Board Member Honored

The tambourines were shaking with joy as people came together to honor women of distinction with the annual Song of Miriam awards on June 7, 2009. Congregation Beth Israel Sisterhood honored Carole Barkley in recognition of her outstanding volunteer work with the sisterhood. Carole wrote and edited Sisterhood bulletin articles for five years. In the gift shop, she instituted the sale of Sisters of the Road meal coupons and collections of hygiene articles for the homeless. She organized food drives that distributed food to five neighborhood pantries, including Northwest Portland Ministries. She coordinated Congregation Beth Israel’s first community-wide Mitzvah Day, which placed 230 volunteers in 12 nonprofit organizations including NWPM.

Carole’s commitment to interfaith community activities includes serving on the board of NWPM—including two years as president—and volunteering at it’s Loaves & Fishes meal site. She involves Congregation Beth Israel in enriching the lives of residents of a Housing Authority building by organizing social activities through the Adopt-A-Highrise program. She coordinates the NWPM Christmas dinner at Congregation Beth Israel, where volunteers serve 500 low-income neighbors on Christmas Day.

High School Students Learn Philanthropy

Students from Jesuit High School’s Community 101 class spent the year learning how philanthropy works. PGE challenged the high school students to find a cause to champion and then come up with criteria for awarding $5,000 in grants. The cause they chose was fighting hunger. The Northwest Portland Ministries Food for Kids Backpack program was one of six recipients of grants and received $1,500. Not only did the students award the $5,000 provided by PGE, they matched that amount with funds they raised throughout the year.

Ride Home from Food Pantry

Is it difficult for you to carry bags home from the Food Pantry? NWPM now has volunteers available on Tuesdays to help drive you home from the Food Pantry with your groceries. Please call the office to let us know one day in advance that you’d like a ride home and we’ll have a volunteer ready for you. Please call Dave at 503-221-1224, ext. 100,

RideAbout Shopping Shuttle Launches

Shopping trips are made easier with weekly shopping trips provided by the lift equipped mini-bus. Thanks to our many dedicated partners, (HAP, Marshall Union Manor, Tri-Met, Rose Schnitzer Tower and Ride Connection); we were able to reconfigure the Senior Shuttle into a Shopping RideAbout. On Saturdays the Ride-About serves the downtown area from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., making a one-hour shopping loop with stops at Gretchen Kafoury Commons, Rose Schnitzer Tower, Elm Court Loaves & Fishes, Helen Swindells, Rosenbaum Plaza, The Morrison, and Fred Meyer. On Monday the shopping RideAbout is a 45-minute loop stopping at Marshall Union Manor, Gallagher Plaza, Medallion Apartments, Northwest Tower, Fred Meyer, and Trader Joes. Riders do not need to live at these locations to pick up the RideAbout. For schedules, please contact Dave at 503-221-1224, ext. 100.

Keep in the Loop: E-mails Requested

Do you know when the latest work parties are scheduled? When and where we need volunteers for specific tasks? What special events are coming up? What items have been donated to our auction? You will if you give us your e-mail address. Twice a month an informative message goes out to keep you in the loop. Because our newsletter comes out only three times a year, email is a cost-effective way for us to keep you informed of all the wonderful things happening at NWPM and how you can be part of that action. E-mail codi@nwpm.org or call in your e-mail address to 503-221-1224, ext. 103.

Board Develops New Key Messages

In April our energetic Board of Directors along with select community volunteers spent a productive morning updating our mission statement and key message. Our updated mission statement is: “Northwest Portland Ministries creates a caring community of volunteers who help neighbors in need.” Our key message is: “Northwest Portland Ministries inspires volunteers from congregations and the larger community to help neighbors live with dignity and purpose. We provide food, transportation, recreation and helping hands.” Our tag line is: “A caring community of volunteers.” You will be seeing our new messages throughout our publications.

A Kiss for $1

No it’s not the local community fair, but one of the many creative ways local businesses with Nob Hill Business Association raised money and food during the month of May to benefit the Emergency Food Box program. A total of more than $1,200 cash was collected from creative raffles, proceeds from a day, point of sale donations, and general food collection. Participating businesses were Food Front, ESCO, Legacy Good Samaritan Hospital, A Child’s Play, Blush Beauty Bar, Clearwire Uptown, Nob Hill Shoe Repair, Chown Hardware, Dragonfly Café, Dragontree Spa, Linfield College, Blooming Moon Spa, and Heron Haus B & B. For locations & websites, click here or scroll down.

Save The Date: NWPM Fourth Annual Dinner and Auction

Save October 24, 2009 for a great evening out. The dinner and auction will be held at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral from 5:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Bid on some wonderful items, including weekend getaways, entertainment, an amazing bicycle, a specialty card-making party, restaurant meals, and a one-week rental at a 3,000 square-foot home in Kona, Hawaii that sleeps six. Gather your friends and join us. Cost: $50 per person.

