LiftUP Newsletter, Spring 2013

Spring 2013

An Interfaith Community of Volunteers

Board of Directors

PresidentDesi ShubinLegacy Good Samaritan Medical Center

Vice PresidentSusan MilsteinCongregation Beth Israel

SecretaryNikki DirectorNational Council of Jewish Women, Portland Section

TreasurerDave RichardsonTrinity Episcopal Cathedral

Past PresidentFred JeibmannTrinity Episcopal Cathedral

Members

Lynne BartensteinCongregation Beth Israel

Gustavo CruzSt. Mary’s Cathedral

Kristine JurgensonFirst Immanuel Lutheran Church

Caryn MayNational Council of Jewish Women, Portland Section

Bruce StradeZion Lutheran Church

Jon WildHome Forward

l l l l l l l l l An Interfaith Community of Volunteers 1

May 1—31, 2013

The Lift Urban Portland annual food drive is here!

Food drives are popular around the holi-days, but supplies tend to run low halfway through the year. Our May food drive restocks our warehouse, so that low-income, elderly, and disabled neighbors who need assistance can get nutritious food from our pantry and community gardens year-round. Many busi-nesses and congregations set up collection barrels for donations of non-perishable gro-ceries. Others invite cash donations.

What you can doTo host a barrel or cash box in May, please

call us or write to [email protected]. To donate food, find convenient drop off sites on our website.

If you lack space for a barrel or cash box, our Virtual Food Drive may be for you.

This online fund-raiser lets you har-ness your social net-works, both virtual and actual, to raise crucial funds for our

to your total—and whoever brings in the most money wins a party in the Pearl for 20 people.

Once you sign up, we’ll send you weekly progress reports, ideas to encourage dona-tions, and notices of weekly prizes. We will also promote the campaign through our web-site and Facebook page. Watch how fast the donations add up! l

Students from Cathedral School are collecting food for Lift Urban Portland

The Virtual Food Drive

nutrition programsWhile food donations are important, we

also pay for warehouse and pantry space, shelving and containers, refrigerators and freezers, a truck, garden supplies and tools, and supplemental food to cover shortages.

Setting up an online fundraising page is easy. From our website, click on Virtual Food Drive, and follow the instructions. Set up a page for yourself or team page for your busi-ness, club, community group or school.

We’ve already set up the basic page. You add your fundraising goal, explain why you support us, and upload a personal photo. Then promote your campaign through your Face-book, Twitter, and email. Your patrons, mem-bers, friends, or family can donate on your page or set up their own pages as members of your team. Any page that starts with you adds

Other ways to help

• Dine at Besaw’s. They donate a portion of your tab.

• Bring two food items to Salt & Straw for a free cone!

• Bring two food items to On Deck Sports Bar & Grill and get a $1 off a drink.

• Shop at Food Front Cooperative Grocery and donate to us on your way out.

• Enter a raffle at Blush Beauty Bar May 17–19.

• Donate at Cinema 21 and admire their marquee!

• Watch our website for additional promotions!

