(¿mb (Ohsm trr Read baCk iSSUCS ° f the Portland Observer at www.portlandobserver.com 'City of Roses' Volume XXXXI, Number 51 Wednesday • December 21, 2011 E s ta b lish e d ¡n 1970 , Com m itted to Cultural D iversity A Tradition of Giving Sunshine Division boxes up food for needy families by M indy C ooper T he P ortland O bserver Known throughout the metro-area for their holiday food boxes, the non-profit Sunshine Division, in partnership with the Portland Police Bureau, has provided emergency food and clothing relief to Portland families year-round for more than 88-years. Hundreds of volunteers have gath­ ered at the group’s north Portland ware­ house in the past few weeks to prepare boxes of food for the holiday season, which will feed more than 3,500families in time forChristmas. The final push came last Wednesday during “Pack Night” when residents of all ages formed an efficient assembly line to prepare the donations for delivery. ForGina Jackson, 52, this is her eighth- year as a Sunshine Division volunteer. “I feel very blessed and honored I can be a part of this,” she said. “I brought my grandson.” Wearing a red Santa hat and passing Gina Jackson, 52, dresses for the holidays as she helps pack food boxes at the Sunshine Division, the non-profit organization that works in partnership with the Portland Police Bureau to help provide emergency food and clothing to continued on page 4 Portland families. The group will provide food boxes to more than 3,5 00 families this holiday season. PHOTO BY M indy C< k » per / T he P oru . and O bserver Lesson Delivered 'Sharing lheRoad Crosswalk enforcement brings awareness by M indy C ooper T he P ortland O bserver In an effort to raise awareness on traffic safety and traffic law, the Portland Bureau of Transpor­ tation and the Portland Police Bu­ reau held a crosswalk enforce­ ment event last Wednesday at North Killingsworth and Commer­ cial Avenue. The effort, which occurs in vari­ ous locations within the city throughout the year, includes a pedestrian decoy at crosswalks. Those who fail to stop, including car-drivers and bicyclists, may be issued a warning or citation from the police. “The main thing is education,” said Sharon White, program spe­ cialist with the Portland Bureau of Transportation. She explained that some of the locations for the events photo by M indy C ixiper /T he P ortland O bserver are requested by members of the A man crosses North Killingsworth Street as a police officer stands watch during a crosswalk enforcement event last week. The crosswalk connects Jefferson High School, the North Portland continued on page 19 Library and Portland Community College.