2012 Beneficiaries

Each year a portion of the proceeds of the Farm Dinners goes to support organizations doing good things in our local community. We hope you'll do what you can do support these incredible groups year round.

Farmers Ending Hunger

Eastern Oregon resident Fred Ziari created the nonprofit Farmers Ending Hunger in 2004 when he learned that Oregon was one of the hungriest states in the country. Farmers Ending Hunger gathers Oregon's agricultural resources to help feed the hungry. Local family farmers, ranchers and growers donate a portion of the food crops they raise, and Adopt-an-Acre, a supplementary program seeks the operating funds necessary to harvest and process those same crops into frozen and canned food products that are easily stored and utilized, then distribute them to the hungry through Oregon Food Bank's regional network. For information on how to contribute to Adopt-an-Acre, please visit farmersendinghunger.com or call 503-931-9232.

Food Works

Food Works is a youth employment and empowerment program that engages 14-21 year old young people in all aspects of planning, growing, selling and donating over 12,000 pounds of organic produce each year from their 2-acre organic farm on Sauvie Island. Food Works Crew Members learn business, leadership, organic agriculture and other important work and life skills through working as team to market their food at farmers markets and local grocery stores, and donating a significant portion of the food they grow back to their community. Crew Members also receive school credit for their work and are supported to transition into other employment opportunities and to succeed in their academic goals. For more information visit villagegardens.org/food-works/

Oregon Tilth Organic Education Center

The Organic Education Center (OEC) seeks to strengthen the health of families, communities, and the environment by providing experiential learning opportunities in biologically sound urban agriculture. Through hands-on classes and trainings, volunteer programs and garden tours, the Center teaches people about the sources of their food and the ease and abundance of organic gardening. In collaboration with local business, farmers, students and government, Oregon Tilth works as a regional resource hub for sustainable food growing.

The OEC is located at the historic Luscher Farm, a 63-acre site at the corner of Stafford and Rosemont Roads in Clackamas County, Oregon. Their demonstration garden occupies 6000 square feet of rich, cultivated soil, and is surrounded by 160 community garden plots and a 10-acre Community Supported Agriculture Farm. The garden features a variety of organic food growing demonstrations, from year round gardening methods to urban composting techniques, and is open to the public daily from dawn ‘til dusk! For more information visit tilth.com

Sauvie Island Center

The Sauvie Island Center increases food, farm and environmental literacy in the community by providing hands-on educational field trips for elementary school children. The trips take place on the Sauvie Island Organics farm and on the grounds of the 120 acre Howell Territorial Park, managed by Metro.

A trip to Sauvie Island Center is a rich and unique opportunity for Portland elementary school students to visit and explore the sixteen acre Sauvie Island Organics farm. Kids learn about plant parts, the role insects, birds and animals play in the larger food web, healthy soil and decomposition and about pollinators and pollination.

The trips also include the Grow Lunch Garden, where children plant, tend, harvest and eat fresh vegetables from their own field. There's no better way to learn about healthy food, healthy bodies and a healthy planet. Learn more at sauvieislandcenter.org