Tag Archives: foodshare fund NE

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

King Farmers Market to Add New Vendors, Open May 1

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From Portland Farmers Market:

Spring is slowly but surely coming, and with it comes the reopening of the popular King Portland Farmers Market! Our opening day for 2011 is Sunday, May 1 at 10 AM. New vendors for 2011 include:
• Eatin’ Alive, a bicycle powered mobile vending station that believes in harnessing raw energy in both transport and cooking. A Portland company, they use all organic, locally grown produce to create seasonal, freshly prepared raw snacks such as: seed and nut pates, wild crafted pesto, garden wraps, a variety of prepared salads, and delicious sweet treats.
• Good Natured Gardens, a small, family run vegetable and herb farm located on Sauvie Island that grows a wide verity of heirloom produce and seedlings using organic methods to insure the highest quality.
• KCK Farms, is a family owned and operated nursery in the heart of the Willamette Valley of Oregon offering fresh cut peonies, bare root, containerized trees and perennials.
• Trailhead Coffee Roasters, the bike-based Portland coffee roaster featuring coffees produced by women farmers and served from Trailhead’s rolling bike cafe.
Continue reading →

Foodshare Fund Northeast Scales Back Program

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news from the Northeast Coalition of Neighborhoods:

Due to Increased Popularity and Demand, Foodshare Fund Northeast Scales Back Token Matching Program

Beginning August 1, local incentive program will match up to $5 in SNAP funds spent at King Portland Farmers Market instead of $10.
Portland, Ore., July 29, 2010 – The Northeast Coalition of Neighborhoods Inc, (NECN) today announced the reduction from $10 to $5 in matching funds distributed through the Foodshare Fund Northeast (FFNE) program offered in partnership with the Portland Farmers Market (PFM), the nonprofit 501(c)6 organization, who operates the King Portland Farmers Market held on Sundays in the King neighborhood of Northeast Portland.

Foodshare Fund Northeast, a project of the Northeast Coalition of Neighborhoods – a community-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation dedicated to highly inclusive civic engagement and innovative community initiatives in Portland’s inner North and Northeast neighborhoods – FFNE was launched in early July 2009 to increase access to fresh, nutritious food for low income residents of North and Northeast Portland. The successful local neighborhoods project is truly volunteer-driven, community-funded and staff-supported. It also serves as a model partnership between two different organizations, NECN and PFM, where missions are complementary and benefit the greater community.

Funded by individuals and local businesses, FFNE offers a limited dollar-for-dollar match to SNAP participants using their EBT cards to purchase $1 tokens at the King Market. For the first three months of the current market season, the maximum amount was $10 per person perweek, but due to the significant increase in weekly shoppers, that amount has been reduced to $5 for the duration of the market season, which runs through October.

FFNE co-chair and Northeast neighbor Traci Manning shared, “The program has drawn more and more regular shoppers week after week. In filling their bags with local produce and other goods, we’ve been filling a great need in the North/Northeast neighborhood. Unfortunately, it also means that the funds are being depleted faster than we had budgeted.”

She added, “Rather than risk running out of funds before the end of the season, we have decided to reduce the match back to its original $5 level effective August 1. Although we will still need to secure additional funds to get through the full season, we’re confident we will get the necessary support. Our goal is to have excess funds for the start of next season.”

By most measures, FFNE has been a resounding success. Since its inception, FFNE has raised $22,000 from neighborhood associations, local businesses, community groups, and individuals, and has served 2,500 people. NECN’s Board of Directors and its neighborhood associations have generously contributed to the Fund for two years in a row. Prior to the program, EBT customers made up just 1% of market customers. That number has risen steadily since the match was introduced, and EBT customers now account for 6% of all market customers. EBT spending at the market rose from an average of $2000 a month before the match to more than $6000 a month with the match. The fund has also inspired a sister project, Fresh Exchange, which began this year at the Buckman Portland Farmers Market in Southeast Portland.

