Dear friend,
Eric is a helper by nature. At 85, he still loves giving back. After a 40-year career as a professor, he retired to the U.S. to care for his grandchildren. Once they grew up and left for college—Cornell and Stanford, he proudly shares—Eric felt called to serve in new ways, starting right in his own senior community.
When Eric moved to Portland 10 years ago, he and his wife were drawn to the city's public transportation for the independence it offered as they aged. Soon after, a neighbor introduced him to Preston's Pantry, where he began shopping for fresh, nutritious foods that are an essential part of his diet. Access to fresh produce at the pantry allows Eric and his Mandarin Chinese neighbors to save money for culturally vital staples like soy sauce, vinegars, and fresh fish—items that are often expensive and unaffordable on a fixed income.
Seeing the difference Preston's Pantry made, Eric became a Resident Advocate with Lift UP, helping his neighbors access food programs. His building, where the median age is in the mid-80s, is home to seniors in their 90s and even 100s. Many rely on Lift UP's Preston's Pantry services to meet their basic food needs.
Eric also volunteers weekly at Preston's Pantry, assisting his Mandarin-speaking neighbors during shopping times, and once a month at Lift UP's Free Food Market, a partnership with Legacy Health.
"Without this, I would feel like I am here with nothing to do. I like to help people," Eric says. "Volunteering at Preston's Pantry is easy because people can see the food and point to what they want.”
The pantry's shopping-style layout allows neighbors to choose fresh produce and other essentials with dignity and independence, while Eric provides translation support when needed.
Access to nutritious food at Preston's Pantry, Free Food Market, and through Delivered Groceries provides Eric and his neighbors the ability to enjoy a better quality of life. It's about more than food—it's about dignity, choice, and community.
Join us in providing the fresh food that helps seniors thrive.
By supporting Lift UP's Nourishing Seniors 65+ campaign, you ensure seniors like Eric and his neighbors have access to the fresh food that nourishes their bodies and preserves their independence:
A gift of $100 will provide fresh food for 35 seniors at a pantry pop-up event.
A gift of $250 equals 200 meals for seniors, delivered right to their homes in nutritious food boxes.
With a $500 gift, you can stock Preston's Pantry with a week's worth of fresh produce, ensuring our seniors have access to the wholesome food they need.
A generous gift of $1,000 supports an on-site pantry for an affordable housing community for an entire half a year for an affordable housing community for half a year.
With your help, Lift UP can continue to provide stability, health, and independence to Portland's senior community. Together, we can ensure Seniors have the food they need to thrive
With Gratitude,
Stephanie Barr, Executive Director
Food brings us together.
