PrideScape Blog Series: Hunger Isn’t “One Size Fits All”
In our previous blog post we shared how the federal government’s threat to withhold SNAP benefits in Oregon had an immediate and devastating impact for many in our LGBTQ2SIA+ Portland community. Though that moment may have been seen as a breaking point (and temporary), food insecurity did not begin there and it does not end with a single policy decision.
The causes of food insecurity and hunger can often be misunderstood as temporary or tied to a moment of crisis. In reality, it is an ongoing issue for many that can be shaped by many factors like disability, illnesses, allergies, dietary restrictions, and other systemic inequalities. For many in our communities, food access isn’t just about having “enough”. It’s also about food they can safely eat and readily access.
While traditional pantries play an important role in meeting immediate needs for some, they don’t always address specialized dietary requirements, making it difficult for people who are managing things like celiac disease or other medical conditions to navigate the impossible decision between hunger and health. Other factors to consider are culturally-specific foods, food pantry accessibility, or needing food delivered or prepared meals due to mobility or other health related constraints that often go unconsidered in these traditional models. With higher rates of disability in the LGBTQ+ community (often compounded by lack of access to healthcare and discrimination in housing, employment, and income), we know that also increases the likelihood of accessibility and/or dietary needs affecting our community. For deeper exploration on the status of food security in Oregon for LGBTQ2SIA+ individuals, be sure to check out our previous blog post, Creating a Food Secure Portland, which offers background information on the disproportionate and heightened vulnerability of LGBTQIA2S+ individuals' access to food security.
With these barriers at play, it can be difficult for members of our community with accessibility needs, specific dietary needs or medical conditions, and/or culturally-specific needs to find food resources that can accommodate them. Many food pantries lack accessibility in the space they operate or have other barriers to access the pantry, such as utilizing the lottery system and requiring patrons wait for long periods of time outside. Thankfully, there are some food pantries in Portland that have addressed these challenges and created accommodations for those that need them.
Lift Urban Portland (Preston’s Pantry)
1858 SW Jefferson St, Portland, OR, 97201
Thursdays and Fridays, 3pm-6pm
Arrive between 2pm and 2:25pm to participate in lottery system
Additional hours for people experiencing medical challenges or health conditions that require assistance while standing, waiting, or shopping on Tuesdays from 3pm-6pm by appointment only: sign up for Tuesday appt waitlist through their website form.
Link: https://www.lifturbanportland.org/prestons-pantry-and-free-food-market
Pride Northwest Media Team Member Insight: “The appointment times for those with mobility challenges or who need assistance shopping have been extremely helpful and staff and volunteers have been very accommodating for me. They often have gluten-free bread (from Trader Joe’s) available and keep the GF breads on a separate shelf from the regular breads. It is a shopping-style selection so you can take what you need and leave what you don’t. Having the appointment on Tuesday has also been very helpful to have extra time to read ingredients and ensure I get foods safe for my diet. Volunteers are always available and willing to help reach or carry things if needed. This pantry always has lots of fresh produce as well as meats, cheeses and sometimes even milk and/or eggs depending on the week.”
St John's Food Share
8100 N Lombard St, Portland, OR, 97203
Mondays and Fridays 10am-4pm; Wednesdays 10am-12pm
No service area restrictions
Shopping-style food pantry
Link: https://stjohnsfoodshare.org/
Pride Northwest Media Team Member Insight: “This pantry usually has a separate area for gluten-free items and priority for those will go to those who have that dietary restriction. Occasionally when they had enough of one GF item they would let me take more to make up for the other items I couldn’t have. Shopping style makes it easy to choose only the foods that work with your diet. However, the line forms outside and long times waiting outside and limited space inside can make the pantry inaccessible for some.”
Nourish Oregon (formerly Portland Open Bible Community Pantry)
3223 SE 92nd Ave.
Portland, OR 97266
Shopping style selection food pantry and food box pick up or delivery (delivery service offered to zip codes 97266 and 97216 for patrons who qualify), open for food box pick up on Mondays and Tuesdays 4-7pm, Thursdays 10am-1pm, walk-ups welcome on Tuesday and Thursday
Link: https://www.nourishoregon.com/get-food
Information: Food pantry is wheelchair accessible and shopping style selection so patrons can choose what they want. No ID or paperwork required to receive food. They also offer food box ordering for pick up and delivery *if you qualify to certain zip codes 97266 and 97216. If you choose pick up and can drive, but can’t get out of your car for some reason they will bring the box out to you. Food box order online form offers selections, but they advise to choose as many options as you can since they don’t always get every option each week. There is an option to write notes for dietary restrictions and they will try to accommodate. Can have someone else (caregiver, support worker, family, friend, etc.) pick up food box for you.
