Leona Pickens prepares the pantry for visitors at the Irving Street Food Pantry.

FALL 2013

an Interfaith Community of Volunteers2701 NW Vaughn St, Suite 102 • Portland, OR • 97210

(503) 221-1224 • www.LiftUbranPortland.org

It’s easy to find our food pantry, at the First Immanuel Lutheran Church on NW 18th and Irving. It’s not as easy to pin down Leona Pickens.

It’s Thursday afternoon. I arrive early. I see quickly that I will have to wait.“Apricot butter—on the shelf in the closet,” she gestures to a team volunteer. “Is this all the bread for tomorrow?” The whole time, she checks inventory sheets with another team member.“Oh, hello Stephen. I’ll be with you soon. The food comes first.”

Learning from LeonaLift Urban Portland 101

As the new Communications & Events Coor-dinator, I am honored to share our stories. With so many facets of Lift Urban Portland to explore, my learning has just begun. Join me in a series of discoveries about who we are and how it all works together.

- Stephen Alexander, Newsletter Editor

Leona joined Lift Urban Portland’s pantry crew in 2011. She found out about the pantry from a fellow resident at the Northwest Tower, one of our Adopt-a-Highrise properties. The timing couldn’t have been better, having been “forced into retirement” by a local transitional housing firm.

Leona begins to describe her work at the Golden West group home, when a cadre of young men enter the pantry. “Hold that thought,” and she’s off into action again. These are Central City Concern volunteers,

continued on page 5

Volunteer feature .......CoverWellness ............................2Community .......................3Food programs ..................4New faces ..........................5Donors & tributes ...........6-7

In This Issue:

wellness

The 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 am, at our several Adopt-a-Highrise locales.

Legacy-partnered classes

As you read this newsletter, new participants in our Wellness program are completing initial surveys. Two years from now, we will offer a second survey,

helping Lift Urban Portland gauge changes in health and wellness as a result of our growing list of classes.

LEGACY GOOD SAMARITAN MEDICAL CENTER

is one of our major community partners and 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.

Many thanks, Legacy!

NOVEMBERPreserving Balance & Core Strength

DECEMBERStress Management

We are currently seeking instructors for a few classes that will be presented at our Adopt-a-Highrise locations. New teachers are

welcome, as we will provide certified training. Classes meet one to three times per week.

Walk With EaseVolunteers receive online training, then pair up to

lead walking groups.

A Matter of BalanceFall prevention and physical activity promotion. Volunteers train with a certified Master Trainer, then lead classes with residents.

Do you have any other passions? Cooking, yoga, nutrition? How about a good old-fashioned Home Economics class for the elderly or homebound?

Contact Program Director Bethany Woffordbethany@LiftUrbanPortland.org

Upcoming classes & teaching opportunities

Cooking and nutrition are some of the topics offered through Lift Urban Portland’s Wellness program.

2

Lift Urban Portland

community

Nike’s recent expansion of its Beaverton campus left its garden plots in need of a new home. Lift Urban Portland was the grateful recipient of

these garden beds, wintering plants, and soil. On October 16, employees from Puppet Labs joined our Garden Coordinator Tiffany Schuster in disassembling and transporting these materials to our various garden locations, including First Immanuel Lutheran Church.

The Next Time You Shop,Consider Whole Foods in the Pearl!

Due to its program’s success, Whole Foods Market has extended its bag refund donation program with Lift Urban Portland, through January 19, 2014.

Bring your own grocery bag when you shop at Whole Foods in the Pearl District: 1210 NW Couch Street. Your 10-cent bag refund goes directly to Lift Urban Portland, assisting with food, wellness and living options for Northwest and Downtown Portland com-munity members.

Since September, this program at Whole Foods has raised more than $650 for Lift Urban Portland's programs!

THANK YOU, WHOLE FOODS!

