Volunteers at the recent Widespread Panic food drive that benefited Lift Urban Portland
SPRING 2014
an Interfaith Community of Volunteers 2701 NW Vaughn St, Suite 102 • Portland, OR • 97210 (503) 221-1224 • www.LiftUrbanPortland.org
In This Issue: Volunteer Feature........Cover Wellness............................. 2 Community........................ 3 May Food Drive.................. 4 New Faces.......................... 5 Donors & Tributes...........6-7
Dashing Through The Snow
Lift Urban Portland began its Food Box Delivery program in 2007. Each month, volunteers bring supplementary food to disabled and shut-in residents. The food is vital to many recipients, particularly those who suffer from diabetes or other nutrition-related illnesses. Our service area for this program has recently extended as far as south Downtown Portland.
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ortland’s “Worst Day of the Year” bike ride event was canceled this year, as our February snow storm made that day the worst day of the year. Stumptown residents enjoy visiting the snows of Mt. Hood, but are happier still to leave it behind. Perhaps “snow in the forecast” are welcome words for hard working Portlanders who secretly hear “a chance for a day off.” One thing that we know well at Lift Urban Portland: The city might shut down for snow, but hunger doesn’t take a day off.
This is the tale of two of our programs: The Irving Street food pantry, open two times a week for monthly visits by recipients; and our food box deliveries, reaching disabled and shut-in residents in Northwest and downtown Portland. It is the story of staff members and volunteers who refuse to let obstacles get in the way of providing food for those in need.
On Thursday, February 6, the snow began to fall. Leona Pickens, one of our food pantry coordinators, didn’t hesitate to go to the pantry to receive a weekly food delivery. The problem: snowy weather prevented the delivery. All the same, she was determined to make sure food was ready for our recipients the following day. continued on page 5
Lift Urban Portland
wellness
The Results Are In!
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aunched in 2013, Lift Urban Portland’s Wellness program helps individuals in our community age in place, and provides social opportunities to break down the barriers of isolation. This past November, we surveyed 120 residents of Home Forward’s housing communities to measure the effect of our current classes and potential offerings. The locations included Gallagher Plaza, Medallion Apartments, Northwest Tower, and Williams Plaza. Here are some results from the survey: • The average age is 58 years old. 55% of those surveyed are women. • About 40% use a cane, crutches, or wheelchair. • Average monthly income is $722. • People on average take six prescription medications. • 41% have trouble with housekeeping and going to places beyond walking distance.
The results of our Wellness program survey were compiled and presented by Alyssa McClean. Recently awarded an Oregon Master of Public Health degree at Portland State, Alyssa interned at Lift Urban Portland for two months while working with the survey results.
Legacy Good Samaritan Medical Center
is one of our major community partners and longtime supporters. At its Northwest neighborhood facility, Legacy supports a range of groups that are building a healthier community, and assists us with training options for our Wellness program.
• 28% have been hospitalized at least one night in the last month. • 28% have fallen down in the last 12 months. • 45% have been diagnosed with high blood pressure, chronic mental illness, arthritis, or high cholesterol. Nearly 75% had two or more diagnoses. Not surprisingly, 40% reported being too tired to do what they wanted at some time in the past month. • 60% live with frequent food insecurity. Due to physical limitations, participants are not high users of local food services beyond the SNAP (food stamp) program. The most frequently used service reported by this sample was Lift Urban Portland’s food pantry. • More than 75% engage in health activities. This includes eating healthy foods, being socially engaged with others, keeping their brains stimulated, and getting enough sleep. However, fewer than half report that they eat three or more fruits or vegetables every day, and only about half do moderate or vigorous exercise daily. The study concluded that Lift Urban Portland’s Wellness program shows great potential for improving the lives of the residents at the Home Forward’s housing complexes.
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Legacy classes
he clinical staff at Legacy Good Samaritan Medical Center partners with Lift Urban Portland in an ongoing series of classes. Seminars are held each Thursday at 11:30 a.m. The current series includes twelve class topics, presented at Home Forward’s affordable housing communities, including Northwest Tower, Gallagher Plaza, Williams Plaza, and Medallion Apartments.
MAY: Signs, Symptoms & Risk Factors of a Stroke
1919 NW Lovejoy St • Portland, OR • 97209 www.legacyhealth.org
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JUNE: Sodium & Its Effects on Your Body July: ABC’s of Medications
Spring 2014
All around the town...
Laura Schaffer and Caryn May at the Widespread Panic performance at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall on March 26. Our food drive and raffle raised $501 and 40 pounds of food.
Ben & Jerry’s Free Cone Day brought in $801 on April 9. Pictured are store owner Jimmy Chi, Ben & Jerry’s founder Jerry Greenfeld, and Lift Urban Portland board member Nikki Director.
