How did you enter the community? How will you leave it?
When I started my internship in June, hunger had risen by 260% in Portland, OR during the pandemic. The Focus on Youth Organization has donated thousands of meals to local food pantries and garnered significant financial support from fundraising this summer. I valued my time with the organization because we managed to directly address the issues of food insecurity and homelessness within the community, which I’ll always cherish.
As I prepare to leave Portland in the coming weeks, I’ll be fulfilled knowing that I helped those most vulnerable within the city. I’m optimistic that the work of the nonprofit will continue to provide relief and transform the lives of many. It was truly a pleasure partaking in this experience, and I hope further progress is made addressing food insecurity throughout Oregon.
1 Comment
It was great to hear about your project! The area my high school was in also had an extremely high rate of food insecurity (around 1 in 7 children), so it was an area we often did food-related service in. I’m glad you were able to give back to the community directly and learn so much from the experience.