SUNSHINE DIVISION IS ENSURING THE HOLIDAYS ARE NOT CANCELLED FOR FAMILIES IN NEED THIS THANKSGIVING.

PORTLAND, Ore. – Sunshine Division believes that no one should go hungry, especially during the holidays. Unfortunately, this year, thousands of our neighbors and friends, ten times more than usual, are at risk of just that. Sunshine Division is preparing for one of the most challenging holiday seasons in their 98-year history. Between Thanksgiving and Christmas, they normally provide nearly 700 special Thanksgiving meals and a few thousand food boxes with turkeys directly to families in need, as well as thousands of pounds of food through 40 partner agencies. But this year, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, they are stepping up, adapting, and helping the community through the crisis by more than doubling their holiday response. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Sunshine Division immediately innovated. To safeguard the health of those most at risk, and to help minimize community spread, within one week, they built a home-delivery model.

Thanks largely to volunteers from the Portland Police Bureau, over the past 8 months, they have provided more than 4.1 MILLION meals to over 150,000 households through their two food pantries, home deliveries, and bulk food distribution network. This new delivery model, and the continued support of the Portland Police Bureau, will help them meet the need during what they anticipate will be an extraordinarily challenging holiday season.

Their efforts are further complicated by the fact that due to COVID-19 social-distancing restrictions, the kind-hearted volunteers who normally donate thousands of hours to sort, pack, and distribute food boxes are unable to work in their warehouses. As such, Sunshine Division is using paid labor to replace their critical volunteers.

With the help of several local partnering organizations, Sunshine Division is not alone in their efforts to double their holiday response this year. A total of 1,000 Thanksgiving holiday food boxes are already reserved and will be home delivered to qualifying families with children, veterans, seniors, and individuals with disabilities this Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, the week of Thanksgiving. Additionally, another 6,000+ meals will be distributed to local Portlanders in need through their two food pantries and to more than 20 local social service agencies they partner with and support this holiday season. Additionally in December Sunshine Division will home deliver 2,500 holiday food boxes with turkeys for the 98th year in a row and bulk distribute 5,000+ boxes to local schools, faith based groups, social service organizations, and first responders!

For anyone who was unable to reserve their Thanksgiving holiday food box delivery, they are invited to visit either of Sunshine Division’s two food pantry locations to receive a free food box – no questions asked – on the Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday of Thanksgiving week. Pantry locations are provided below:

(1) 687 N. Thompson St. Portland, OR 97227 // (503) 823-2102
(2) 12436 SE Stark St. Portland, OR 97233 // (971) 255-0834

ABOUT SUNSHINE DIVISION
Since 1923, Sunshine Division has provided free emergency food and clothing to
families and individuals in times of crisis. This year, 1,000 Thanksgiving holiday food
boxes and 2,500 Christmas holiday food boxes will be home-delivered to families in
need via Sunshine Division’s emergency food delivery program, and a total of 14,000
boxes will be distributed in November and December across the Portland metro area.

Since launching their expanded emergency food delivery program in April, with the help
of the Portland Police Bureau and numerous local supporters, Sunshine Division has
provided more than 4 MILLION meals to over 150,000 households through their two
food pantries, home deliveries, and bulk food distribution network. In addition to the
traditional holiday home delivery program, Sunshine Division’s new delivery model will
help them meet the need during what they anticipate will be an extraordinarily
challenging holiday season for thousands of local families.

For more information, please visit: www.sunshinedivision.org

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