SEI, Sunshine Division Offer Thanksgiving Meals to Families in Need

On Monday, Nov. 20, 2017, at 2:00 p.m., Portland Police Bureau's Sunshine Division will deliver 2000 lbs. of donated turkeys to Self Enhancement, Inc. (SEI) at 3920 N Kerby Avenue.

Turkeys are being provided to fill 200 Thanksgiving food boxes for SEI families. In addition, SEI received generous food donations from local community partners including Birch Community Services, Fred Meyer, Kroger, Pacific Foods, New Seasons and United Salad.

“Sunshine Division’s ability to provide food assistance to those who need it most in our community is reliant on the strength of our community partnerships," said officer Matt Tobey, Sunshine Division’s assigned officer. “We are proud to support the great work SEI does with turkeys for the families they serve.”

SEI volunteers will begin packing food boxes at noon that contain everything needed for a Thanksgiving Day traditional meal such as vegetables, stuffing, gravy, potatoes, rolls and more. The Thanksgiving food boxes will be distributed the next day to over 200 families.

“Due to economic hardships, many of our families are unable to purchase a traditional Thanksgiving meal. Choice of foods is not always balanced when households are financially strained and our families have to settle with buying unhealthy food options because meats and vegetables are so expensive,” said Pat Bates-Sherman, manager of SEI’s Parent Involvement Program.

“This is our opportunity to provide a quality meal with nutritional value for Thanksgiving. We care that our families have a really nice holiday meal to share with their families.”

About Self Enhancement, Inc.

For over 35 years, SEI has been a change agent in the City of Portland, striving to meet the complex needs of youth and their families by helping them to overcome cultural, educational and economic barriers. SEI is the second, largest minority-owned organization in the state of Oregon and serves over 14,000 youth and families. SEI’s mission is to guide youth from historically under-served backgrounds to realize their full potential.  SEI works with schools, families, and other community organizations to provide support, guidance, and opportunities that helps us bring hope to individual young people and enhances the quality of community life.

About the Sunshine Division:

Since 1923, the Portland Police Bureau Sunshine Division has been providing emergency food and clothing relief to Portland families and individuals in need. Whether due to the loss of a job, domestic crime, illness, or victims of fire or disaster, the Sunshine Division has built a 95-year legacy of mobilizing quickly and efficiently to assist distressed Portlanders.

The Sunshine Division offers emergency food assistance six days a week through two food pantries and clothing room locations, as well as 24/7 through their partnership with the Portland Police Bureau that store food boxes at each police precinct that can be dispatched on demand. In addition to food relief they also offer new and gently-used clothing to those in need.