Agency: Hands On Greater Portland

Description:

Hidden Hunger: Food Insecurity Among Our Elders

A Boomer Service Learning TeamWorks

“I have very limited income, so don’t get a lot of fruits and vegetables.  Have to eat light, and sometimes run out of food and money.  I’d like to see more help with food for the elders.  So you get ‘well balanced’ meals to help body-mind.” –Female, 63, SE Portland

Have you ever had to choose between dinner and your prescriptions, or between groceries and paying for heat/utilities? In the U.S. about 3.6 million older Americans living below the poverty line are faced with these choices each month.

Join the Hands On Boomer Initiative, AARP Oregon and Elders in Action for Hidden Hunger: Food Insecurity Among Our Elders, a special “TeamWorks” experience from the Boomer Service Learning Program. This summer we will tackle the issues surrounding food insecurity for older adults in the Portland metro area. To achieve a better understanding of this issue, we will implement a series of projects to support local partners who are already attempting to address senior hunger. We will:

• Get dirty at Multnomah County CROPS (Community Reaps Our Produce and Shares) program, where we will till the land and feed the hungry on otherwise unused public property to discover how fresh produce reaches senior food sites;  
• Serve a meal at a Loaves & Fishes meal site to better appreciate an older adults needs and challenges;
• Work with Hollywood Senior Center and Farmer’s Market to develop an understanding and increase awareness of supplemental food programs; and assist seniors in accessing fresh produce at a local Farmer’s Market.
• Gain a greater understanding of our local food system and policies and increase your knowledge on how access and nutrition impact the lives of one of our most vulnerable populations.

Our lead partner for this Boomer TeamWorks is Elders in Action, a nonprofit that works to assure a vibrant community through the active involvement of older adults. They solve problems, tackle important issues and help businesses and communities better serve the older customer, believing that the quality of life should never depend on age. They welcome the talent and wisdom that older adults share to make communities in Clackamas, Multnomah and Washington Counties more livable for all. For more info, visit their website: www.eldersinaction.org

Hidden Hunger is a special TeamWorks offering of the Boomer Service Learning Program, co-sponsored by the Hands On Boomer Initiative and AARP, partners in Life by Design NW.  The program seeks to connect Boomers and volunteers of all ages to meaningful service opportunities that meet important needs of the community while providing opportunities for volunteers to proactively learn about critical social issues affecting their communities.

TeamWorks teams consist of a group of 10 to 12 peer-led volunteers who commit to a series of community service projects focused on a particular issue.  To support a meaningful and enriching experience, volunteers are asked to commit to participating in all learning activities and service projects.  So please check the Project Schedule below before signing up!  Questions can be directed to James@handsonportland.org or 503.200.3371.

Team Schedule:

Friday, June 11^th: Orientation and Kickoff  (11am-1:30pm)-  Local organizations such as Elders in Action, Commission on Children and Families, Aging & Disability Services, Oregon Hunger Relief Task Force, Loaves & Fishes, and many more are working to focus community attention on the growing problem of senior poverty and food insecurity. At this orientation we will meet these local organizations and learn more about this pressing problem through presentations and discussions as well as reviewing the TeamWorks schedule and logistics. Lunch will be provided.

Saturday, June 19^th: Multnomah County CROPS (10am-2pm)- CROPS is an emergency food garden grown on underutilized Multnomah County surplus property that will be farmed to grow fresh, local, organically grown produce for hungry Oregonians.  We will have a day of good ol’ fashioned, get your hands dirty garden work all for the benefit of a local food pantry. Bring your gloves, some nice sturdy shoes, clothing appropriate for the weather, a strong back, and a dose of flexibility as we assemble for a few hours of work. We will convene at the McMenamin’s Edgefield (located just across the street) for reflection and a relaxing lunch.

Wednesday, June 30^th: Loaves & Fishes Headquarters (10am-2pm)- Loaves & Fishes serves 5000 meals a day to local older adults through congregate and home-delivered meal programs. We will learn all about this vital nutrition service and help serve the day’s meal. Additionally, we hope to tour the nearby Neighborhood House Senior Food Pantry, and find out about the growing need for older adult specific emergency food distribution. Lunch will likely be provided by Loaves & Fishes, but we encourage you to bring your own bag lunch, especially if you have dietary restrictions.

 Saturday, July 10^th: Hollywood Senior Center and Farmer’s Market (11am-3pm)-Our final project is one of our biggest! We will focus on understanding and increasing awareness of the nutrition assistance programs available to older adults such as SFDNP and SNAP. After an orientation, volunteers will be paired with seniors at the farmer’s market to help them shop and understand how the market works. We will also shop for homebound seniors unable to attend themselves. Volunteers will then take part in the Hollywood Market’s “gleaning” program to create food boxes that will be distributed to low-income homebound seniors in the area, which for some will be their first experience with fresh, local produce. Bring your own bag lunch or pop by one of the booths at the market!

Impact Areas: Homelessness/Hunger, Seniors, Other

Interests: The interests recommended for this project are:
Hunger, Aging & Disability Services, Community Enrichment, Health, Environment, Joining a TeamWorks Team, Education, Diversity, Baby Boomers & Retirees, Advocacy, Aging & Disability Services: Seniors

Skills: The skills helpful for participation in this project are:
Cooking & Meal Planning, Working with People, Like to Work on Events, Leadership