Hand Up – The People's Pantry at Q Center
4115 N Mississippi Ave Ste 5, Portland, OR, 97217
Mondays and Tuesdays, 12pm-4pm; 4th Saturday of the month, 10am-1pm
Can visit once per week
Link: https://www.handupproject.org/people-s-pantry
Pride Northwest Media Team Member Insight: “The Hand Up Project’s Pantry, located at Q Center, caters to the LGBTQ+ and BIPOC community, is a shopping style pantry, and they use a lottery system to establish order of who shops rather than order of arrival. Volunteers usually guide each shopper through the pantry. Though I have not attended the Pantry personally as a shopper, I have worked in close proximity to the Pantry as it has been operating and have engaged with shoppers and have heard many positive things such as: having the Pantry inside an LGBTQ+ Center provides a more inviting environment for those who don’t feel comfortable going to pantries in churches, etc. Another great perk about the location is that Q Center is accessible via the 4 bus line. The building entrance is also wheelchair accessible.”
Esther’s Pantry
10202 SE 32nd Ave, Suite 601, Milwaukie, OR 97222
Contact: 503-349-4699
esthers@ourhouseofportland.org
Hours: Monday 1-4pm, Tuesday 2-5pm, Wednesday 1-1:30pm, Thursday 2-5pm
Information: Founded to provide financially challenged individuals living with HIV access to food and personal care items. Offers Trans Pantry Day every second Friday of each month from 2-5pm for the trans, non-binary and gender non-conforming community.
Centro Mercado
1216 E Baseline St, Cornelius, OR 97113
Hours: Monday-Thursday: 10:00 am - 12 pm & 2 pm - 4 pm
Friday: 9:00 am - 12:00 pm
Link: https://www.centrocultural.org/food
Information: Free grocery-style food market that is open to anyone in the community, no requirements or appointment needed. The market is stocked with culturally-specific food items.
Prepared meals option for the trans community:
Comfort Kitchen
“Founded by a Peer Support Specialist, Laura Kirby, THW, Comfort Kitchen provides nourishing, thoughtfully crafted meals for trans individuals seeking extra support. These meals help people dealing with food insecurity, recovering from gender affirming surgery, and those with nutrition support needs.”
Link: https://www.dianswellcounseling.com/services/comfort-kitchen
Information: Prepared freezable meals for trans individuals experiencing food insecurity, nutrition support needs or recovering from gender-affirming surgery. They do their best to tailor to people’s specific dietary needs, though they can’t ensure meals prepared without cross-contamination in the case of extreme allergies.
Community Farm and Educational Opportunities to Learn To Grow Your Own Food:
Kindness Farm
7101 SE 127th Ave Portland, OR 97236
Queer-only volunteer hours at the farm on some Saturdays from 9am-12pm (see calendar on website for opportunities). Kindness Farm also offers educational workshops and culturally-specific events and opportunities throughout the year.
https://www.thekindnessfarm.org/
Information: Kindness Farm is a multicultural, queer-led regenerative community farm in SE Portland, cultivating the flourishing and upliftment of our communities through healing, land-centered work, environmental education, and access to fresh, nutritious food.”
The work of these programs that recognize dignity, health and cultural identity reminds us that equitably addressing hunger means listening to the lived experiences of those most impacted.
While the SNAP shutdown brought heightened visibility to our fragile food access system, as policies shift and current events upfold (from political unrest, state-sanctioned violence to severe weather and supply-chain disruptions, etc.), they continue to impact grocery prices and food availability. Many in our community will continue to face hunger and food insecurity without sustainable support. As we continue this conversation at Pride Northwest, we invite you to learn about resources that work to address hunger, share crucial information with your networks, and support the work in the ways in which you are able.
Learn more about how Pride Northwest is addressing food insecurity in our community and more this winter season: Community Resilience | PRIDE NORTHWEST, INC.
This post has been jointly authored by Julie Baltazar and Jax Lamont