Robert Peltz (z”l) High Holidays Funds for Food Drive

As The High Holidays Approach, Please Join Us in Supporting Our Community...

The pandemic may be winding down, and many Oregonians are resuming many of their pre-pandemic activities. Yet the number of adults and children experiencing hunger has not decreased. In fact, in our own community, food insecurity has expanded. In March the “emergency allotments” for SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) ended, and according to the Oregon Food Bank (OFB), 1 in 6 Oregonians experienced significant cuts in the monthly money they received for groceries.

When we began the Robert Peltz (z”l) High Holidays Funds for Food during the pandemic, we were determined to follow in Robert’s footsteps and make an impact to decrease hunger in our community. Since 2020, Congregation Beth Israel members and friends have donated $82,555. These funds have gone to ten agencies to help feed their constituents: The Oregon Food Bank, LiftUp (formerly Lift Urban Portland), Immigration and Refugee Community Organization (IRCO), NARA NW (Native American Rehabilitation of the NW), Virginia Garcia, Sunshine Division, NE Emergency Food Program, Stone Soup, Urban Gleaners, and Sunshine Pantry (now closed). Some of the monies funded meals delivered to people’s homes, food in food pantries, and gift cards for food.

OFB has been our partner in assessing the need and choosing organizations for direct donations from CBI. We reached out to some organizations that were not familiar with Congregation Beth Israel and to organizations that served diverse populations. Along with helping to fight food insecurity, new relationships resulted.

Leslie Peltz
July 11, 2023

CBI Speaks: Congregants on the Urgent Problem of Food Insecurity

Leslie Peltz

Libby Schwartz

Jim Richman

Sally Rosenfeld

Tova Peltz

Suzanne Bonamici

A Word from Our Partners: Virginia Garcia Memorial Foundation

A Word from Our Partners: Stone Soup PDX

A Word from Our Partners: Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization (IRCO)

Building on the Success of Previous Years

Donations in 5782

The Oregon Food Bank – $5,044

Lift Urban Portland – $5,000

Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization (IRCO) – $4,000

Sunshine Division – $2,500

NARA NW, Inc – $2,500

Virginia Garcia Memorial Health Center – $2,500

NE Emergency Food Program – $1,500

Stone Soup – $1,000

Urban Gleaners – $1,000

Donations in 5781

Robert’s widow Leslie Peltz, and his good friend Jim Richman, carried Robert’s legacy forward last year. Under their thoughtful and dedicated leadership the fund had a huge increase in both the number of donors and the amount of money raised.

Number of donors – 191
Total Donations – $35,304

Allocations:

Lift Urban Portland -$5,000
Sunshine Pantry – $3,000
Oregon Food Bank – $6,804
Urban Gleaners – $1,500
Stone Soup – $1,500
Northeast Emergency Food Programs – $1,500
Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization (IRCO) – $4,000
Native American Rehabilitation Association (NARA) – $4,000
Sunshine Division – $4,000
Virginia Garcia Memorial Health Center – $4,000