Produce for People Program
Our Produce for People (PFP) program, which sprouted in 1995 to combat Portland's high poverty rate, is a grassroots effort in which community gardeners turn their ability to produce food into an opportunity to fulfill the needs of the hungry. In concert with hunger relief agencies, the program seeks to provide Portland's emergency food shelters with fresh, nutritious, organic, locally grown food. Contact the Community Gardens Office to inquire if there is an existing Produce for People program at your garden site.
Produce for People Coordinator
The PFP Coordinator works with the Volunteer Garden Manager to coordinate a PFP Program at their garden site. Position description
If you are interested in becoming a Produce for People Coordinator at your garden site, please contact Kathy Dang at Kathy.Dang@portlandoregon.gov or call 503-823-1612.
How to Start Produce for People at Your Garden
- Volunteer to be the PFP Coordinator at your garden site.
- Find two or three people who want to form a PFP Team.
- Choose a hunger relief agency.
- Establish a pick-up/delivery day and time for when donations are taken to the agency.
- Designate a drop-off site in the garden for gardeners to donate from their own plots.
- Encourage gardeners to plant an extra row for PFP in their garden plots.
- If there are vacant plots in your garden, check with the Community Gardens office about designating a plot for PFP.
- Work with the Volunteer Garden Manager to communicate PFP opportunities to fellow gardeners.
- Delegate weeding, watering, and harvesting of PFP plot.
- Keep accurate records of the weight of all food donated to the service agency. The Community Gardens office will collect donation totals on a quarterly basis.
Resources
How to Join an Existing PFP Program at Your Garden Site
- Contact your PFP Coordinator.
- Join the PFP team at your garden site.
- Acquire plants and seeds to use for PFP.
- Plant an extra row for PFP in your garden plot.
- Donate extra produce from your garden plot.
- Volunteer to deliver produce to local food agencies.
Food pantries and soup kitchens need produce that stores and transports well. Refrigerated space is often limited, so foods that don't require refrigeration are always wanted. Gardeners should wash all produce for donating and use a cooler to store produce for pick-up. Here are some produce recommendations (visit Oregon Food Bank for more information):
- Tomatoes (pick when slightly under-ripe)
- Green beans
- Winter squash (acorn or butternut)
- Garlic
- Hot peppers
- Cucumbers
- Zucchini
- Collard greens
- Onions
How to Choose a Partner Agency
Gardeners choose the recipient of their PFP donations. Each garden must coordinate pick-ups or deliveries with the recipient of their choice. Please see the list of food banks in Multnomah County.
We have established relationships with the following food donation sites. If your partner agency is not listed, please contact us so we can add them to our list.
Central City Concern
232 NW Sixth Ave
Portland, OR 97209
503-294-1681
www.centralcityconcern.org
Clackamas Service Center
Kristen Herron, RD, LD
Health & Nutrition Support Specialist
8800 SE 80 Ave
Portland, OR 97206
503-771-7914
kristenherron@cscoregon.org
www.cscoregon.org
Fish Emergency Service, Inc.
1335 SE Hawthorne Blvd
Portland, OR 97214
503-233-5533
www.fishemergencyservice.org
Native American Youth and Family Center
5135 NE Columbia Blvd
Portland, OR 97218
503-288-8177
http://www.nayapdx.org/
NE Emergency Food Program
Howard Kenyon, Program Manager
Jennifer Broussard, Project Coordinator, Luther Memorial
4800 NE 72 Ave
Portland, OR 97218
503-284-5470
nefp@emoregon.org
www.emoregon.org/NE_food_program.php
Neighborhood House
7780 SW Capitol Hwy
Portland, OR 97219
503-246-1663
nhpdx.org/
Portland Housing Authority/Sellwood
1724 SE Tenino
Portland, OR 97202
503-280-3940
http://homeforward.org/find-a-home/get-an-apartment/sellwood-center
Oregon Food Bank
7900 NE 33 Drive
Portland, OR 97211
503-282-0555 or 1-800-777-7427
http://www.oregonfoodbank.org/
Salvation Army
5325 N. Williams Ave
Portland, OR 97217
503-493-3925
http://salvationarmyportland.org/
St Francis Assisi Catholic Church Dining Hall
131 SE Oak
Portland, OR 97214
503-232-5880
http://stfranpdx.catholicweb.com/index.cfm
SUN School Pantry at Early Boyles School
Susie Barb, Food Pantry Assistant Coordinator
Earl Boyles & Shaver Elementary SUN Program
503-256-6554 x8105
FoodPantry1@metfamily.org
Metropolitan Family Service
Two Rivers Center, Loaves & Fishes
9009 N. Foss
Portland, OR 97203
503-953-8210
http://www.mealsonwheelspeople.org/programs/meal-centers/two-rivers-center/
To add your organization to the list, contact Kathy.Dang@portlandoregon.gov or 503-823-1612.