What: Food Collection for Parkrose Provides
Where: Murmur Office (1300 SE Stark St. Room 210)
Why: To Help Families this Holiday Season
When: December 9-17
What We’re Doing
Parkrose Provides is a program run by the Leadership class at Parkrose High School. Dedicated to providing food and clothing to families in need throughout the year, the program is ramping up efforts and reaching out to the community for the holiday season. Murmur is helping out by taking donations of nonperishable, easy to prepare food at our office. Join us in giving!
Donation Needs
Parkrose Provides is particularly seeking easy to prepare foods. Examples of food items that are most helpful:
- fruit cups
- applesauce
- peanut butter & jelly
- small boxes of crackers
- canned tuna & chicken
- popcorn
- mac & cheese
- oatmeal packets
- cup of noodles
- top ramen
Why Now?
It’s the Season of Giving and it’s also soon to be Winter Break at our local schools. During school breaks, students no longer have access to school-provided meals (which, for many, provide the majority of their food each day). This can be a huge stress on kids and families in our community, many of whom are living in temporary shelters, RVs, and motels.
Last year, the program expanded to include a clothes closet and is also trying to support families over the holidays. As the weather gets colder, kids also need warm clothes that many families are unable to afford. Parkrose Provides seeks to alleviate these needs. If you would like to contribute more than food donations this winter – coats, hoodies, or gloves are very much appreciated!
A Bit About Parkrose Provides
Parkrose Provides began in 2017 as a backpack program dedicated to feeding kids over breaks and on weekends when they wouldn’t be getting school meals. Last year Parkrose Provides:
- fed 1,200 individuals
- supported 50 families
- provided 300+ full bags of food for students to take home
Parkrose Student Testimonials
Student Story #1
While I was grateful that my family got help, there was a stigma attached to receiving assistance. I still remember being nervous to walk into a food pantry and the probability of seeing one of my peers doing charity “for someone like me.” The last thing I would want is for one of my peers to feel ashamed. Parkrose provides is about giving a helping hand.
Student Story #2
I know what it feels like to not eat breakfast and lunch, or the long wait until dinner, just to make the food last. Parkrose Provides meant I could help my family while also giving back to my community by volunteering with the pantry.
Student Story #3
I come from a family of immigrants from Haiti. As a kid, I never really had enough food in my house. Throughout elementary and middle school, I used to take food from breakfast and stash it until I got home that night. Now being in high school with the privilege of having a food pantry, I don’t feel like I have to hide anymore. Parkrose Provides is something I hold dear to my heart because they have supported me in times of need and continue to support other students in our community.
About the Parkrose Provides Logo
The Parkrose Provides logo (created by Murmur) is a symbol of the peer and community support the organization fosters. The rose represents the Portland and Parkrose communities and the backpack is the assistance provided to kids and families (Parkrose Provides sends kids home with backpacks full of food!).