Food Pantry Service Hours Changing

Please make a note of the following change and share the information with anyone who may need it. (Click image at right for flier.)

Beginning July 1, 2010, the hours of operation for Northwest Portland Ministry's (NWPM) Food Pantry will change. The new service hours are from 12:00 noon to 2:00 p.m. on Tuesdays and Fridays at First Immanuel Lutheran Church, 1808 NW Irving Street.

A new ramp was recently built at First Immanuel Lutheran so that recipients can better access services in the building. Use of the ramp is being coordinated with another program co-located in the lower level, Rose Haven, which needs ramp access in the morning. NWPM Food Pantry recipients using scooters and wheelchairs will now be able to enter the pantry - and those with carts of food can exit the building more easily - during the new afternoon hours (starting at 12:30).

The NWPM Food Pantry serves people residing at NW Portland addresses, and we extend south to include the triangle south of Burnside to Taylor and east to SW 10th. A map of our service area is available by clicking here. For more information about the Food Pantry, click here.

• We will continue to deliver emergency food boxes to those who are ill or otherwise unable to make it to the food pantry to shop for themselves. Food box delivery happens regularly by special arrangement.
• Volunteer drivers can provide rides on Tuesdays (arranged in advance) for those who need help getting home with their groceries.
• Ramp access prior to July 1, 2010 can be scheduled between 12:30-1:00 by contacting: Kelly Caldwell (503) 221-1224 ext. 105 or kelly@nwpm.org

Rides home from the Pantry on Tuesdays...

Rides are now available to Northwest Portland Ministries' Food Pantry at 1808 NW Irving St. (First Immanuel Lutheran Church - map). It is open Tuesdays & Fridays from 11:00am to 1:00pm. NWPM provides transportation services by donation. If you need help getting home from the Northwest Portland Ministries (NWPM) Emergency Food Pantry with your groceries, we have volunteers available on Tuesdays to drive you. Please call the office one day in advance to let us know that you’d like a ride home, and we’ll have a volunteer ready for you! Other rides require three days notice & are for those age 60 and older.Please call NWPM, Inc. at 503-221-1224. Our office is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Print and share the flyer - click here. To learn more about NWPM's transportation program, go here.

NWPM Food Pantry Schedule & New Service Area

NWPM Food Pantry Hours:
• Every Tuesdays and Fridays from 11:00am to 1:00pm
• 2nd Wednesday of each month from 10:00 am to 10:30am for Harvest Share Day (free produce distribution).
Location: First Immanuel Church, 1808 N.W. Irving St.

Our Food Pantry service area has expanded! In addition to the Northwest neighborhood north of W Burnside, we have extended our service area to include residents in the downtown area north of SW Taylor Street and west of SW 10th Avenue.(map)

Portable Pantry Premieres

On Monday, March 30th, volunteers and staff delivered and staged food from our warehouse in the reception area of Rosenbaum Plaza, an 80-unit apartment building in downtown Portland for low-income and disabled residents. Most of the residents we served are not able to get to the Pantry on their own, nor would they be able to transport any meaningful supply of food back to their homes. During this event, we helped a number of residents get the food up and into their apartments.
This video provides a little more context of our first Portable Pantry than the slide-show at the bottom of the blog. After volunteers set up the food, they assisted in checking-in residents and helped them with food selection.

Speaking of service, the City of Portland named this facility in 1976 in honor of Fred M. Rosenbaum for his dedication to service in his community. Click here to read more about Mr. Rosenbaum.

Evolution of the NWPM Food Pantry

Some pics and video that show how far we've come getting the Pantry up and running.

Opportunities with the Northwest Portland Ministries Emergency Food Pantry

Northwest Portland Minstries adopted an emergency food bank program last December. We’ve been running it “as-is” this year, as we've learned more about how food banks work and about what our community needs. We are now gearing up to make significant improvements and changes. Read more in our newsletter, then see below for the many related volunteer opportunities available.

If you are interested in volunteering, please contact Kelly@nwpm.org.

Shop the Docks on Monday Morning at the Oregon Food Bank Warehouse: Job Description: Choose one or more Monday morning (between 9:30-AM-12:30 PM) per month. Select fresh produce at OFB (7900 NE 33rd) and deliver to the NWPM Food Pantry (1808 NW Irving) for our regular Tuesday distribution day. Help put away fresh produce & stock shelves.

