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St. Charles Health System Funds Food Insecurity Programs in Central Oregon
The health system aims to improve access to affordable healthy food for residents in need.
Published on Feb. 27, 2026
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Saint Charles Health System is providing grant funding to community organizations in Central Oregon to help address food insecurity and improve access to affordable healthy food options. The initiative comes after a survey found that 24% of Central Oregonians said better access to affordable healthy food would most improve their quality of life, ranking higher than concerns about affordable housing or living wage jobs.
Why it matters
Many Central Oregonians currently struggle to access affordable healthy food, and this need has grown significantly in recent years. By funding community organizations focused on food insecurity, Saint Charles Health System hopes to make nutritious food more accessible and improve overall community health and well-being.
The details
Saint Charles Health System will direct thousands of dollars in grant funding over the next three years to local organizations that target food insecurity and work to improve access to affordable healthy food options. The health system is also launching a new program called 'Fuel' to provide free shelf-stable food supplements to patients diagnosed with malnutrition when they are discharged from the hospital, in an effort to prevent readmissions.
- The grant funding program will continue for the next three years.
- The 'Fuel' program for malnourished patients is launching in March 2026.
The players
Saint Charles Health System
A private, nonprofit health system that owns and operates hospitals and clinics in Central Oregon, and is the largest employer in the region with over 5,000 caregivers.
Carlos Salcedo
The manager of community partnerships for Saint Charles Health System.
Kelly Ornberg
The manager of clinical nutrition services for Saint Charles Health System, who is launching the new 'Fuel' program to provide food assistance to malnourished patients.
What they’re saying
“As people, we know that food and community often go together, and sharing a meal can bring people together and help reduce loneliness. We are excited to fund projects that serve these important priorities and meet the needs we are seeing in our community.”
— Carlos Salcedo, Manager of community partnerships (ktvz.com)
“That's one of the reasons these patients end up being readmitted to the hospital at a high rate. About 11 percent of patients with malnutrition end up being readmitted to the hospital within 30 days. Our goal is to change that trajectory.”
— Kelly Ornberg, Manager of clinical nutrition services (ktvz.com)
What’s next
Saint Charles Health System plans to continue the grant funding program for community organizations addressing food insecurity for at least the next three years.
The takeaway
By investing in programs to improve access to affordable healthy food, Saint Charles Health System is taking a proactive approach to addressing a growing need in the Central Oregon community and working to improve overall community health and well-being.