Oregon ranks number two in the nation for the number of citizens that experience food insecurity (source: OregonHunger.org). In 2009, one in six Oregonians received SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly known as the Food Stamp Program) benefits. Individuals and businesses interested in contributing to FFNE can make an online donation via the NECN website (please indicate that it is intended for FFNE) or send a check made out to the Northeast Coalition of Neighborhoods-Foodshare Fund Northeast” to: “Northeast Coalition of Neighborhoods (NECN), 4815 NE 7th Avenue, Portland, OR 97211. For further information about the program, contact Paige Coleman, Executive Director at 503 823-3151 or Imani Muhammad, Community Initiatives Coordinator at 503-823-4264. Shoppers are welcome at the King Portland Farmers Market every Sunday through October 31, 2010 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. It is located at NE 7th and Wygant between NE Alberta and NE Prescott, in the parking lot adjacent to King Elementary School.

Build-a-Burger for Foodshare Fund NE

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Enjoy a fresh, local Burger and Support Foodshare Fund NE! Please join us on the Sunday, 4th of July for “Build-a-Burger!” at King Portland Farmers Market. Get a $5 meat or veggie burger fresh grilled at the market from 11 am – 1 pm. The market is situated beside a park with play equipment, making for a perfect holiday picnic.

Foodshare Fund Northeast, a project of the Northeast Coalition of Neighborhoods (NECN), is in its second year of providing matching funds for our neighbors using food stamps to buy fresh, local food at the market. Nearly one in five Oregonians is now receiving food stamps, 39% of them children.

This year, in response to a growing and urgent need, we’ve expanded the program. Foodshare Fund NE provides funds from our community — businesses, community groups, neighbors — to match food stamps spent at King dollar for dollar, up to $10 per week. Last year, the average match was $234 per Sunday. This year it has risen to $1000 per Sunday. Help us meet our goal to run this project through the full season until October without running out of matching funds.

Please join us and celebrate July Fourth with a Burger!

If you can’t be there but would like to donate, you can do so at the market every week at the NECN info booth, on-line through PayPal at www.necoalition.org (specify “Foodshare Fund” in comments), or by mail, 4815 NE 7th Avenue, Portland, OR 97211-3939.

Many thanks!

Paige

Paige S. Coleman, Executive Director
Northeast Coalition of Neighborhoods

Build-a-Burger to Fight Hunger

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Photo by Kenneth Aaron all rights reserved

The King Portland Farmers Market is in full swing Sundays from 10 am until 2 pm at the King neighborhood facility, NE 7th & Wygant.

Foodshare Fund Northeast, a project of the Northeast Coalition of Neighborhoods (NECN), is also in full swing. For our second year we are providing a matching funds for our neighbors using food stamps to buy fresh, local food at the market. This year, in response to a growing and urgent need, we’ve expanded the program. Nearly one in five Oregonians are now receiving food stamps, 39% of them children. Foodshare Fund NE provides funds from our community — businesses, community groups, neighbors — to match food stamps spent at King dollar for dollar, up to $10 per week. Last year, the average match was $234 per Sunday. This year it has been $896 per Sunday.

Foodshare Fund NE is privileged to be able to support our neighbors during this time with fresh, local food and to support our local farmers and food system. If you’d like the opportunity to help, contact us at traci17@comcast.net or through our Facebook page “Foodshare Fund NE”. If you’d like to donate, you can do so at the market every week at the NECN info booth, on-line through PayPal at portland.necoalition.org (specify “Foodshare Fund” in comments), or by mail, 4815 NE 7th Avenue, Portland, OR 97211-3939. More information is also available on the Portland Farmers Market site, portlandfarmersmarket.org “Healthy Food for All”.

Join us! at King Portland Farmers Market Sunday, the 4th of July for Build-a-Burger! Get a $5 meat or vegie burger fresh grilled at the market from 11 am – 1 pm. 100% of proceeds benefit Foodshare Fund NE.