Metropolitan Family Service, Growing Gardens and Urban Gleaners offer Summer Help to the Hungry

Portland, July 2nd, 2015.  Nonprofit organizations across the region are working hard this summer to take advantage of the abundance of fresh Northwest produce. Ben Root, the Metropolitan Family Service (MFS) Chief Development Officer, Matt Bartolotti, MFS Chief Strategy Officer, and Judy Strand MFS Chief Executive Officer, helped distribute 4,000 pounds of fresh produce in partnership with the Oregon Food Bank to all attendees at the MFS Community Cup. It celebrated families and soccer positive play in East Multnomah County. The event was a great way to experience MFS helping the entire family in under-resourced neighborhoods; and highlight the importance of community-based schools as a broader connection between education, family economic stability, and health. (Photo Credit: Darrin Swaim.) One of the event’s nonprofit partners was Urban Gleaners. It’s a small, volunteer organization that picks up edible food from farmers markets, restaurants, grocery stores, event sites and delivers it to local agencies that feed the hungry.

Providence Health & Services – Oregon Region and Portland Timbers donated 40 cases of bananas left over from their kids health fair today Healthful food for kids is what Urban Gleaners is all about.

Products like Okra are donated by World Foods.

From Metropolitan Family Service:

In its 65^th year, MFS provides help to more than 30,000 children, families, and older adults in the greater Portland and SW Washington area each year. With a mission to help people move beyond the limitations of poverty, inequity and social isolation, MFS delivers proven programs to help people succeed at home, in school and in the community

Thank yous!

The following partners also provided resources and activities for all who attended: AC Portland, Urban Gleaners, Growing Gardens, Multnomah County Environmental Health, Parents As Teachers, MFS Financial Literacy, Legacy Emmanuel Trauma Nurses Talk Tough, Safe Routes PBOT, MFS Ways to Work/Ways to Save, the Multnomah Library SchoolCorps/Books 2 U Program, the Rockwood Library, and the Gresham Fire Department.

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