Approaching the Season
By now most of us have felt the cool breeze faithfully signaling the changing season.
Out come the sweaters, the gloves and scarfs. Most of us push back turning on the heater as long as possible to avoid the high cost it brings with it. Our pantry patrons faithfully come no matter the season.
Jill (a gal in her 20’s) faithfully comes, and every now and then I give her a ride home. The first time was during the fires that filled Portland with smoke so thick it created extremely poor air quality. We knew people would show up no matter the air quality because hunger takes a back seat to nothing. We saw many families that day along with Jill, who’d come late. Everyone was gone and I was about to leave when I saw she was standing in the middle of the parking lot alone. “You shouldn’t be out walking on a day like this; it’s not good to breathe in the smoke,” I said, falling into the nursing role I’m so familiar with.
“I know,” she replied, “but I don’t have anything to eat at home and I had to try. But the bus was late.”
We got some food out of the pantry, and I told her I would drive her home.
Jill, during that first trip home told me about her struggle with mental illness. “I’m doing good at taking care of myself,” she said very proud. She then began to tell me the story of the alien that stands on the corner of her street that she sees through the window. “Sometimes he appears as a whale and looks directly at me. He can change the way he looks, but he always stays on the corner.” He wasn’t there that day.
Jill gets $106 per month in SNAP benefits. Our pantry provides her with the supplemental food she needs, along with a community of people she feels safe enough with to keep coming back. As you may know, many of the individuals who are homeless living on our streets are struggling with a mental illness. They can be easily forgotten as we attend to the everyday pressures of our lives.
The availability of our pantry made available through your ongoing support helps them to know they are not forgotten.
These individuals get to know our caring volunteers who want nothing else than to encourage and provide them with the food they need to keep on going. Our volunteers are a huge reason they keep coming back, and we are grateful for each one.
We are quickly approaching the Thanksgiving and Christmas seasons. As we prepare for family festivities, we invite you to make a special donation POBC Pantry. Many of our neighbors can celebrate the season due to the support they obtain from our pantry. The rising utility bills that come with the cold weather can be paid because of the food that’s obtained from POBC Pantry. Please click the donation button below, which will take you to our online donation page.
Donate Online
Lastly, we are gearing up for our annual “Share the Love Gala”. It takes place on February 10th, 2024. Hosted again by Gray Gables Estates, along with Emily Burris from KOIN 6 as our MC. Attached you will find the Gala 2024 Sponsorship Letter. Please take some time and review, we would appreciate any support you can provide.
Enjoy every precious moment of the upcoming season with your family, and I look forward to seeing you at our 2024 Gala.
With much appreciation,
Betty Brown
Executive Director
POBC Pantry
