Dear friend,

At Lift UP, our mission is to reduce hunger and improve the lives of low-income residents of Northwest and Downtown Portland. We envision a Portland where everyone has access to healthy food and opportunities to connect with others.

We’re incredibly proud of the work we do, but ideally, we’d rather be out of business. Despite being a crucial lifeline for so many of our neighbors over the past 40 years, food justice means that no one would need to depend on us for ongoing access to healthy, nutritious food.

The economic impacts of the pandemic affected everyone, but disproportionately affected people who were just making enough to get by. With the need for access to healthy food doubling in some areas, the pandemic revealed significant cracks in our food system.

To make long term, positive change, we need to improve the system, which is why you’ll see Lift UP lending its voice to advocate for food and social justice on behalf of our clients.

Along with the Oregon Food Bank, William Temple House, and other local food justice non-profits, we’re focused on three areas:

Food Security and Economic Justice

Increased access to nutritious food: Support Oregon Farmers and retailers by expanding Double Up Food Bucks SNAP Match Program at local stores and farmers markets here.

Support emergency food assistance: Sustain the Oregon Hunger Response Fund here.

Safe and Affordable Housing

Support policies that keep Oregonians in their homes. End no-cause evictions.

Immigrant Rights

Strengthen Oregon's Sanctuary Law: Despite Oregon's 30-year old sanctuary law, government agencies across the state routinely share information and collaborate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to target and arrest Oregonians. The Sanctuary Promise Act fills the gap between the protection that Oregonians want and believe our laws to provide, and our current reality.

Our advocacy strengthens our commitment to providing direct services to our clients. Both strategies are essential to achieving our mission to reduce hunger, now and into the future.

I’d love to hear the different ways you’re championing positive changes for food justice in the comments.

Yours in the fight for food and social justice,

Stephanie Barr
Executive Director

May is API Heritage Month!

To celebrate Asian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, our friends at the Asian Pacific American Network of Oregon (APANO)  have scheduled a variety of informational events focused on Anti-Racism and Support for the Portland community.

To see a full schedule of events, click here.

Lift UP stands in solidarity with our API community and organizations like APANO that bring to life the just, holistic, equitable, and empowering world we want to inhabit.

Food brings us together.