Giving Made Easy

Northwest Portland Ministries needs ongoing donor support to help our neighbors live with dignity and purpose by providing food, transportation, recreation, and helping hands. Our new donor envelope enables you to give a gift in honor, in memory, or in celebration of someone. You can also use it to set up a monthly donation through electronic funds transfer (EFT). A monthly donation like this makes donating easy, saves you the cost of a stamp, and enables you to give a substantial gift over a period of time. For more information, please contact our Office Manager, Codi, at 503-221-1224, ext. 103.

May 2009 Emergeny Food Box Participating Businesses

The next time you visit these businesses/ participants, please thank them for supporting NWPM! Click "map" below for their location, or visit their websites.

Food Front: map, website

ESCO: map, website

Legacy Good Samaritan Hospital: map, website

A Child’s Play: map, website

Blush Beauty Bar: map, website

Clearwire Uptown: map, website

Nob Hill Shoe Repair: map

Chown Hardware: map, website

Dragonfly Café: map

Dragontree Spa: map, website

Linfield College: map, website

Blooming Moon Spa: map, website

Heron Haus B & B: map, website

Volunteer driver finds “kindness and love” in her time with NWPM

Andrea List has been a volunteer driver for Northwest Portland Ministries since last summer.

Although Andrea was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, her family moved to Portland in 1968 when her father, Walter List, graduated from dental school. Andrea and her sister Cara grew up in the Pacific Northwest with a love and enjoyment of nature. Backpacking, running, biking, horse camps, racquetball in the summer, and snow skiing in the winter help Andrea keep active. Other hobbies include gardening and landscaping.

Andrea has had many pets, including goats, tropical fish, a dog named Bashka (meaning “bear”), a rabbit named Helen, and currently a cat named Lucy.

Andrea’s mother, Barbara, has Lou Gehrig's Disease, and has taught Andrea compassion for the needs of others. Andrea says she has found much to admire in the programs and services of NWPM.

Andrea proudly volunteers twice a week for NWPM, driving two gentlemen to Trinity Episcopal Church, where the volunteer staff provides fun and stimulating activities for Alzheimer’s patients and peace of mind for their families.

Andrea says, “Volunteering for Northwest Portland Ministries has taught me such kindness and love, with the services we provide and the numerous activities involving caring people who help throughout the year.”

Get a $10 gift card

The demand for transportation has skyrocketed recently!
NWPM cannot fill all requests for rides because we don’t have enough great volunteers like Andrea. For every qualified driver you recruit during February and March we’ll reward you with a $10 Fred Meyer gift card.

Free! Upcooming Presentations

Rethinking transportation

Ride Connection introduces alternative transportation options where you live. What transportation mix makes sense for you, your loved ones, or the people in your life who need
help? Which mix would be safe and reliable? Come and find out!

Date: Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Time: 10:45 a.m.
Location: Elm Court Loaves & Fishes,
1032 SW Main Street
-or-

Date: Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Time: 1:00 p.m.
Location: Marshall Union Manor, 2020
NW Northrup Street

Contact: Dave Truman 503-221-1224 x100

The Best Ride workshop

T his training session for volunteer drivers answers the question: “How does this thing work?” Learn how to work with the various types of mobility devices passengers use.

Date: Saturday, March 21, 2009
Time: 9:00 a.m. to Noon
Location: First Immanuel Lutheran
Church, 816 NW Irving Street
RSVP: Dave Truman 503-221-1224 x100

Become a ride ambassador!

Volunteer with NWPM and TriMet as a travel companion for those using the Portland Streetcar, the MAX lines, or buses that serve Northwest Portland.
Contact: Dave Truman 503-221-1224 x100

Introducing the 2009 NWPM Board

President: Janet Gallagher, Ascension Parish
Vice President: Gina Cole, Legacy Health System
Treasurer: Chapman Dix, Trinity Episcopal Cathedral
Secretary: Ed Tyler, St. Mary’s Cathedral
Member at Large: Bonny Groshong, First Immanuel Lutheran Church
Carole Barkley, Congregation Beth Israel
Lynne Bartenstein, Congregation Beth Israel
Nikki Director, Congregation Beth Israel
Preston Holt, Trinity Episcopal Cathedral
Tom Maddox, Food Front
Marvin Mitchell, First Presbyterian Church
Father Steve Norcross, Ascension Parish
Pastor Melinda Wagner, First Immanuel Lutheran Church

Portland Civic Theatre Guild creates joy for seniors

During its 2008-2009 50th Anniversary Celebration Year, the Guild is providing NWPM with five tickets to each of its theatrical readings preceded by an elegant coffee and tea service in the Old Church. NWPM will provide transportation. “It is with sheer joy that I write this note to you. The Angel Street reading was totally captivating” expressed Marilyn Feldman who was one of the recipients of the tickets. Future tickets will be available for residents of Gallagher Plaza in February, Medallion in March, Marshall Union Manor in April, and Schnitzer Tower in May. If you are a resident and are interested in attending, contact Suzanne at 503-221-1224 Monday and Wednesday between 10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m.

