Category Archives: family activity

Fundraiser to Support Fresh Food Purchases

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News on Fresh Exchange from KNA member Traci Manning:

It’s that time of year again. The birds are singing, the sun is flirting (the weeds are growing…) and the Farmers Markets are opening!

I’m still involved with Fresh Exchange, a program to raise funds from our community to match food stamps spent at the farmers market. We add to the buying power of our neighbors spending food stamps at the market – dollar for dollar up to $5 per week. They turn around and buy produce from our local farmers to put fruits and veges on their family’s table and support the local economy and food system. More info? http://www.portlandfarmersmarket.org/programs-and-services/snap-participants/

We started two years ago with the opening of King Portland Farmers market. Last year, an amazing group of volunteers worked to create the program at Buckman Portland Farmers Market. The two programs funded an amazing $26,000 in food for our neighbors. A great testament to the generosity of our community. This year, we join forces as Fresh Exchange and serve both markets.

Please join me to celebrate, eat, drink, and be merry at Old Town Pizza on MLK, 5201 NE MLK @ Sumner). Monday, May 16, 5:00 – 8:00 pm. They are a great, local, community and sustainability minded partner/local business.

They’ve got great food, drink, and a big play area for little ones. AND, they donate 30% of everything you spend IF you present the voucher below (or know someone there who’s carrying around a stack of them…).

You can print the voucher by clicking here:
Fresh Exchange OTP Fundraiser 2011

Love to see you there,

Traci

but if you can’t make it, you can still donate here: http://www.portlandfarmersmarket.org/programs-and-services/snap-participants/

Fresh Exchange is a program of the fabulous Northeast Coalition of Neighborhoods and Southeast Uplift, with generous, unflagging support of Portland Farmers Market.

Really long Facebook link: http://www.facebook.com/pages/manage/updates.php?id=112783382095824&sent=1&e=0#!/event.php?eid=203923659647215

Kids Cook at the Market

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From Portland Farmers Market:

Portland Farmers Market Expands its Kids Cook at the Market Program for 2011

Returning season sponsor The International Culinary School at the Art Institute of Portland is teaming up with Portland Farmers Market again this year to offer Kids Cook at the Market, the Market’s deliciously fun cooking program for young chefs-in-training. The program is expanding in 2011 to include “bite-sized” drop-in classes at three neighborhood markets: Buckman, King and Northwest Portland Farmers Markets.

“We’re thrilled to be back at Portland Farmers Market this year, both as a season sponsor and with the Kids Cook program,” said Ken Rubin, Academic Director of The International Culinary School at the Art Institute of Portland. “We are passionate teaching about local food and how to cook it, and the Kids Cook program is a great way to cultivate young chefs and an appreciation for our local bounty.”

Bite Size Kids Cook
Beginning in May 2011, kids can get cookin’ with seasonal produce and recipes at the new Bite Size Kids Cook classes at the Buckman, King and Northwest neighborhood markets. These drop-in cooking classes for children will take place once a month at each location during market hours.

All Bite Size Kids Cook classes, which are made possible by the generous support of season sponsor COUNTRY Financial, are free of charge and open to kids of all ages (though recipes and equipment are geared toward age seven and up).

2011 Bite Size Kids Cook schedule:
MAY
Featured Ingredient: Rockin’ Radishes
King Market: May 29

JUNE
Featured Ingredient: Groovy Greens
King Market: June 19

JULY
Featured Ingredient: Booyah Berries
King Market: July 31

AUGUST
Featured Ingredient: Sassy Summer Squash
King Market: August 28

SEPTEMBER
Featured Ingredient: Terrific Tomatoes
King Market: September 25

King Portland Farmers Market
Sundays from May 1 to October 30
(27 markets)
10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
NE 7th at Wygant between Alberta and Prescott

Portland Farmers Market is generously supported by community partners the Art Institute of Portland, Country Financial and Dave’s Killer Bread.

Get in on the Garage Sale–June 11th

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King will be organizing our first-annual, neighborhood-wide garage sale day on June 11th. By having your own garage sale on that day with your neighbors, we will pool our advertising and get more traffic! Shoppers will be able to navigate using our online map and see details provided by the sellers. Registration is only $5 and will get you on the map as well as a classy yard sign to mark your spot. To register, print the form at: http://kingneighborhood.org/gsalereg.pdf and send it in with a check to us at the address listed. I can’t wait to see what you’ve got in your basement!

SALT Committee to Discuss FoLT Agreement

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The new community leadership organization (Friends of Last Thursday, or FoLT) which seeks to lead the planning of Last Thursday with city mentorship is seeking community members to serve on its steering committee. Last week FoLT distributed an agreement for prospective members to sign indicating that they are supporters of the event and will work to keep it going without additional regulation. A number of community members have expressed concerns that the bar for participating with FoLT in an oversight role as laid out in the agreement is too high.

The FoLT steering committee is apparently down to six members at present, after two of them, Bill Leissner and Jeanne Giles, were removed due to their refusal to sign the agreement. Mr. Leissner said in an email that he and Jeanne were the most outspoken members concerning neighborhood impacts and that he understands that the Community Impact Committee has been eliminated. There will be a discussion of Last Thursday issues at the Northeast Coalition of Neighborhoods’ SALT (Safety and Livability Team) meeting tonight, Monday April 18th, 6:30 pm at NECN, 4815 NE 7th avenue.

View the calendar announcement here.

Read the Friends of Last Thursday agreement here.

Mayor Adams Pledges City Help for Last Thursday, Neighborhoods

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Along with Commissioner Fritz, Mayor Sam Adams sent his own letter to KNA regarding the city’s policy with regards to Last Thursday. The two letters, which arrived in close succession, present a window into a strategic city policy that aims to avoid having the city take sides. The city, those who put on Last Thursday, and the people who enjoy Last Thursday’s unique flavor would like the festival to continue to play it’s role in keeping Portland weird.

Toward the end of giving Last Thursday non-city governance, Friends of Last Thursday is an organization being formed with help from the city to make the event resolve its issues while still being of the community. The city is establishing its own Last Thursday Coordinating Team consisting of representatives from Friends of Last Thursday, members of Mayor Adams’ and Commissioner Fritz’s staff, and an event coordinator who will be a paid city employee.

The mayor pledged that all city agencies will work together to make sure the event meets expectations for safety and livability.  He states that the city is developing new procedures to ensure enforcement of parking and fire safety regulations. 

A “Global Good Neighborhood Bar Agreement” is being developed to deal with impacts that result from the high concentration of liquor licenses on Alberta and other streets in the residential neighborhoods.  He promises that the city will work closely with the OLCC to with alcohol issues.

Finally, the four affected neighborhood associations are asked to join the governing board of Friends of Last Thursday by selecting a delegate to the Steering Committee. The KNA eagerly awaits the coalescence of an organization able to fully address neighbors’ concerns about this monthly festival.

Read Mayor Adams’ letter here.

Read the application to serve on the FoLT Committee here.