Volunteer Spotlight

Spring 2013 Lift Urban Portland

2 l l l l l l l l l An Interfaith Community of Volunteers

We appreciate our volunteers …… and told them so at the volunteer apprecia-tion breakfast held at Trinity Episcopal Ca-thedral on April 25, 2013. We also honored a dozen stand-out volunteers.Carole Barkley – Expanding HorizonsCarole introduced us to online fundraising. She also spearheaded last year’s theater party at Artists Repertory Theatre.Stuart Barthold – Dedicated DeliveriesStuart delivers about 100 food boxes each month to neighbors unable to come to our food pantry.Marin Benedict – At the ReadyMarin works in the office, delivers food boxes, consulted on an electrical issue in the ware-house, and is on call for whatever needs doing.Mike Kennedy and Ralph Wells – Warehouse WondersMike and Ralph took over management of the warehouse and reorganized it to make it a wel-coming place for volunteers, with dedicated workspaces for sorting and packing. Joyce Loeb – Momentum BuildingJoyce led the effort for our first-ever Garden Party last summer, reaching out to new people in a new venue, for a new–and highly success-ful—fundraiser.Barbara Macnab – Business PartnershipBarbara and Star Industrial Supply led the NW Industrial Neighborhood Association’s holiday food drive on behalf of Lift Urban Portland. Tom Mattox – Community ConnectionsTom, a long-time volunteer, is trying some-thing new: recruiting business teams for the Virtual Food DriveCaryn May – Belle of the BackpacksIn addition to assisting in the Great Ware-house Reorganization of 2012, Caryn leads a team of “backpack ladies,” who assemble Backpacks for Kids on a regular basis.Leona Pickens and Michael RobertsPantry Team ChampionsLeona and Michael make the Food Pantry run like clockwork. Leonila Utrera – Harvest Share and Lunch Lady SupremeLeonila can always be counted on to keep the monthly Harvest Share produce distribution running smoothly. She is also a regular cheery helper at our daily lunch program for elders at First Immanuel Lutheran Church. l

Lary Cagle volunteers with Lift Urban Port-land because he likes giving back to the com-munity, to offer a hand up. “I’m very fortunate to be where I am, given the past,” he explains.

From 2003 to 2009 he had his own café in Ohio. “The crash of 2008 started the snowball. The café bled red ink through 2007 and 2008, then I put my hands up. I couldn’t keep losing money.”

“My house was foreclosed on, then I lost the car I was sleeping in. I moved into a home-less shelter in a small, rural area 40 miles east of Cincinnati. Then I decided to come home to Portland.” That was two years ago.

“The case worker at NW Pilot Project got me into Transition Projects and helped me get back on my feet.” Transition Projects is a 90-bed shelter downtown for men, which opened just before Lary’s arrival. “There was always some sort of commotion and high-volume arguments. Now I’m in a Section 8 Home For-ward building.” His daughter and granddaugh-ter recently moved back to Portland, which is icing on the cake.

Due to his osteoarthritis and degenerative arthritis, Lary is now on Social Security Disabil-ity. Though he can no longer move fast enough to work in commercial food service, he is still a whiz in the kitchen and clearly loves food.

When the Lift Urban Portland pantry was overflowing with donated pesto last summer, pantry customer Lary took notice; he held a cooking class to demonstrate “51 ways to use pesto.” Lary now serves as a member of Lift Urban Portland’s Nutrition Committee, which is working to expand the cooking class curricu-lum. He will soon be teaching again.

He also volunteers in the kitchen at OMSI’s science camps. Located near Astoria, John Day, and the Columbia Gorge, the camps provide a respite from city life. “I don’t own a car, so I just hop on the shuttle bus, and spend a couple of weeks or months at a camp.” He gets room and board in rustic cabins in exchange for “dishwashing, slicing, and dicing.” All the fun of a restaurant without the headaches and fast pace! l

Lary Cagle: Crazy for Cooking

If you do not have your own garden, you might enjoy work-ing in the Lift Urban Portland gardens. Volunteer work par-ties happen at least once a week at dif-ferent times and locations. Check the Lift Urban Portland online calendar, give us a call, or email to find out more. l

Lift Urban Portland Spring 2013


Planning a vegetable garden?

Join the Plant-a-Row program and share your harvest!Plant a Row for the Hungry is an outreach

effort by the Oregon Food Bank (OFB). It en-courages gardeners to grow a little extra and donate the produce to local hunger-relief agencies.

“It’s easy to join Plant a Row,” says Lisa Waugh, OFB Learning Gardens volunteer. “Simply plant a little extra in your garden. At harvest time, donate the extra produce to an Oregon Food Bank partner food agency, such as Lift Urban Portland.”

