Community Meeting on SNAP Benefit Disruptions and Collective Advocacy

Recently, the Oregon Rohingya Myanmar Muslim Society (ORMMS) convened a community meeting to address growing concerns related to disruptions and reductions in SNAP food assistance benefits. Families shared their experiences after benefit changes left many households without adequate access to food, creating stress and uncertainty across the community.

Rather than addressing these challenges individually, community members came together to discuss the common barriers they are facing when navigating public benefit systems. Through open dialogue, families identified shared issues such as language access barriers, lack of clear communication from agencies, and difficulties understanding policy changes that directly impact their well-being.

The meeting created space for collective learning and leadership. Community members supported one another, built confidence in asking questions, and discussed how to engage more effectively with public agencies to seek clarity and accountability. Parents and elders emphasized the importance of having a shared voice so families are not left to navigate complex systems alone.

This gathering reflects ORMMS’s organizing approach: centering community voices, strengthening leadership, and building collective solutions to systemic challenges. By coming together, families are better positioned to advocate for fair access to essential resources and to work toward long-term improvements in how public systems serve immigrant and refugee communities.

We plan to follow up with community leaders to identify next steps in shared advocacy around benefit access and communication with public agencies.

Community members gathered at the ORMMS office to discuss shared challenges related to recent SNAP benefit disruptions and to identify collective next steps.