Local Partners Lift Us Up!
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On April 4, students from the Portland Adventist Academy spent their Service Day at our warehouse. Their superb cleaning and organization put us in great shape for our May Food Drive.
Ellington Handbags 1211 NW 23rd Ave February Food Drive More than 85 pounds of food
everal of our programs received a great boost from our community business partners. Here are some highlights from last quarter: Ace Pearl Hardware 1621 NW Glisan St Air Conditioning Unit Donation Bringing climate control to our Irving Street Pantry!
Whole Foods Market Pearl Location, 1210 NW Couch “Bring a Bag” incentive $1,089 from Dec. to March. 6-month total: $1,765
Lift Urban Portland Joins the Model Health Pantry Initiative
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ift Urban Portland is honored to join Oregon Food Bank’s (OFB) Model Health Pantry Initiative. This pilot program supports food pantries with a focus on improving the eating habits and health of their clients. OFB’s contributions may include education materials, signs, and equipment purchases.
By joining the initiative, Lift Urban Portland sets the following goals and processes: • Improve the nutritional quality of the food offered by our Irving Street pantry.
• Offer learning tools and materials to recipients, focusing on healthy food preparation, meal planning, and household food budgeting. • Help recipients choose healthy options .
• Provide “environmental nudges” – prominent shelving of healthy food options at our Irving Street pantry, as well as posters and signs to better market healthy fresh foods. • Create educational opportunities for volunteers and clients at the pantry.
Lift Urban Portland is looking forward to providing healthy food demonstrations and seminars including “Cooking from a Food Box” and “Cooking Matters.”
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Lift Urban Portland
May Food Drive 2014 www.LiftUrbanPortland.org Your home for all things food drive!
Virtual Food Drive
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ur May Food Drive enters the age of the computer! The Virtual Food Drive is a simple shopping cart application, just like shopping online for shoes or books.
There are many advantages: Lift Urban Portland can purchase food supplies at bulk rates, meaning more food for less money. You won’t have to worry about expiration dates, food types, or heavy lifting! Most of all, your purchases are secure, convenient and fast. Online purchases may be reassigned to our greatest food needs, and all monies are dedicated to our food programs.
Food Barrel Locations
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ost-needed foods include all variety of canned foods: fish, meat, stew, fruits, and vegetables; plus peanut butter and cooking oil.
• ACE Pearl Hardware • Anglican Parish of St. Mark • Ascension Episcopal Parish • Bullard Law • Congregation Beth Israel • Chapman Elementary School • CLASS Academy • Coldwell Banker – Burnside and Cornell Rd. locations • Elemental Technologies • Emerson School • ESCO • Essex House Apartments • First Immanuel Lutheran Church • Friendly House • The Hasson Group – NW 23rd Place • Havurah Shalom • Heathman Hotel • Hip Hound • Home Forward • Linfield School of Nursing
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• Metropolitan Condos • Montgomery Park • Mud Bay Pet Supplies • Nature’s Pet • Northwest Children’s Theater and School • Northwest Neighborhood Veterinary Hospital • Northwest Women’s Fitness Club • On Deck Sports Bar & Grill • Portland City Sanctuary • PREM Group • Road Runner Sports • Savier Street Flats • SELCO – NW Thurman & SW US Veterans Hospital Rd. locations • Starbucks – All NW and Downtown stores • Umpqua Bank • Zelda’s Shoe Bar • Zen Center of Portland • Zion Lutheran Church
Special Events
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ocal partners are hosting several special events for our May Food Drive. Below is a list of sponsored dates. Check out our website as the list grows!
FOOD FRONT COOPERATIVE GROCERY, 2375 NW Thurman St. MONTH OF MAY: Point-of-sale program raises money for us with every purchase.
Road Runner Sports, 29 NW 23rd Place MONTH OF MAY: Discount on merchandise with food for their barrel. PREM Group Property Management, 351 NW 12th Ave. MAY 1: First Thursday event with suggested minimum donation of $5 at the door; 100% of all donations benefit Lift Urban Portland. Legacy Good Samaritan Medical Center, 1015 NW 22nd Ave MAY 6-12 Raffle benefiting Lift Urban Portland. continued on page 5
Spring 2014
Dashing Through the Snow continued from front page “We didn’t have as much as usual,” says Leona, “but I knew, we still had to be ready!” Leona prepped all available food for the next day, and hoped for the best.
The sun rose on Friday to a city blanketed in snow. Portland Public Schools, city and Metro offices were all closed, along with most businesses across the area. The local news began a weekend of weather warnings, all saying “ Stay home!” Michael Roberts, our Friday food pantry coordinator, didn’t heed that advice. Nor did some members of Lift Urban Portland’s office staff.
