that moving forward, Take Action INC will become the Blessings in a Backpack Northwest Oregon Chapter. We look forward to continuing to feed kids in Northwest Oregon and thank Michael, Janet, and their dedicated team of volunteers for all of the incredible work they have done in their community over the past 10 years.