This week, the Klamath Living family is watching the Seaside stage with our whole hearts. Our own Allyssa Defillipo — Klamath Living's Content Coordinator — is competing for the title of Miss Oregon, and she is doing it the way she does everything: with passion, poise, and an unshakable belief that you don't need a crown to change a life. This is her fifth time on the Miss Oregon stage, and we could not be more proud of her.
From Adversity to Advocacy
Allyssa's story is one many in our community already know from our pages — and it is the reason her run for Miss Oregon means so much. Born into a low-income family and raised by a grandmother who has battled cancer five times, Allyssa grew up knowing what it means to go without. There were seasons her family leaned on food-bank boxes to get by. Rather than let those hard beginnings define her, she turned them into a mission.
Today, Allyssa is one of Klamath Falls' most tireless champions for children's nutrition. Her community platform, "E.A.T. to Live" (Educate, Access, Transform), grew out of her own experience and her conviction that every child deserves access to healthy food and the knowledge to use it. She wrote and published a children's book, "Why Is My Tummy Grumbling?", after discovering that fewer than 5% of kids' books even touch on nutrition. She has read to and taught hundreds of local students — including 800-plus first-graders at the annual Klamath Cares, Klamath Reads event — and her nutrition seminars have reached well over 800 community members. Along the way, she has helped raise more than 6,000 pounds of food for local food banks, giving back to the very safety net that once helped her.
A Journey Years in the Making
Allyssa first stepped into the Miss America Opportunity in 2022, earning the title of Miss City of Sunshine. From there came Miss Klamath County (2024) and Miss Southern Jewel (2025), each title sharpening her voice and widening her platform. On the state stage, she has been a Top-5 Miss Oregon finalist for several consecutive years — including first runner-up in 2025, coming heartbreakingly, inspiringly close to the crown.
If you want the full story of where she started, read her Klamath Living cover feature, "Allyssa Defillipo: Blazing a Trail from Adversity to Empowerment."
More Than a Contestant — Part of Our Team
What makes this moment special for us isn't just that Allyssa is talented — though she is, from her vocal performance of "Shallow" to her work as a certified nutrition coach and personal trainer. It's that we get to watch someone we work beside every day represent our community on a state stage. As Klamath Living's Content Coordinator, Allyssa helps Klamath County families tell their stories, contributes to our pages each month, and brings the same heart, discipline, and leadership to our team that she brings to her advocacy. She is, simply put, an inspiration — to our team and to our whole town.
We're All Rooting for You, Allyssa
The crowning takes place Saturday in Seaside, and the whole Klamath Living family will be on the edge of our seats. Whatever the judges decide, Allyssa has already won in every way that matters: she represents Klamath Falls with integrity, confidence, and grace, and she has spent years turning her own challenges into hope for others.
Go shine, Allyssa. We are so proud of you, and we are all rooting for you. 💙
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Photo credits: Cover portrait by Stephanie Carine Photography. Pageant photos by Manzanita Photography and Stephanie Carine Photography. Allyssa with her children's book and her contributor portraits by Brenna Morgan · Truth and Light Studios.