IN THE PANTRY won’t say we were well
“I
stocked,” says Michael. “I can say we were open, and that people who needed food got food.” Despite the empty streets, Michael opened our Food Pantry that Friday. Yes, the turnout was less than usual. But the mission of Lift Urban Portland isn’t based on number requirements. Helping even a few people on the worst day of the year — that’s what we do.
MEANWHILE, ACROSS TOWN arr Durham, our office
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manager, was the only staff member with a car that could reach the office. She was joined that day by Mark Golden, an Easter Seals volunteer who answers phones and assists with administrative tasks a few times a week. Darr and Mark were met by a different dilemma. That Friday was also Food Box delivery day. Some recipients rely on this as their primary source of food. But our volunteer driver found himself stuck at home.
The city might shut down for snow, but hunger doesn’t take a day off.
Though she’s most often working with spreadsheets, Darr didn’t hesitate to switch hats. “No problem! I’ve got front-wheel drive,” she said, and proceeded to pack Mark into the car. A stop at our warehouse for the food boxes, and Darr and Mark were on their way.
Special Events (continued)
SANTA FE TACQUERIA, 831 NW 23rd Ave. CHILD’S PLAY, 2305 NW Kearney MAY 10: Partnering in presenting Presto the Magician at 10 a.m. at the Tacqueria. Ticket sales for this event, and all proceeds from purchases at both locations from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. will benefit Lift Urban Portland. BLUSH BEAUTY BAR, 513 NW 23rd Ave. MAY 16–18: Raffle in celebration of Blush Beauty Bar’s 10th anniversary. All proceeds benefit Lift Urban Portland. Ben & Jerry’s Uptown, 39 NW 23rd Place MAY 18: Lift Urban Portland volunteers will be behind the counter all day scooping ice cream. All income from sales for the day will benefit Lift Urban Portland.
Mark Golden (seated) and Stephen Kahl volunteer with Lift Urban Portland through a program with Easter Seals. Their job description might just include the phrase “above and beyond.”
Before the day was done, Darr and Mark had visited five different apartment buildings. Twelve of our Portland neighbors received food boxes in their homes. We offer a great thanks to our staff and volunteers, who truly went above and beyond during our February blizzard.
Caffe Mingo, 807 NW 21st Ave MAY 22: A portion of the evening will benefit Lift Urban Portland. Pearl ACE Hardware, 1621 NW Glisan LAST WEEK OF MAY: Coupon for discount on merchandise with food for their barrel. FIRESIDE RESTAURANT, 801 NW 23rd Ave. JUNE 1: Sunday night opening restaurant to benefit Lift Urban Portland. Percentage of proceeds.
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Lift Urban Portland
Donors: January 1 - March 31, 2014 Barbara Ballweber Jacqueline & Stuart Barthold Les & Ellen Bick Layton Borkan Barbara Briody Becky Brown Cambia Health Foundation Rachel Cole, DDS Delanie Delimont Nikki & Stuart Director Chapman & Kay Dix Barbara Durkheimer & Gary Larsen Marian Edwards Family Partnership Elephant’s Delicatessen ESCO Corporation Michael & Ruth Tenzer Feldman First Immanuel Lutheran Church Rupert Fixott, DMD
Janet Gallagher Arlene Garrison Heffernan Insurance Brokers Matthew Warren Holloway The Holzman Foundation Lynn Langfeld Craig & Linda Langley Nancy & Jack MacDonald National Council of Jewish Women – Portland Section Jill Neuwelt Linda Ostomel Andrea Overbeck The Parish of St. Mark PGE Foundation Barbara Prigohzy Diane Rheos Sally Rosenfeld & Andrew Frank
Tributes & Celebrations In honor of Nikki Director Linda Ostomel
In memory of Jay Albert Nikki & Stuart Director
In honor of Nikki Director Linda & Larry Veltman
In memory of Herb Newmark Nikki & Stuart Director
In honor of Nikki & Stuart Director Barbara Durkheimer & Gary Larsen
In memory of Nisa Menashe Shleifer Nikki & Stuart Director
In honor of Alan & Eve Rosenfeld Carolyn Weinstein Joella Werlin
In memory of David Strauss Barbara Prigohzy
In honor of Eve Rosenfeld Lynn Langfeld Andrea Overbeck Sally Rosenfeld & Andrew Frank Janis Rosenfeld-Barbash Rose Rustin In honor of Rose Rustin Terwilliger Plaza In honor of Valentine’s Day Jacqueline & Stuart Barthold
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Thank you to the people and organizations that contributed to Lift Urban Portland during our last fiscal quarter. Every effort was made to ensure the accuracy of these lists. If you see an error, please contact us at (503) 221-1224.
