January 6, 2016
Page 9
Mississippi
Alberta
North Portland
Vancouver
East County
Beaverton
photo Courtesy p ortland p arKs and r eCreation
Portland Community Gardeners harvested 42,000 pounds of organic, locally grown produce last year for hunger relief. Volunteers with Hands on Portland
and Produce for People gathered to celebrate last November at a Lents Community Garden work party in southeast Portland.
Growing to Stop Hunger
Volunteers mark 20 years of local food bank support
Produce for People, a volunteer effort
to supply food to local hunger relief agen-
cies in coordination with the Community
Gardens program at Portland Parks and
Recreation, is celebrating the New Year
with a report that 42,000 pounds of or-
ganic, locally grown produce was har-
vested in 2015 to help feed people.
The fresh, nutritious food was grown
in 42 of the 50 Portland Community Gar-
den sites across the Rose City, and har-
vested during the past gardening season.
Produce for People started about 20
years ago to allow community gardeners
to use their ability to grow healthy, or-
ganic food into an opportunity to fulfill
the needs of hungry people in Portland.
“It is uplifting to see this grassroots ef-
fort thrive so well,” said Portland Parks
Commissioner Amanda Fritz. “People
helping people, neighbors helping neigh-
bors. I commend all the community gar-
deners across Portland, as well as our
Community Gardens staff, for their con-
tinued efforts.”
The efforts allow gardeners to cut
down on wasting perishable produce
they aren’t able to immediately consume,
and to make new connections with mem-
bers of their community.
“Our gardeners have so much pride for
the food they grow, and love to share the
bounty from their gardens with friends,
family and people in their community,”
said Laura Niemi, Portland Community
Gardens program coordinator.
The ability of gardeners to produce
C ontinued on p age 15