Lift UP's Year End Appeal
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Clayton first heard about Preston’s Pantry from a neighbor. He moved to Portland from Los Angeles in 2015, and just one year later, he was attacked on the street. The injuries he sustained were so serious he had to begin using a wheelchair, and his hospital bills began piling up. He worried, “I’ll never get through this.”
Clayton felt self-conscious about using a wheelchair and avoided going into grocery stores. This left him feeling isolated and depressed. “I was not well,” he reflected. Despite his concerns, he knew he needed food. His first time visiting Preston’s Pantry, he found the staff and volunteers to be gentle and without judgement. He felt immediately at ease. “Everyone was absolutely delightful. Just by asking, I got exactly what I needed.” On that first visit, one volunteer started filling a bag with an array of produce Clayton had not considered taking for himself. “You need to fill your basket with color,” the volunteer encouraged. From that point on, Clayton’s perspective on food changed. Visiting Preston’s Pantry “brought normality back into my life” he said. He appreciated the volunteers who he got know as he shopped at the pantry over the years. They would check on his well-being and showed genuine care for him. “The pantry volunteers are magnificently generous,” Clayton said. Clayton credits Preston’s Pantry with his improvement in health. After five years confined to a wheelchair, Clayton is now able to walk again, citing good nutrition as vital to his recovery. “Lift UP has been integral to my healing. Lift UP does just that- they lift people up. I feel there’s a real depth of beauty to the work they do. They are a hub of strength in the community.” Clayton is a hub of strength for the community, too. He regularly distributes food among the houseless individuals in his neighborhood, including chicken soup, lasagna, and treats like cookies. “When the world is hungry, you just can’t walk by.” |
Preston’s Pantry saw a 21% increase in need over the past year. Would you consider partnering with us to meet our goal of $15,000? For every $25 Lift UP receives, we are able to provide 75 healthy and nutritious meals to people in Northwest and Downtown Portland. In 12 months, that equals 900 meals!
Please donate to Lift UP today and keep our neighbors fed, happy, and healthy.
Please donate to Lift UP today and keep our neighbors fed, happy, and healthy.
Food brings us together!
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Lift UP is an equal opportunity provider.