Staff the Food Box During Open Hours: Tues & Fri. 10:30-1:30 (2 x a month) Job Description: Greet clients and sign them in, Assist with filling food requests, stock shelves, maintain neat shelves and racks. Basic clean-up duties. Address: 1806 NW Irving, First Immanuel Lutheran Church

Warehouse Volunteer: (Flexible Scheduling) Job Description: Help sort & pack up donated food. Help get items from the NWPM Warehouse (2145 NW Overton) to our distribution site (1808 NW Irving). Vehicle required.

Delivery Person: Help get perishables out into the community -quickly-via our Community Share Program. Vehicle, Bike trailer or little red wagon needed. Flexible scheduling.

Make clear & attractive signs! Do you have great art & design skills? We need basic signs made helping recipients know how many of various items are available for them to select, pictures of food, numbers & other such.

Food Box Team Leaders: We are looking for a few very responsible volunteers who can take the lead for volunteer-run shifts during distribution hours or for stocking work parties. Must be willing to open, close & supervise other volunteers. Advanced Training provided.

Friday Morning Trader Joe's Gleaning: Job Description: Use your large vehicle to pick up several bags of donated produce and other perishables at about 9 AM (2 Fridays a month) to be distributed that day. If you don’t have a car, you can still help us sort the donated food!

Bread Pick-up at Franz Bakery (NE 19th & Everett): On Wednesdays at 8:15 AM a volunteer gets bread for use in the Food For Kids BackPack Program, and delivers it to the NWPM Warehouse at 2145 NW Overton.

Organize a Food Drive for NWPM Nutrition Program: At your work, school, congregation, or via a party! Assistance available!

Food Pantry Recycling Volunteer: we need help managing the many boxes & other materials. Flexible schedule, vehicle required.

Handy People & Plumber Wanted!: NWPM is looking for a skilled plumber to donate his/her time to put in a sink in our food pantry. We also need people to create shelving, fix things etc. All expenses paid. Talk to Kelly for specifics.

Please note: If addressing hunger is of interest to you please know we’d love your help. If these opportunities are not a fit, we’d like to hear how you’d like to contribute!

Contact Kelly@nwpm.org

If you know anyone or any organizations that might be able to supply volunteers, please click the small white envelope below to forward this post to them!

NWPM Emergency Food Program: More Space, New Process

From the Fall 2008 Newsletter: As you probably know, Northwest Portland Minstries adopted an emergency food bank program last December. We’ve been running it “as-is” this year, as we learned more about how food banks work and about what our community needs. We are now gearing up to make significant improvements and changes.

In November 2008, the NWPM Food Bank distribution center moves to a bigger space in First Immanuel Lutheran Church’s campus at 1808 NW Irving Street.

This new location gives us the opportunity to change to a “choice-based model,” which means that recipients will choose what they need instead of being given a pre-packaged food box.

Research has shown that when food bank programs use a choice model for food distribution, the system runs at a much lower cost, meets hunger needs better and more efficiently, respects recipients’ individuality, preserves their dignity, and gives them more food choices.

As part of this evolution, there will be a staffing change. Kelly Caldwell, the NWPM Volunteer Program Manager, and Preston Holt, longtime volunteer, board member, and chair of the NWPM Nutrition Program Steering Committee, will share the job of coordinating the program.

This change will bring an increased need for volunteer help, both during the transition and on a weekly basis. In the short term we will need people with carpentry and organizing skills to help get our new space set up and running.

We need three volunteers per shift to staff the food bank during open hours. For the time being, the distribution center will continue to be open every Tuesday and Friday from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and on the fourth Monday of the month from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m.

We also need volunteers to stock the shelves and to work at our warehouse on Mondays and Thursdays at 11:00 a.m.—or at another time arranged with the coordinators.

We also need help organizing food drives at local congregations and businesses.

If you are interested in contributing or
volunteering, contact Kelly or Preston by
phone at 503-221-1224 or by e-mail:
Kelly@nwpm.org or Preston@nwpm.org.