Dear neighbor,

How are you feeling? I ask because election week took a lot out of me. At Lift UP, we noticed the toll that political anxieties took on the people we served last week. The weight of election stress, spikes in COVID-19, and the ongoing racial justice protests feels heavy. And if it’s heavy for me, the burden on our clients must be substantial.

The relationship between poverty, racism, and hunger is complex, but undeniable. While 77% of the Portland community identifies as white, almost 40% of the people Lift UP serves identify as Black, Indigenous, or a person of color (BIPOC).

Food insecurity disproportionately impacts communities of color, which makes it imperative for our staff and volunteers be welcoming and culturally-responsive as possible. We are committed to our mission to reduce hunger for all of our diverse community.

As we continue to take steps on our equity and justice journey, I look forward to deepening our relationships with the communities we serve. Forging new partnerships, sourcing culturally specific foods, empowering our clients to engage with us in new ways, and communicating in more languages, are just a few of the ways Lift UP is transforming to be better neighbors.

We also want to share a special resource for our BIPOC community members. Lines for Life is a locally operated hotline supporting people experiencing racism. If you or someone you care about needs someone to talk to, Lines for Life is there to listen.

It’s been a heavy year, but we will continue to “lift up” our neighbors. Our commitment to our mission and our community has never been stronger.

Sincerely,

Stephanie Barr
Executive Director

P.S. We wish a warm and heartfelt thank you to veterans on this Veteran's Day. Thank you for your service.

Help deepen the roots of the fight against hunger by joining the Lift UP Sustaining Members Community! Recurring donations provide reliable support for Lift UP and allow us to focus on what matters most: providing access to healthy, nutritious, and fresh food to our neighbors in Northwest and Downtown Portland. Sign up as a new member or increase your current recurring gift. Help us reach our goal of 50 new members, or increased gifts from current Sustaining members, and Lift UP will receive a generous $5,000 matching gift. For more information, check out our website.