One day, many hands

Meanwhile, volunteers from St. Mary’s Academy gathered that morning to harvest the gardens at the Salvation Army’s White Shield Center. In

the afternoon, both sets of volunteers met, as Puppet Labs brought the Nike gardens to White Shield and laid the groundwork for more urban gardens. Like our many community gardens, these new beds will help us to continue to offer fresh produce to food pantry patrons.The girls of St. Mary’s Academy also helped in our ware-house, where they organized, stocked and cleaned our store of pantry and backpack foods. Our thanks to all our volunteers on this wonderful work day!

Volunteers from Puppet Labs, a

Northwest Portland software company

The students of St. Mary’s Academy

continue their history of service with Lift Urban Portland.

Calling all Gold Award or

Eagle ScoutProject Seekers!

Lift Urban Portland has a garden full of fresh produce for our food security programs. Missing from our garden is a tool shed to house our garden implements!This is a great project for anyone that needs to do a major community service project. Please share this request with any troop or group you think might be interested in this project.

Contact Bethany Wofford, Program DirectorBethany@LiftUrbanPortland.org

(503) 221-1224, ext. 105

3

Fall 2013

Backpacks Abound!

Wen-Ying Wu & Brian Wilson of Kaiser Permanente’s national payroll office.

Their company picnic, with an admission fee of a backpack or non-perishable

foods, brought in 197 lbs of food, 32 backpacks, and $210 in donations.

Lacey Patton (right) of Pediatric Associates of the Northwest delivers backpacks and a donation check to

Executive Director Delanie Delimont.

Zombie Squad members Tifni Richards & Gabriel Martin help our community fight

the “monsters” of need & hunger.

Lift Urban Portland is proud to announce the creation of the Eve & Alan Rosenfeld Food Fund. A generous donation from the Social Action Committee of Congregation Beth Israel kicked off the

fund at our Garden Party fundraiser, held on August 27 at the World Forestry Center. Eve and Alan have been active with Lift Urban Portland throughout its 34 years of service.We are proud to celebrate the Rosenfelds’ legacy of giving and dedication with this new permanent fund.

Garden Party Update Our 2013 fundraiser brings in $57,000

4

food programThank you to faith communities with ongoing food drives:• First Immanuel Lutheran Church• Congregation Beth Israel• Havurah Shalom• Zion Lutheran Church.And thanks to our community partners, holding food drives at various times this season:• Kaiser Permanente – August• Selco at Forest Park Credit Union – Fall• ESCO – November• Ellington – November• NINA – December• Hanu Pilates – ongoing

Food Drives Fill Our Shelves

Hot off the press...Our Annual Report is now available online.

Visit our website to find it, or stop by our office for a printed version.

In the next few weeks, you will receive our Annual Appeal letter in the mail.

We are grateful for all who make Lift Urban Portland a part of their year-end plans.

Lift Urban Portland

When Program Director Bethany Wofford joined our staff, she knew the perfect person to join her in the volunteer program: Michelle Welton. “There are few people I would immediately offer to come help,” says Michelle,

former Volunteer Coordinator at Impact Northwest. “Bethany is one of them.”Michelle assists Bethany with the coordination of volunteer job assignments, pol-icies and procedures. You will find Michele at the office or at our warehouse, food pantry or other service locales.

Emily Crowe, a junior at University of Portland, is our new Wellness

intern. A Marketing major with minors in Spanish and Entrepreneurship & Innova-tion Management, Emily has volunteered with the Multiple Sclerosis Society and the Black-feet Reservation.Emily will conduct community outreach and surveys for our the Adopt-a-Highrise program. She has already become a strong part of our Wellness Program, posting fliers for our November flu shot clinics.

Zoe Lichty is our Food Security intern, working with our food programs.

A junior and a Nursing major, Zoe has worked as a caregiver in an Alzheimer’s special care unit, and volunteered with a children’s hospital.Zoe helps in our food pantry, focusing on improvement of the order and delivery system with the Oregon Food Bank. She will also work to increase nutrition education in the Food Pantry and Food for Kids Backpack programs, and to expand our urban gleaning efforts.

