This Thursday the volunteer members of the Everyone Eats! volunteer team will facilitate an open forum to discuss the results of the “Everyone Eats!” community food assessment of areas of north and inner northeast Portland, sponsored by Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon’s Interfaith Food and Farms Partnership (IFFP). The forum will be held at St. Andrew’s Catholic Community Center, 806 NE Alberta St.
The forum will be conducted by volunteer members of Everyone Eats! Leadership Team and also by Jocelyn Furbush and Sabrina Kosok, L.I.N.K.S. AmerCorps members with IFFP. They will talk about what they learned from interviewing 200 neighbors on matters of access to nutritious, local and culturally appropriate food. Attendees will have the chance to give input on the next steps for projects to get more fresh local food to north and inner northeast low-income communities. A light dinner will be provided.
The food assessment survey, combined with focused community conversations about food issues in three languages, indicated that many low income residents of north and inner northeast Portland lack access to affordable fresh, local produce. Many residents of these communities expressed dissatisfaction with their options and access to food. IFFP is committed to increasing food security by bringing more fresh, local and culturally appropriate food to these communities. We are asking for community input to insure that potential food access projects are effective and appropriate to the communities they serve.