BORING, Ore. — Two local nonprofits have partnered together to provide more high quality food to low-income families.
Outgrowing Hunger is a non-profit that buys land in the Portland metro area for community gardens. It also utilizes farmland in rural areas. Low-income community members and farmers are then able to grow produce on the land.
Rockwood Community Development focuses on revitalizing northeast Portland. But organizers said their strong administrative team will be influential in helping Outgrowing Hunger apply for federal grants.
"By working together, we're able to leverage resources that support the community through the right channels,” Outgrowing Hunger Executive Director Adam Kohl said.
Kohl has run Outgrowing Hunger since 2011. Now, the non-profit has expanded to the point where 400 families grow and produce on farms or in community gardens.
23 refugees utilize a farm in Boring, Oregon.
"I have green beans. I have white beans. I have a collard greens," Refugee Farmer Zawadi Namukenge said.
Namukenge is from the Democratic Republic of Congo.
She and her sister now live in Oregon, growing crops at the Outgrowing Hunger farm.
Namukenge said some of the produce will be given to community members. She will then keep some for herself and sell the rest.
"When I do farm, I am happy. No stress," Namukenge said.
Kohl said some refugees farm full-time. He expects the partnership with Rockwood Community Development will help Outgrowing Hunger expand and help more low-income families.
"It's a little bit of a tenuous situation, each year we're wondering what's happening next,” Kohl said. “What are we going to do. And through this partnership we're going to be able to focus on longer term strategic planning."
Kohl expects Outgrowing Hunger to buy more farmland and create a hub for farmers to sell produce. But land for community gardens in Portland is expensive. Farmland in rural areas isn’t much cheaper.
Kohl expects those problems to be alleviated by partnering with Rockwood CDC, which he said is more knowledgeable about applying for federal funding.