New Faces at Lift Urban Portland

Michelle Welton

Emily Crowe Zoe Lichty

“It makes it worthwhile when you hear people say

‘God bless you,’ ”

Learning from Leonacontinued from cover page

already moving boxes that come from our warehouse, from a van into the pantry.Leona or another team leader needs to be at the pantry several times a week. Urban Gleaners delivers their excess food early Thursday mornings, and food from our warehouse arrives in the afternoon. Friday is Trader Joe’s delivery day, and other drop-offs happen during the week from community partners such as Safeway or Franz Bakery.

As Leona rejoins me, I realize that this one-on-one interview has suddenly

grown. Leona’s co-workers —Twila, Phil and Rich — join the chat. They bring experience from the Oregon Food Bank, Meals on Wheels People, and other service programs.

“We have a hard time finding food ourselves,” says Twila. “Many of these people just can’t feed them-selves on food stamps alone.”

“What makes this a place you return to week after week?” I ask.“Definitely the people,” say Leona. “It makes it worthwhile when you hear people say ‘God bless you’ or ‘I’m so happy you’re here.’ “Leona gives an example from two days ago. A lady came to the pantry for the first time. She was a mother

with five children. To help get her started, Leona added extra food to her supplies.

The new customer teared up with joy. “We were happy too, but we don’t have time to cry,” says Leona. “There’s too much to do!”

Just then, a woman enters the pantry. “I know you’re not open until tomorrow, but I’m not going to be in town. Any way you can help me out today?”

Leona grabs her clipboard. The volunteers go into action. I realize my interview is done.

As Leona would say, “The food comes first.”

5

Fall 2013

Donors: July 1 - September 30, 2013Jay & Suzanne AlbertRoz & Jeffrey BabenzerDavid & Carol BakerJohn BakerBarbara BallweberBryce BarkerCarole Barkley & David LoftusTerese Barkley & Darrol OlsonLynne Bartenstein & Dan HeimsStuart & Jacqueline BartholdBlaine BartholomewLewis & Shari BeattyCatherine I. BekooyAlan & Deborah BellLes & Ellen BickGerel BlauerKaren BlauerStephen BloomBlush Beauty BarGwyneth Gamble BoothJennifer BragarSharon & Steve BrennerBarbara BriodyBecky BrownConstance CambrelengBarbara & Barry CaplanJerome & Wilma CaplanJacqueline ChandlerSam ChaseCarol & Sy ChestlerBeverly ChristmanGerald CoganIlaine CohenDavid CohenGina ColeCongregation Beth IsraelCy & Martha CookEmily CooperJake CoppolaBarbara & Rob CrookeGustavo J. Cruz, Jr.Jim & Kathleen DahlmanCarol Danish

Arthur & Winnifred DannerJames & Ilene DavidsonDavid & Susan DeckerDelanie DelimontPoramek (Mac) DengsotBill & Brenda DervilleChuck DiamondLillian DiGiacomoNikki & Stuart DirectorMark Dorhmann & Julie

DurkheimerAaron & David DouglasStacey DycusElephant’s DelicatessenHeather & Jeff ElliottGenevieve EllisCindy EvansJames FavilleRupert Fixott, DMDBrian & Kathy FleenerLisa FrankCharles FrasierJanet FriedmanSuzanne GallagherJanet GallagherRichard & Sue GarberArlene GarrisonDonn & Jan GassawayLesley & Bob GlasgowSusan GoldenJennifer GoldsmithSteve GreenwoodBonny GroshongWendy Guttmann & Jeff MenasheMeryl & Gordon HaberDianna Hanken-HuJanet Hansen-TracyMargaret HassonHal Hendrix & Terri WarrenMary Ellen HigginsMatthew Warren HollowayDave & Judy HooffOlivia Horgan

Cal & Sally HornDr. Marjorie J HrbekPam HuffRuth & Frank HuglinLisa JamesFred JeibmannJesuit High School AlumniEllin & Fletcher JohnsonWeston & Sarah JohnsonRabbi Rachel JosephSharon & John JoyceKristine JurgensonJan & James KasameyerTrudy KayserChristopher KingLyle KingGilbert & Jennifer KlemannDavid & Jennifer Director KnudsenSusan Korey & Merritt LinnJoan KruseSandy KurthKaren LabingerBarbara & Stuart LangCraig & Linda LangleyGary Larsen & Barbara

