Dear neighbor,

The waiting is the hardest part. Just as a watched pot never boils, a watched electoral college map never reaches 270. Here at Lift UP, we believe in the strength of our democracy. Every vote counts, and every vote must be counted. While we wait, we encourage you to take a deep breath and prepare a little comfort food.

One of the things I like most about Lift UP is, it’s all about food. No matter what is happening in the world, food brings us together. Whether you’re celebrating or mourning, food comforts us all. Food builds and binds communities and it’s something we all have in common. We all need to eat, right? On that we are united.

This week, I had the honor of packing the fresh food bags alongside a few other marvelous and socially distanced volunteers at our warehouse. Every delivered food box client receives a box filled with about two weeks-worth of nutritionally specific non-perishables; beans, rice, sauces, peanut butter, tuna, etc. They also receive a bag packed with perishable goodies; frozen proteins, eggs, cheese and an impressively delicious assortment of fresh fruits and vegetables.

As a food-obsessed volunteer, I am so proud of the quality and variety of the food we provide our clients. I envision clients receiving their Lift UP food, cooking up something magical in their kitchens, gathering within their social pods, and lifting each other up with a warm and nutritious meal.

Food is comfort and I am grateful to all the donors and volunteers that make it possible for the people we serve to experience the comfort food can bring, too.

To share a little comfort food, we’re including a recipe for a healthy and delicious soup created, and shared, by Jenn Louis, our resident chef, cookbook author, volunteer and board member. Enjoy!

Sincerely,
Alex Pentland, Lift UP Board Member

Supë Me Domate

This simple chicken, tomato and rice soup is a quick and satisfying meal. Versions of the dish add cream. Using white meat, chicken breast or tenders cuts the cooking time, but be sure to cook the chicken gently and slowly to retain a tender texture.

Serves 4–6

2 tablespoons rendered chicken fat or vegetable oil

1 onion, cut into 5 mm (1⁄4 in) cubes

3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

150 g (51⁄2 oz/3⁄4 cup) white long-grain rice 

1450 ml (49 fl oz/6 cups) water or Chicken Stock

840 g (1 lb 14 oz/4 cups) whole canned tomatoes, puréed, or diced fresh tomatoes

1 tablespoon salt

670 g (11⁄2 lb) chicken breast or tenders, cut into bite-sized pieces

Heat the chicken fat or oil in a large pot over a medium–high heat. Add the onions and garlic and cook for 3–4 minutes until the onions begin to become translucent. Add the rice and stir to coat in the fat. Stir in the water or stock and tomatoes and season with the salt. Bring to a low simmer and cook for 10–12 minutes until the rice is tender. Increase the heat to low–medium, stir in the chicken and cook for 3–4 minutes until cooked through. The low heat will keep the chicken tender. Adjust the seasoning to taste.

Photo credit: Ed Anderson

Recipe from Chicken Soup Manifesto by Jenn Louis

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.