Mutual Aid in Portland, OR

This week, I wanted to highlight one of the various mutual aid groups in Portland, Oregon. For those that may not be familiar with the term, mutual aid is a cooperative exchange of resources and services of which the benefits can be shared by many and all. It’s about people giving what they can and getting what they need.  Mutual aid is often used to provide people with food, shelter, supplies, medical care, and other forms of relief in times of catastrophe. Of course, mutual aid isn’t limited to moments of disaster, in fact, there are many mutual aid groups operating in our city that provide an outlet for people to give and get help at any time. 

Such as Portland Free Fridge, a volunteer community member-run mutual aid effort that provides access to free food and supplies through independently managed fridges, freezers, and pantries all over Portland. 

 (PDX Free Fridge)

Community members are encouraged to as their motto states, “take what you need, leave what you don’t, give what you can.”  One can find various types of food, hygiene products, and pet foods at any given free fridge site, and their website provides people with a map of current locations. Community members also use their Instagram page to communicate updates about locations and when new supplies or food are available. 

Fridge and pantry located at 3932 SE Woodstock (PDX Free Fridge)

For those who would like to start a fridge, there is a guide with useful information and tools to achieve this on their website. The purpose of this project is to share abundance by redistributing resources and minimizing unnecessary waste. 

(PDX Free Fridge)

If you would like to learn more about PDX Free Fridge, make a donation, or find some free food and supplies check out their website and give them a follow on Instagram @pdxfreefridge! 

Free Food For Students in Need

A colorful diet 

It's always heartening to see people stepping up where help is needed. With the exorbitant costs of textbooks, rent in Portland, and tuition, more and more students are needing assistance to just get by. Despite working a part-time or even full-time job, most college students take free food anywhere they can get it. It's unfortunate that being a college student these days generally means being broke all the time. At Portland State University, however, there is a great resource for students who need food. 

Every week day from 12:30-2:30 pm, the Portland State University Food Pantry is open to students in need. Students can pick out what food they need from a large selection of free items. The PSU Food Pantry buys up to 5,000 pounds of food each week from the Oregon Food Bank, giving students many options to pick from. PSU has also partnered with Harvest Share to provide the Free Food Market, a program that meets every second Monday of the month that is welcome to all PSU students, faculty, staff and community members. 

Homelessness and poverty are big issues that we all we all see daily, but these events can really help folks get back on their feet and provide a great resource for free food. 

If you or a student you know is in need, follow the links below for more details. 

Food Assistance through PSU

Additional Resources through PSU

Monthly Free Food Market

Get Your Free Food Game On!

Do you love food? I love food but the food can get expensive. There are many resources out there for us to make a nice meal or simply get some food. However, these resources aren’t always known. With the cost of living rising it spares little money left for food, finding free resources is always great. There are many resources that allow for those who are in need of a little helping hand to receive help for food. Places such as the Oregon Food Bank and Urban Gleaners are a great source to go to for help. The Oregon Food Bank is always receiving donations such as canned foods and which they distribute to those who need it. By utilizing and taking advantage of this resource those who are still seeking a help has one less thing to worry about. My friend once got a package of ground turkey from the food pantry and we made a pretty mean lasagna so don’t let your food recourses go to waste!

more info on when and where:
https://www.oregonfoodbank.org/find-help/find-food/
http://urbangleaners.org/need-food/

participating locations for food or grocery