Janis Rosenfeld-Barbash Betsy A. Russell Rose Rustin Carol & Velma Saling Foundation Seams to Fit Sandra Shapiro St. Mary’s Cathedral Star Industrial Supply, Inc. Terwilliger Plaza Kay Van Patten Carolyn Vanderslice Linda & Larry Veltman Carolyn & Gary Weinstein Joe Welch Joella Werlin Whole Foods Market – Pearl The Fans of Widespread Panic
In-Kind Gifts Anonymous Baker & Spice Carole Barkley Dave’s Killer Bread Darr Durham Franz Bakery The Clients of Hanu Pilates Hilton Portland & Executive Tower Kenny & Zuke’s Bagelworks Nora Lehnhoff Rollie Lobsinger Louise & Richard Marsh Mary Jane’s House of Glass Northwest Industrial Neighborhood Association Pearl ACE Hardware Safeway – Pearl District Salvation Army, White Shield Center Lynda Shapiro Starbucks St. Mary’s Cathedral Trader Joe’s Urban Gleaners Bethany Wofford Zen Center of Portland Linda Jeo Zerba Zion Lutheran Church
Spring 2014
New Faces in Our Program Staff Rollie Lobsinger, Program Director Rollie@LiftUrbanPortland.org
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ollie comes to Lift Urban Portland with a Master’s in social work and a strong, active background in program management and development. He most recently served as the director of South Coast Food Share based in Coos Bay, Oregon.
As our new program director, Rollie oversees our volunteer activities, and the operations of several programs, including the Irving Street food pantry, Food for Kids Backpacks, community gardens, and our newer Wellness program.
Shanna Moro, Program Coordinator Shanna@LiftUrbanPortland.org
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ur food pantry and warehouse are our busiest areas, with donated and purchased food always coming in and out. Shanna holds down this new position, keeping the food organized and ready for our recipients. Shanna holds a Bachelor of Social Work degree, and joins us after two years as an AmeriCorps volunteer. She served as the community integration specialist for Exceed Enterprises, and worked with community involvement programs such as Oregon Food Bank and local food drives.
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Upcoming Events
Legal & Financial Planning: Why It Matters
oin us for afternoon tea and an informative presentation by Sam Friedenberg, attorney with the law offices of Nay & Friedenberg.
A Weekday in the Country: Lift Urban Portland’s Garden Party, Aug 26, 2014
There is no charge for this event.
Participants will receive an informative booklet that covers many topics:
• Financial and healthcare decisions. • Necessary documents.
• How to provide for family members and friends you leave behind. • How your legacy can support the values you believe in.
Thursday, June 5, 2014 ● 1 - 3 p.m.
Trinity Episcopal Cathedral’s Morrison Room 147 NW 19th Avenue (NW 19th and Everett Street) RSVP: (503) 221-1224, ext. 103
If you’re age 70 ½ or older, you can make a direct tax-free rollover of up to $100,000 from an IRA to a qualified charitable organization like Lift Urban Portland. Check with your financial advisor for details.
This year’s annual fundraiser will be held at Castaway Portland. This Northwest Portland facility features a larger indoor space, and an outdoor area perfect for a great summer’s eve. We are currently putting together this year’s plans. You can expect the feel of an English country fair, complete with wandering entertainers and an exciting new feature: Interactive kiosks where guests can learn all about Lift Urban Portland. Want to get involved? Call or write Stephen Alexander: stephen@LiftUrbanPortland.org (503) 221-1224, ext. 107
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NONPROFIT ORG U.S. Postage PAID Portland OR Permit No. 1572
2701 NW Vaughn, Suite 102 Portland, OR 97210 www.LiftUrbanPortland.org Return Service Requested
May Food drive May 1 - 31
Healthy food = Healthy people = Healthy community
Donate online with our Virtual Food Drive!
Merged data: NAME / COMPANY ADDRESS CITY, STATE ZIP
Visit our website to find food barrel locations:
www.LiftUrbanPortland.org
Most-needed Foods Shelf-stable milk
Peanut butter
Canned fruits and vegetables
Canned stew
Rolled oats
Have you seen this poster? Keep your eyes open in the NW Neighborhood for companies participating in our May Food Drive?
2014 May Food Drive
Healthy food = Healthy people = Healthy community Try our new Virtual Food Drive!
Our annual May Food Drive helps us restock our warehouse. We rely on this yearly event to keep our emergency pantry, food box delivery, and Food for Kids Backpacks programs thriving. We’ve made it easier and more fun to donate this year! Our Virtual Food Drive is an online shopping cart, allowing you to add to our food supply from your office or home.
Food barrels, events, cash boxes, and more!
www.LiftUrbanPortland.org Your home for all things food drive!
• Calendar of food drive events at stores & restaurants • Food Barrel sites in Northwest Portland • Quick link to the Virtual Food Drive • Cash donation box locations