“Refrigerated space is often limited, so OFB’s partner agencies especially appreciate produce that transports and stores well,” says Eric Sopkin, OFB Metro services coordinator, who helps connect gardeners to partner agen-cies at harvest time. “No quantity is too small,” he emphasizes.

Lift Urban Portland welcomes staples such as tomatoes (pick them slightly under-ripe), green beans, garlic, onions, hot peppers, cu-cumbers, zucchini, collard greens and Swiss chard, beets, winter squash (acorn and but-ternut,) and summer squash. We have re-ceived everything from hundreds of pounds of squash to little bundles of kitchen herbs.

Lift Urban Portland has three garden sites in the neighborhood to bolster our efforts to provide fresh, locally grown, organic produce. Please consider joining us by planting a row in your home garden for us.

To deliver surplus produce to the Lift Urban Portland food pantry, bring it to 1808 NW Irving on Tuesday and Friday mornings by 11 a.m. To make other delivery arrangements, please contact Kelly Caldwell at [email protected] or 503-221-1224, ext. 105. l

What’s cookin’?Rosenbaum Plaza’s recently renovated community kitchen brought

together several volunteers and Rosenbaum residents to make home-made soup and healthy smoothies, using kale from the Lift Urban Port-land community gardens.

This delicious activity was the kick-off of a new effort to bring nu-trition education and fun in the kitchen to local neighbors already served through the Lift Urban Portland food programs. We plan to offer monthly cooking demonstrations and healthy eating tips to low-income residents.

If you would like to be a volunteer with this new project, please contact Kelly at kelly@LiftUrbanPortland or 503-221-1224, ext. 105. l


Since 2008 Lift Urban Portland volunteers have prepared 20 week-end bags of food each week for kids in shelters and transitional housing who attend Chapman Elementary School. These children frequently depend on school meals, which are available only on school days. The weekend food ensures they arrive at school Mondays nourished and ready to learn. We also have offered holiday and summer food boxes to fill the gaps when school is out of session.

Recently there has been interest in expanding the Food for Kids Backpacks program to other children in the neighborhood who may be food-insecure. We’ve taken on ten new kids at a local subsidized hous-ing complex. They will get a food backpack each weekend for the rest of the school year. This summer, we will provide food boxes, with the addition of healthy veggies, such as kale and tomatoes, grown right in our neighborhood gardens.

Thank you to backpack volunteers from Wells Fargo at Montgomery Park, First United Methodist, Heron Haus Bed and Breakfast, Congre-gation Beth Israel. These teams fill the backpacks on Thursdays at our warehouse and deliver them to Friendly House for distribution to the kids. Thanks in particular to Lift Urban Portland board member Caryn May for this year’s success and enthusiasm to grow the program!

Due to the expansion of the program, we are looking for another volunteer for the first Thursday in May and June. Please contact Kelly at kelly@LiftUrbanPortland or 503-221-1224, ext. 105.

We also are looking for additional donations of boxed cereal, canned meat, and healthy snacks, plus back packs and cloth grocery bags. Drop donations at our Montgomery Park office, 2701 NW Vaughn, #102, on the east end of the building, Monday – Friday between 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. l

Food for Kids Backpacks program now feeds more kids

Volunteer Preston Holt gets ready to deliver backpacks full of weekend food for children who participate in school lunch programs.

Foods needed for our backpacks

• Nuts• Pudding Cups• Jelly/jam• Cup of Noodles• Fruit cups• Spaghetti O’s• Fruit snacks (low/no sugar)• Boxes of 100% fruit juice• Protein/granola bars• Tuna fish, canned• Chicken, canned• Pop Tarts (unfrosted)• Crackers• Dried fruit, raisins• Shelf-stable milk or soy milk• Cereal, non-sugar in boxes• Cans of soup, stew, and chili• Snack Packs: cheese & crackers• Trail mix

Wellness programs for residents of subsidized housing to begin in June

Rapid weight gain can indicate an immediate heart problem.

