Dear friend,

Lift UP cordially invites you to join us for our annual event
MAKING CONNECTIONS 2021: Moving from Scarcity to Abundance
on Thursday, August 19, 2021, from 5:30pm to 6:30pm.

This year’s virtual event will highlight Preston’s Pantry. Join us for an inside look at the abundance of Preston’s Pantry, a constant source of nutrition and hope over the past year. Event details and links to our exciting online auction and raffle will be sent soon. Registration is free, and all are welcome.

We hope to celebrate with you on the 19th of August!

Senate Bill 282

It’s a fact that we can’t end hunger for good without ensuring that everyone has access to safe, affordable, and accessible housing. COVID-19 pandemic and its subsequent economic fallout has put our systems to the test. 

Oregon Food Bank has taken collective action to pass Senate Bill 282, which will give renters more time to pay any back rent they owe. On June 30th, Oregon’s eviction moratorium will end, and all Oregon renters will owe rent on July 1. From then on, if tenants cannot pay rent, they can be evicted.

We need Senate Bill 278.

The Oregon Emergency Rental Assistance Program is live and has received a huge number of requests for support. If we don’t act now, many applicants - disproportionately Black, Indigenous, and People of Color Oregonians - could be facing eviction.

Oregon legislators need to hear from us NOW: Pass Senate Bill 278 and prevent a mass wave of evictions and hunger.

Celebrating Juneteenth

This Saturday, June 19, is Juneteenth. Recently recognized as a national holiday, Juneteenth marks the day when federal troops arrived in Texas in to take control of the state and ensure that all enslaved people be freed, a full two and a half years after the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation. Juneteenth honors the end to slavery in the United States and is considered the longest-running African American holiday.

Red is the color associated with the holiday, as it symbolizes sacrifice and transition. As with many holidays, food plays a central role. Celebrations typically include red foods like red velvet cake, red beverages, and barbecued meats. Popular sides including corn bread, collard greens, and cabbage represent prosperity, good fortune and wealth in Black history.

The podcast Code Switch has a new episode discussing the importance of food in celebrating Juneteenth. Listen to it here. You can learn more about virtual 2021 Juneteenth Oregon Celebrations here. To learn more about local Black history, we encourage you to check out Oregon Black Pioneers and Oregon Health and Sciences University’s History and Resources in Observance of Juneteenth. May this Juneteenth be both a cause for celebration and call for continued collective action towards racial justice.

Gratefully,

The Lift UP Team

Food brings us together.