Virginia Hilderbrand understands what it’s like to be hungry.

When she migrated from Mexico to the United States in 2000, she and her newborn daughter wound up hungry and living on the streets of Prineville.

Hilderbrand, now 62, and still living in Prineville, suffered numerous hardships before getting on her feet, thanks to both her own determination and to the kindness of others. The experience led her to dedicate her free time to helping others in need by delivering food and other assistance to people living in trailer parks in the Prineville area.

For the last five years, Hilderbrand has delivered food, even as trailer park managers shouted threats and abusive comments her way.

“You know what? The people need help. And that won’t stop me,” Hilderbrand said. She adds: “I know the people need help. I will be there.”

Prior to the pandemic, 1 in 8 people in Central Oregon suffered from food insecurity, according to the Central Oregon Health Council’s last Regional Health Assessment, published in 2019.

In Crook County, that represented 15% of the population — higher than the statewide average of 12.9%.

Those numbers have changed slightly, according to NeighborImpact, a nonprofit that partners with 55 food banks in Central Oregon to feed those in need.

Now, 1 in 5 Central Oregon residents is described as suffering from food insecurity, a status that refers to having limited or uncertain access to enough healthy food.

At the end of the day, it simply means they are hungry too often.

Being there for hungry people

As a member of the board of the St. Vincent de Paul Society of Crook County, Hilderbrand and a small group that includes her husband are trying to address the situation, delivering food to both Hispanic and English-speaking community members alike.

Hilderbrand makes deliveries every two to four weeks, and said St. Vincent de Paul provides her with enough food for 30 to 60 families. Some of the people she helps are undocumented and can’t afford food because they’re unemployed or their work hours were cut. Others she helps are U.S. citizens who have fallen into debt and hard times.

Hilderbrand delivers a variety of food, including chicken, pork, beef, fish, fruits and vegetables, and breads, and the people she visits can select what they want for their families.

As long as someone is hungry, she will offer food.

“Because I went through all the situations with abuse, with rejection, … I don’t want anybody to go through that,” said Hilderbrand, who became a volunteer at St. Vincent de Paul in 2004. “I am an immigrant, too. … I was hungry. No family. No English. No work.”

Helping the Hispanic community

She said some in the Hispanic community fear deportation, but when she comes around, they are comfortable with her because of her ability to speak Spanish and connect with them culturally.

Hilderbrand said she travels to a number of trailer parks in and around Prineville, and will post when and where she will be on the St. Vincent De Paul Mobile Food Truck — Prineville Facebook page to alert residents that she is coming. She said she will go to trailer parks and make an announcement using speakers and a microphone in both English and Spanish.

She said sometimes her assistance is rejected because she is Hispanic and is offering aid to immigrants.

“Sometimes American people, they are racist,” Hilderbrand said. “They kick us out (of the trailer park). They cuss at us. And we still send it (food) to them. They tell us to go back to our country.”

Hilderbrand said the manager of one trailer park kicked her out and also threatened to call the police when she arrived with food for Hispanic residents. Instead of giving up, she called residents and told them to meet her outside of the park to receive their food boxes.

So far, Hilderbrand said she has not had the police called on her for feeding the hungry.

Was it a miracle?

Hilderbrand is determined to continue helping hungry people, and said she has even experienced a miracle delivering food to families in the trailer parks.

One day she had to deliver food to three trailer parks in Prineville, and she only had food boxes for 25 families, Hilderbrand said. She knew that wouldn’t be enough food for all three trailer parks.

“I was praying to God for the food to be sufficient because if somebody asks me for food and I don’t have anything it would break my heart,” she said.

Despite not having nearly enough food for everyone, she was still somehow able to distribute enough for 40 families.

“We fed 40 families. With 25 boxes? Explain that to me,” Hilderbrand said. “Miracles still happen. And we are more committed to do it — because God is with us.”

If you want to donate food, money or your time to St. Vincent de Paul Society of Crook County, call 541-447-7662 or email svdpofcc@hotmail.com. 

Series: Hunger in Central Oregon

One in 5 residents of Central Oregon is hungry too often. Civic leaders, organizations and volunteers fighting to solve the problem say hunger goes deeper than most people are aware. The Bulletin is shining a light on the situation and the community’s efforts to address it.

• Hunger in Central Oregon: Food security is more than subsistence: the changing reality of hunger 

• Food banks: Myriad options in Central Oregon for donating to food banks

• Helping seniors: From prison with love: Deer Ridge inmates cook meals for Madras seniors

• Growing up hungry: How is Central Oregon helping its hungry children?

• Finding comfort with food: Neighbor of Bend senior center finds solace in baking

Series: Hunger in Central Oregon

One in 5 residents of Central Oregon is hungry too often. Civic leaders, organizations and volunteers fighting to solve the problem say hunger goes deeper than most people are aware. The Bulletin is shining a light on the situation and the community’s efforts to address it. Previously published stories in the series are:

Tuesday 

• Hunger in Central Oregon: Food security is more than subsistence: the changing reality of hunger 

• Food banks: Myriad options in Central Oregon for donating to food banks

Wednesday

• Helping seniors: From prison with love: Deer Ridge inmates cook meals for Madras seniors

Thursday

• Growing up hungry: How is Central Oregon helping its hungry children?

Friday

• Finding comfort with food: Neighbor of Bend senior center finds solace in baking