This tip and many others will be available to the residents of the four Home Forward buildings that Lift Urban Portland supports with volunteers.

Starting in June, volunteer nurses from Legacy Good Samaritan will provide monthly health education seminars combined with blood-pressure monitoring.

Desi Shubin, president of the Lift Urban Portland board and nurse at Legacy Good Samaritan Hospital, is partnering with us to provide this community service. l




Q: “If an adult child is listed on the parent’s checking account when the parent dies, does the balance of the account go into the estate?”

A: “No, it goes to the person listed on the account—which can lead to family issues with other family members.”

This and other questions were answered during an informative session presented by Amy Davidson from The Law Offices of Nay & Friedenberg. Participants were given a free booklet, “Planning for your Family Tree,” that provides an overview of financial and legal planning. As Amy explained to those present, “If you don’t decide what you want done with your things after your death, the state decides for you.”

Participants were also treated to tea and coffee and delicious cakes donated by Baker & Spice. l

You support Lift Urban Portland with do-nations for many reasons. Perhaps our vol-unteers have helped you, a member of your family, or a friend. Perhaps you volunteer your time in one of our programs and see the need first-hand. Perhaps you are motivated by the organization’s mission to lift up neighbors in need.

Rest assured that your donations are appre-ciated and well managed.

So that our work can continue for genera-tions to come, please consider including Lift Urban Portland in your estate plan.

Many people believe that only the wealthy have estates. This is not true. If you own any property or goods, you have an estate. Gifts from estates large and small are important!

By making bequests and other “planned gifts,” you can continue to help Lift Urban Portland make an important difference in your community.

Why include Lift Urban Portland in your estate plan?

There are only three places to leave your money when you are gone: family members or other individuals, charities, or taxes.

Perhaps the number-one cause for reluc-tance to give money to a charity is a desire to leave something for one’s family. But leaving a legacy is about more than money. Your choices communicate your values to your family.

For example, your donation to the local public radio and television stations passes on the value of lifelong learning. Your donation to your religious congregation expresses the importance of having a spiritual foundation in life. Your donation to Lift Urban Portland highlights the importance of helping those less fortunate.

You can leave the bulk of your estate to your family and still provide charitable be-quests—and there are often tax benefits to including charities in your estate plan.

There are many ways to share your estate.

Some of these are:• A will or trust• A life insurance policy• A 401(k) or other retirement account• A brokerage account

An attorney who specializes in estate plan-ning can guide you through the process.

To learn more, contact Delanie Delimont, Lift Urban Portland Executive Director, at 503-224-1224, ext. 106 or [email protected]. l

Leaving a legacy is about more than money

Your choices communicate your values to your family.

Donors: January 1–March 31, 2013


Cash Gifts AnonymousRuby ApslerBarbara BallweberCarole Barkley and David LoftusLynne BartensteinBlaine BartholomewTrudy BenjaminGerel BlauerBlush Beauty BarScott and Glenda BurnsRick ChristmanTom CorcoranPriscilla and Nick CowellJohn Crawford and Jody StahancykDelanie DelimontGavin and Bernetta Avery DenyseNikki and Stuart DirectorDr. Edward DoyleElephant’s DelicatessenEvangelical Lutheran Church In AmericaFirst Immanuel Lutheran ChurchFood Front Cooperative GroceryFred MeyerGerald and Olivia FroebeJanet GallagherGalvanizers CompanyArlene GarrisonMarilynn and Roswell GordonBonny GroshongBruce FrederickDiane HallHeffernan Group FoundationHewlett-Packard Preston HoltThe Jackson FoundationFred JeibmannJesuit High School AlumniKristine JurgensonJan and James KasameyerRachel Cole, DDSJack KippCraig and Linda LangleyMeg Larson and Dick LewisJoyce and Stanley Loeb