DurkheimerDonna LarsonMeg Larson & Dick LewisJuliana LaurenzoHoeman LewLydia & Derek LipmanJoyce & Stanley LoebRichard & Diane LowensohnBob LustbergNancy & Jack MacDonaldCarey & Dan MacNaughtonRuth MarquisLouise & Richard MarshCaryn MayLiz & Ruben MenasheRoz & Sol MenasheToinette & Vic MenasheAlice & Paul Meyer

Lora & Jim MeyerAlan & Lana MillerBarney & Susan MilsteinTheodore & Kerri-Lynn MorrisRobert & Jane MorrowGail Nakata, DMDRobert & Carolyn NeighborJillian NelsonDavid & Marjorie NewmanJeanne NewmarkFr. Steve & Sandy NorcrossFrank & Bonnie NusserLinda OstomelAndrea OverbeckRaymond & Dorothy PackouzThomas Palmer & Ann CarterThe Parish of St. MarkSylvia & Gary PearlmanCarol PowelsonBrooke, Gabe, & Aaron PrestonLarry Price & Martha LussenhopBarbara PrigohzyAbby Director QuinnShirley & Alvin RacknerWilliam & Dottie RectorDan Reisberg & Friderike HeuerJanet & Larry RichardsCheryl & Dave RichardsonJulie RichardsonMary & Peter RobertsLaurie & Bert RogowayAlan & Eve RosenfeldElise RosenfeldJanis Shliefer RosenfeldRosmarie RosenfeldSally Rosenfeld & Andrew FrankRose RustinBunny & Jerry SadisLoree & Ken SakaiPeter SargentBarb & Jack SchwartzPatricia & Julius ScogginsSeams to Fit

Charitable Giving Through Your IRACongress passed legislation to extend the IRA Charitable Rollover for 2013.

If you are age 70½ or older, you are eligible to transfer up to $100,000 tax-free from your IRA directly to a qualified charity.

This amount will count against your required minimum distribution.

We invite you to consider Lift Urban Portland to be that charity. Our tax ID is 93-0923775.

Please contact Delanie Delimont, Lift Urban Portland’s Executive Director, for more information about tax deductible donations.

SELCO Community Credit UnionJinny ShipmanDesi ShubinJoseph & Stacey Strade SquiresEllen & Charles StearnsBruce StradeNaomi StraussSharon TarlowBetty TrudeauEd & Joyce TylerTony & Bianca UrdesUS BankKay Van PattenCarolyn Vanderslice

6

Lift Urban Portland

Thank you to the people and organizations that contributed to Lift Urban Portland during our last fiscal quarter. Our list of in-kind gifts is listed on our website, www.LiftUrbanPortland.org.

Every effort was made to ensure the accuracy of these lists. If you see an error, please contact us at (503) 221-1224.

Linda & Larry VeltmanLarry & Dorie VollumPastor Melinda WagnerNorman & Suzan WapnickCarolyn & Gary WeinsteinElaine & Sandy WeinsteinJoella WerlinKay & Ken WolfeRichard L. YoungJanet & Alan ZellTracy Zitzelberger

In celebration of our 53rd Wedding AnniversaryStan & Joyce Loeb

In honor of Stephen AlexanderAaron & David Douglas

In honor of Carole BarkleyAaron & David Douglas

In honor of Gwyneth Gamble BoothStephen Bloom

In honor of Sam ChaseJacqueline Chandler

In honor of Rick ChristmanBeverly Christman

In honor of Talia Rose Cohen on her first birthdayJennifer BragarDavid CohenEmily CooperOlivia HorganChristopher KingLyle KingJuliana LaurenzoJillian NelsonBrooke, Gabe, & Aaron Preston

In honor of Nikki DirectorMark Dohrmann & Julie DurkheimerAaron & David DouglasDavid & Jennifer Director KnudsenAbby Director Quinn

