Feed the Streets

In the preliminary results from the recent 2022 PIT count, Multnomah County saw an increase of more than 1,200 people compared to its last PIT count in 2019. Of the 5,228 homeless people counted in Multnomah County, 3,057 were unsheltered, 1,485 in shelter and 686 in transitional housing. The count once again highlighted the disproportionate rates of homelessness among people of color; in Multnomah County, people of color made up 40% of everyone counted.

Through our Feed the Streets program we prepare meals every day for houseless and low-income residents of Portland, Oregon, respectively. To date we have served over 170,000 meals, and salvaged over 160,000 pounds of food since forming in June of 2020. Throughout 2022 we have been averaging about 4500 meals  delivered to our houseless community per week with goals of growing this number throughout the year. We are working to expand our program with a goal of distributing more meals at no cost to the unhoused.

Currently, we operate out of a commercial kitchen. We now employ sixteen full-time and nine part-time staff, 70% of whom identify as BIPOC and/or LGBTQ+.

This organization was founded with the intent of helping black and minority populations in a way that fosters healthy progress. We specifically address houseless and low income residents facing food poverty and insecurity by cooking and providing meals and groceries to shelters, campsites and households. Houselessness amongst residents of color is disproportionately high and we aim to provide resources to these populations, which will include education, job training and access to stable living situations. Our intentions are to provide pathways for adults to thrive and youth to flourish with consistent access to our services.

Feed the Streets has always been more than food, but a pathway to becoming more integrated with the houseless population in Portland. By addressing the lack of accessibility to key resources such as job training, sustainable housing, and health services we believe we can create pathways for our houseless neighbors to get off the streets and thrive in their own ways.

As we continue to impact people through our outreach program, we hope to be continual resources for participants to be able to reach out to for assistance in every step that follows our initial efforts, providing the opportunity for continual growth for individuals and the community. We have seen all too often the results of people getting assistance that is not continuous and ending up back in the same positions they were. We hope to break the poverty cycle for everyone who comes through our programs so we can help them to maintain healthy, sustainable lifestyles, knowing they always have someone to reach out to for help.