Christmas 2008

For the 24th year, Northwest Portland Ministries hosted a Christmas dinner for the community. The logistics of this year’s event were challenging, thanks to a major snowstorm that shut down most of the city. However, canceling the dinner was never an option, because so many people were counting on it.

Thanks to the ingenuity and generosity of many volunteers, the dinner went on as planned. We served 497 meals that day, including 83 that were delivered to the homes of people who were unable to get to Temple Beth Israel, the site of the dinner.

Even though some of the 130 scheduled volunteers were also unable to come in, others who lived nearby or had chains on their cars filled in. This was a truly interfaith and community-supported event, with food, funding, equipment, decorations, and volunteers from Beth Israel, St. Mary’s Cathedral, Trinity Episcopal Cathedral, First Immanuel Lutheran Church, Havurah Shalom, Ascension Episcopal Parish, Food Front, and others who just wanted to help. Our guests enjoyed not only a delicious turkey dinner, but lively music, gifts bags of practical items, scarves and hats knitted by Beth Israel’s “Knit a Mitzvah” group, and a warm and welcoming atmosphere in the midst of a cold and icy week.

New Office Manager

Hello everyone my name is Codi Kodama, I’m the new Office Manager at Northwest Portland Ministries. I was born in Hawaii and raised in Ashland, Oregon. When I’m not in the office I enjoy walking and hiking on nature trails or in parks, reading, creating music in my home studio, and learning about and eating healthy foods. Portland has been my home since late 2006 and I am excited about this opportunity to work for such a great organization that serves the needs of families and individuals in our local community.

The Community Share Program

The Northwest Portland Ministries Food Pantry is an emergency food distribution site affiliated with the Oregon Food Bank. It serves income-eligible residents of Northwest Portland. Making sure our food pantry is well stocked for maximum customer choice is our first priority, but often we have surplus perishables that we want to get distributed.

In order to ensure perishable food gets eaten instead of wasted, we have a Community Share program. Breads, pastries, fruits, vegetables, and other items are provided each to individuals, low-income residences, and a variety of community-based programs through several methods. Anyone is welcome to stop by the pantry once a week during regular hours to see if there is Community Share food available (This doesn’t count against eligibility for monthly shopping.) Boxes of Community Share food may also be picked up or delivered by arrangement. There are no income or geographic limitations placed on Community Share recipients.

PLEASE NOTE: The food available in the Community Share Program is highly perishable, and should be inspected carefully and consumed within 24 hours. As always, “when it doubt, throw it out!”

Thanks for the food drive!

The following organizations held food drives on behalf of NWPM during the month of December 2008:
Legacy Good Samaritan
Fruit & Flower Child Care Center
Havurah Shalom
St. Mary’s Cathedral
Northwest Soup and Subs
Office of Disease Prevention & Epidemiology, Ore-
gon Department of Human Services
General Tool & Supply Co.
Albina Community Bank

Welcome and thanks to our newest congregational partners, the Zen Center of Portland for helping us out at our 2nd Wednesday Harvest Share!

“Together we can . . . !”

Volunteers are an essential part of the NWPM Food Pantry, Community Share program and the Food For Kids Backpack program. Volunteers help out every weekday except Wednesdays and at weekend work parties. Cleaning, sorting food drive items, and repacking items are frequent work party activities. Volunteers can also help to pick up food-drive donations and glean perishables. We are particularly in need of people who can make pickups and deliveries, and/or who are able to regularly lift 40 pound boxes.

Volunteers at the last work party

Monthly work parties at the NWPM Warehouse

Warehouse work parties are scheduled for:
Monday, February 16, 2009 1:00-4:00 p.m. (President’s Day)
Saturday, March 14, 2009 1:00-4:00 p.m.
Location: 2145 NW Overton Street—a cream colored building with a green awning.
Contact: Kelly@nwpm.org or 503-221-1224 ext.
105. www.nwpmcommunity.blogspot.com
If you’d like to work at the warehouse but can’t make it to a work party, let us know and we can find a way to schedule something that you can do.

Save the date!

Volunteer Appreciation Brunch Thursday, April 23, 2009

Point of sale donor

During the month of February, Food Front will provide customers the opportunity to donate directly to the “Food for Kids Backpack Program” at check out time. Food Front is located at 2375 NW Thurman Street, Portland, OR 97210.

Dining for dollars

Northwest Portland Ministries is partnering with Serratto Restaurant to bring you fabulous dining while benefiting “Food for Kids Backpack Program.” Serratto is a lively and elegant neighborhood restaurant serving authentic and innovative dishes from Italy, France, and the greater Mediterranean region. Bring friends, family and coworkers.
When: Monday, February 23, 2009 11:30 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Where: Serrato Restaurant, 2112 NW Kearney Street, Portland, OR 97210 Participate: 10% of the days income will benefit the “Food for Kids Backpack Program.”