Dear neighbor,

Fall is officially here, and with it launches the Lift UP Fall Food and Fund Drive! With September being National Hunger Action Month, it is the perfect time to partner with our neighbors to raise food and fight hunger!

Food insecurity continues to rise, and sourcing healthy, nutritious food is still a challenge. Because 35% of our Delivered Food Boxes are customized to meet the specific nutritional requirements of our most vulnerable neighbors, we are asking for specific items that our clients can confidently enjoy without concern.

Most Wanted Food List

• Low Sodium Foods – soups, canned vegetables, prepared foods (under 140 mg of sodium)
• Oatmeal, cereal, and breakfast items
• Canned tuna, chicken, and other proteins
• Canned or dried beans
• Peanut butter and alternative nut butters
• Reduced sugar canned fruits, vegetables, and sauces
• Shelf stable milk – dairy or dairy-alternative
• Whole grain pasta
• Brown rice
• Gluten-free pasta, snacks, soups, and breakfast items

How to Participate

Host a Food Drive
Promote a date and time for food collection. Get the word out to your community, neighbors, fellow congregants, co-workers. Lift UP can provide barrels and digital signage to help promote your food drive. Download a Fall Food and Fund Drive Guide on our website.

Collect Funds for Lift UP Food Purchasing
For every $5 donated, Lift UP is able to purchase food for 15 meals. Host a fund drive and collect “virtual” food for Lift UP! We can supply posters and stickers so you can measure the growth of your impact on hunger in our community.

Make Donations through our Amazon List
Purchases are made anonymously through Amazon and distributed directly to our community. We keep the list updated with our most wanted items. Connect your Amazon account with Amazon Smile and a portion of your purchase is donated back to Lift UP!

Lift Up would love to highlight our partnerships in the community. We will help promote your Food and Fund Drive on our website as well as social media channels. Just contact our Community Engagement Manager Brett at brett@lifturbanportland.org with your social media handles and hashtags!

Thank you for feeding our neighbors in a time of great need.

Advocacy Action: The Build Back Better Act

It’s no secret that the pandemic has worsened hunger in communities throughout Oregon and Southwest Washington. Nearly 1.7 million people sought food assistance through the Oregon Food Bank Network over the past year- that's nearly double the number of people facing food insecurity pre-pandemic. COVID-19 has exacerbated existing disparities and inequities in our communities. 

With the Build Back Better Act, Congress has a historic opportunity to address food insecurity, reduce poverty and strengthen our communities. Join us in urging our U.S. Senators and Representatives to support anti-hunger priorities, including:

• Allowing states like Oregon to enact universal school meals
• Food assistance for students and families in the summer months when school meals are unavailable
• Extension of enhanced Child Tax Credits that are proven to reduce hunger
• Universal access to Pre-K for 3- and 4-year olds
• Pathways to citizenship for immigrant Americans, which strengthens the foundation of our food systems and helps people pursue their dreams.

We need Congress to take action now to support people facing hunger and poverty — there's no time to waste!

Sincerely,

The Lift UP Team