The Ridgefield Family Resource Center (FRC) has become a crucial support system for local families struggling with the rising cost of living.
As inflation, rent increases and an ongoing affordable housing crisis strain household budgets, the demand for the center’s services has surged.
Founded in 2015 as a collaboration between Compassion 360 and the Ridgefield School District, the FRC provides food, clothing and household essentials to students and their families. Chris Poppert, who took over management in 2016, has witnessed a dramatic rise in the number of families seeking assistance.
“When we first started, we’d be excited if we saw five families a week,” Poppert said. “Now, we are probably averaging between 70 to 80 families a week.”
An ongoing affordable housing crisis had largely contributed to increased reliance on the FRC, according to Poppert.
The increasing demand for services has been primarily driven by the area’s ongoing affordable housing crisis, Poppert said. With rent prices soaring and wages struggling to keep pace, many families find themselves just above the eligibility threshold for food stamps but still unable to meet their basic needs.
“The urgency is we have a housing crisis, an affordable housing crisis,” Poppert said. “Wages just don’t cover rents. It has just blown up and washed over our community.”
According to the April 17, 2024, Clark County Comprehensive Plan update, which outlines growth needs from 2025 to 2045, Ridgefield must significantly expand zoning for lower-income housing in the coming years. The plan identifies the need for thousands of affordable housing units for households earning below 80% of the area median income — an issue directly impacting families served by the FRC.
Poppert also highlighted a sharp increase in youth experiencing housing instability, with numbers rising from 20 to 40 in 2016 to 139 as of press time.
As the cost of living continues to climb, the FRC distributes thousands of pounds of food every few weeks, relying on community donations to meet demand.
“One hundred percent of what you see in here is donated by the community,” Poppert said. “It’s amazing to sit back and watch — this is like a conduit so that our community can pour in so that we can pour out.”
Certain items are in particularly high demand. Toilet paper remains one of the most requested donations and children’s shoes have become a sought-after necessity as rising prices make footwear less accessible for families.
As rising prices make even basic clothing and footwear less accessible, the FRC strives to ensure families have access to what they need.
The FRC operates with strong support from local organizations. Neighbors Helping Neighbors supplies dairy and meat to the community, which the FRC cannot store, while Compassion 360 helps provide specialized items, such as steel-toed boots for working parents.
Despite the incredible support from the community, the FRC faces logistical challenges in managing the growing volume of donations and limited storage space.
“We go through more than 60 snack bags a week ... It’s incredible to see everyone pitching in,” Poppert said. “I really just want to make sure that basic needs are met. We don’t have the magic wand for the housing crisis, but this is the best that we can do to try to alleviate it.”
Ridgefield School District families are invited to visit during operating hours:
• Mondays: 1 to 5 p.m.
• Wednesdays: 12 to 4 p.m.
• Thursdays: 1 to 6:30 p.m.
Poppert, the FRC’s only full-time employee, is supported by an assistant and about eight volunteers each week. The Family Resource Center remains open for donations and volunteers. Those interested in helping can contact Poppert via email at christine.poppert@ridge fieldsd.org or call 360-619-1412.
