Have you ever wondered where your next meal would come from? That is precisely what some children in Portland, Oregon are thinking now that the school year has ended. Oregon has one of the highest percentages of “food insecure” kids in the country. In particular, nearly half of Portland’s school age children qualify for free or reduced meals.
Jack HowkSM / Rescue Rooter Portland® decided it was time to do something about this problem. They teamed with Portland Police Bureau’s Sunshine Division to hold a food drive to gather canned food for the children in need. The team at Rescue Rooter has barrels set out at several locations around the city for the public to donate food. The technicians will also pick up any donated food when they are out on their service calls and the company will discount $1 per canned item on any service up to $25.
“The team’s enthusiasm is infectious — they even started collecting food for us before the designated food drive start date,” said Kyle Camberg, Executive Director of the Sunshine Division. “We’re fortunate to have a lot of help during the holidays and throughout the year, but we appreciate organizations that make an effort no matter what the season is. Summer is a key time when we need the extra help.”
“We believe this will be the first time a plumbing company has ever collected donations from their customers’ homes. Because of this, we think we’ll make a big impact,” said Kerry Frederickson, General Manager of Rescue Rooter Portland. “We especially value the work the Sunshine Division does on behalf of families and children and are honored to help.”
To kick things up a bit, Rescue Rooter Portland has divided its workforce into four teams for the food drive, with each team selecting a charity. The team that raises the most food (measured by weight) this summer will have the honor of donating $1,000 to their designated charity on behalf of Rescue Rooter Portland.