In honor of GodPastor Melinda Wagner

In honor of Alan GoldsmithJennifer Goldsmith

In honor of Preston HoltRobert & Carolyn Neighbor

In honor of Joyce LoebLisa JamesAlan & Lana Miller

In honor of Stan & Joyce LoebDonna Larson

In honor of Emma MayCaryn May

In honor of Lora & Jim MeyerElaine & Sandy Weinstein

In honor of Ellen StearnsTracy Zitzelberger

In honor of Ed & Joyce TylerCy & Martha Cook

In honor of Betsy WarrenBarb & Jack Schwartz

In honor of Alan Rosenfeld for his special birthdayNikki & Stuart Director

Tributes & Celebrations

7

When you donate your used vehicle to Lift Urban Portland,

we transform the proceeds into things such as food, backpacks, wellness materials, and other

items to help our neighborhood members thrive.

Volunteers of America serves as our vehicle donation partner. The process is fast and free.

Contact Darr Durham at Lift Urban Portland,

(503) 221-1224, and she will guide the way with

great donation ideas.

Turn your vehicle into community

support

In honor of Alan & Eve RosenfeldJay & Suzanne AlbertRoz & Jeffrey BabenzerDavid & Carol BakerKaren BlauerJerome & Wilma CaplanCarol & Sy ChestlerCongregation Beth IsraelCarol DanishMark Dohrmann & Julie DurkheimerHeather & Jeff ElliottLisa FrankMeryl & Gordon HaberMarilyn HassonRabbi Rachel JosephJoyce & Stanley LoebRichard & Diane LowensohnRuth MarquisLiz & Ruben MenasheToinette & Vic MenasheLora & Jim MeyerAndrea OverbeckSylvia & Gary PearlmanLaurie & Bert RogowayElise RosenfeldJanis Shleifer RosenfeldSally Rosenfeld & Andrew FrankBunny & Jerry SadisLoree & Ken SakaiLinda & Larry VeltmanElaine & Sandy WeinsteinJoella WerlinJanet & Alan Zell

In honor of Sally Rosenfeld & Andy Frank

Alan & Eve Rosenfeld

In memory of Laura BolligerNikki & Stuart DirectorElaine & Sandy Weinstein

In memory of Brian BoothEllIn & Fletcher JohnsonThomas Palmer & Ann CarterMary & Peter Roberts

In memory of Marilyn ForseElaine & Sandy Weinstein

In memory of Carol GaiserTerri Warren

In memory of Scott HinsdaleNikki & Stuart Director

In memory of Bob PalmerNikki & Stuart Director

In memory of Jahan PatchArthur & Winnifred Danner

Fall 2013

Every Christmas Day, Lift Urban Portland partners with Congregation Beth Israel to share a community dinner with low-income neighbors in Northwest and Downtown Portland. Up to 500 people receive Christ-mas dinners with all the trimmings. Every guest receives a take-home

goody bag, filled with hygiene items and a few treats.

• Anti-bacterial hand wipes• Ball point pens• Calendars (pocket size or larger)• Coffee packets• Dental floss• Emery boards• Fruit juice boxes• Greeting cards (all occasions)• Hand-warmers• Hot chocolate (individual packages)• Laundry soap (single-use boxes)• Liquid hand sanitizer (pocket-sized)• Notepads• Purse-size tissue packets

• Raisins (single serve boxes)• Razors (disposable)• Tea• Toothpaste (8 oz tubes)• Tylenol™ (small pill packs)

YOUR GOODIES CAN MAKE CHRISTMAS COMPLETE!

We need your help with “stocking stuffers” for the 500 goody bags.Here’s our wish list of the things we need:

How you can help . . .

If you can provide 500, 250, 100, or even just a handful, please let us know by contacting:Darr Durham, (503) 221-1224 • Darr@LiftUrbanPortland.org.

2701 NW Vaughn, Suite 102Portland, OR 97210www.LiftUrbanPortland.org

Return Service Requested

NONPROFIT ORGU.S. Postage

PAIDPortland OR

Permit No. 1572

Guests at our Garden Party, sketched by artist, filmmaker

and author Jan Baross.www.janbaross. com.