Alice H. MacDonaldSusan and Douglas MackinnonGreg MacphersonRuth MarquisMECTA CorporationMetroRev. Tyrus and Sharon MilesSusan and Barney MilsteinHester NauFr. Steve and Sandy NorcrossKathy and Tim NortonMark OhlsonOnPoint Community Credit UnionOperation Night WatchOregon Food BankThe Oregonian - Season of Sharing readersMilo and Bev OrmsethLinda OstomelRaymond and Dorothy PackouzThe Parish of St. MarkJim ParkerProvidence Health & ServicesMerrigene QuinnMiriam ReshotkoDave RichardsonBetsy A. RussellCarol & Velma Saling FoundationPeter SargentSeams to FitSELCO Community Credit UnionDesi ShubinJulie Young ShulgaDennis SinclaireSt. Mary’s CathedralStar Industrial Supply, Inc.Joan W. SterrettBruce StradeJean and John ThorpeEd and Joyce TylerShirley UngerUnited Methodist Women of First United Methodist ChurchCarolyn VanderslicePastor Melinda WagnerRalph WellsJon Wild

Thank you to the people and organizations that contributed to Lift Urban Portland between January 1 and March 31, 2013

Every effort was made to ensure the accuracy of these lists. If you see an error, please contact us at 503-221-1224, ext. 103.




Tribute Gifts

In honor of Sandra Avery Gavin and Bernetta Avery Denyse

In honor of Nikki Director Linda Ostomel

In honor of Nikki and Stuart DirectorShirley Unger

In honor of Mike Kennedy Rachel Cole, DDS

In memory of Ronald Kuehn Trudy Benjamin

In-kind Gifts

Stuart Barthold

John and Sandra Bright

W. Atlee Burpee & Co.

Dr. David Compton

Congregation Beth Israel

Dave’s Killer Bread

Darr Durham

Ellington Handbags

Ensley Orthodontics

Franz Bakery

Lesley and Bob Glasgow

Hanu Pilates

Havurah Shalom

Legacy Health System, Jim Mandis

Medline Industries

Glenn Micallef

Dr. Alan Montrose

Gail Nakata, DMD

Northwest Industrial Neighborhood Association

Pearl Hardware

Penzey’s Spices

Laurie and Bert Rogoway

Bunny and Jerry Sadis

Safeway - Pearl

Lynda Shapiro

Starbucks Coffee Co.

Linda Ross Swanson

Territorial Seed Company

Residents of Terwilliger Plaza

Trader Joe’s

Tutus By Us 2

Urban Gleaners

Kay Van Patten

Linda and Larry Veltman

Wells Fargo Bank

Helen Williams

Zion Lutheran Church

Zombie Squad, Chapter 011

The Legacy SocietyCarole Barkley Verlena OrrTerese Barkley Elizabeth SchwartzDarrol Olson

Individuals who support Lift Urban Portland with a planned gift are invited to join our Legacy Society. The Legacy Society is honorary in nature and involves no dues, obligations, or solicitations. Members of the Legacy Society will be acknowledged in our publications and will be invited to special events. Our sincere desire is to keep in touch with you, to get to know you better, and to honor your legacy with the recognition and appreciation it deserves.

If you have included Lift Urban Portland in your estate plan, please let us know. Contact Executive Director Delanie Delimont at 503-221-1224, ext. 106 or [email protected]. l

Monthly GivingA great way to support Lift Urban Portland’s work is to become a monthly donor. Small contributions add up: a donation of $15 per month adds up to $180 per year!

Each month, on a date you choose, your designated amount ($15 minimum) is automatically charged to your credit card or your check-ing account. This flexible option allows you to change or suspend your donation, if needed.

To become a monthly donor, please contact Darr at 503-221-1224, ext. 103, or [email protected]. l

Lift Urban Portland2701 NW Vaughn, Suite 102Portland, OR 07210

www.LiftUrbanPortland.org

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LiftUP Newsletter, Spring 2013