F.O.R.K. Project

Program Description: FORK is an informal collaboration between local groups that are committed to providing food assistance for children experiencing food insecurity for the 2022-2023 academic year between Labor Day and Memorial Day.  The target audience are children who do not have an adult in the household who can provide meals.

Who’s Involved? The following groups have been represented in meetings: School District 7, Grants Pass Rotary, Gateway Rotary, reps for HVHS and GPHS Interact, Josephine County Food Bank and the Redwood Foundation for Education.

  • The Josephine County Food Bank has committed to partner in maximizing purchasing power for food during the year, as well as provide a space for storage and packing for distribution.
  • Local Rotary Clubs involved are committed to this as part of a wider service project that will include but not be limited to food drives, fund raising, sorting and transportation of food items to the schools.
  • The Redwood Foundation has committed to providing fiscal administration for the FORK program and has set up a separate fund for each school district where teachers, students and the public can make donations to FORK online or by mail.

Program Impact In the 2022-23 school year, food was distributed to students in elementary schools throughout Josephine County.

  • Three Rivers School District: 12,039 individual food items distributed to 193 different students.
  • Grants Pass School District: 4,217 individual food items distributed to 190 different students.
  • 300 bags of food were organized by local Rotarians and distributed prior to Spring Break

JCEF is now Redwood Foundation for Education