"HUNGRY, ANYTHING HELPS"

Cardboard signs abound on many corners in Portland, Oregon. And behind them are invisible people. Some profit handsomely, some take turns working shifts, and many are exploited.  Handing people money rarely solves a problem. The best way to help is to financially support local pantries, shelters, and churches that are set up to serve the public or volunteer your time.

This is an update on consulting work with a church in S.E. Portland. Their initial goal was to launch a community pantry in a diverse neighborhood with higher than average food insecurity.

After nearly a year of probono work, it has been well worth the small investment of time.

The pantry team has doubled in size, and added several community partners. The pantry served 12 families in January. Growth has steadily increased and in the month of September, the pantry served 73 families.

This group is mirroring Jesus's words to feed the hungry. Hunger is what happens when a person doesn't have enough to eat. And it begins to impact a child in school, or a parent at work.

Food insecurity refers to a long list of problems that contribute to hunger-job loss, no high school diploma, loss of housing, no affordable child care and more.

Addressing food insecurity requires building relationships, identifying needs, assessing readiness, community partnerships, financial resources and a huge core of trained volunteers. 

Pantries offer emergency assistance, and give families time to improve their financial circumstances to prevent food insecurity as a way of life.

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What is Neighborhood Resilience?

Neighborhood resilience is built one person and one family at a time. Before long, an entire block may benefit.

Here are some ideas:
Share a garden space anywhere you can find one. Share knowledge, labor, cost (including a tool sharing agreement), produce and seeds.
Create a kitchen tool sharing plan for larger items that are only used a few times a year. Examples include food dehydrators, canning equipment, sealing equipment, commercial grade mixing bowls and pans.
Plant themed flower or herb gardens on the entire block. It shows neighborhood pride.
Exchange gently used toys or children's clothing to save money.
Hold a neighborhood jobs club.
Have a neighborhood clothes and accessory sharing clothes closet to help job seekers land the perfect job.
Trade services such as cleaning gutters in exchange for sewing alterations. Build the neighbor a fence, or chicken coop in exchange for work on your car.
Consider a monthly book club, book exchange, or book sale.
Teach a variety of skills at a neighborhood craft fair.
Teach basic home or auto repair classes to your neighbors.
Start a neighborhood choir.
Host neighborhood celebrations.

January is Seed Exchange Month

Open pollinated seeds grow crops that allow for seed saving. Smart growers, urban and community gardeners and cooperatives understand that access is one way to help neighbors become more food secure.

Portland gardeners can harvest year round if they have a space to grow a garden, basic know how, understand concepts like seed selection, planting and harvest times.
 
January is the perfect time to pour over seed online or paper seed catalogs, but frugal gardeners must learn to save seed, barter and make savvy purchases.

Barter comes in a lot of packages. If growing space is insufficient, consider sharing seed for a small share of the harvest. If conditions are such that you can't tend a garden in 2015, consider loaning seed to another grower, who in turn will collect and share seeds for 2016.

Finally, pay it forward. Donate seed to a local grower who plans to provide produce to a local food bank, soup kitchen or pantry.