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What Makes Our Foodie Favorites Unique?

At PPP we chose our restaurant and vendor partners wisely. We focus on local spots committed to sustainability, social responsibility, and healthy food. Here’s a few of our foodie faves who are committed to making a difference:

Keeping Portland Socially Responsible

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New City Kitchen

New City Kitchen (NCK) is your one-stop solution for socially responsible lunch catering. NCK prepare delicious box and sack lunches with tasty sandwiches, fresh (and gluten free) salad rolls, and yummy cookies. Their food features have Mediterranean accents, and are flavor-tested by ProChefs Oregon, the local branch of the American Culinary Federation. Our favorite is the roasted eggplant sandwich.

Aside from the yummy food, New City Kitchen is a nonprofit social enterprise that trains and employs people who are looking for a second chance in the workforce. Their mantra is “Hope has a flavor,” operating under the belief that when you give people the opportunity they’ve been waiting for, they come alive.

Keeping Portland Green

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Aprisa Mexican Cuisine

We deliver a lot of taco bars and delicious burritos from Aprisa Mexican Cuisine, a local favorite. Aprisa is a socially and environmentally responsible company. They aim to make the least impact on the environment as possible by using serving containers that are made from 100% sustainable and compostable materials.

Even more unique, their restaurant locations are made from recycled shipping containers. Using these as building materials (normally considered industrial waste) reduces the impact of this kind of waste on the environment. The building is also very efficient due to high insulation value; because of the layout and minimal square footage the cooking equipment can effectively heat the building!

Keeping Portland Healthy

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Gluten Free Gem Bakery

Gluten Free Gem is an independent, family run bakery located in Portland’s Rose Quarter. Owners Anne and Mike Miller started baking gluten free at CCP Gluten Free Bakeshop in 2006 when their daughter was diagnosed with Celiac Disease. By April of 2011, the bakery had outgrown its SW Corbett location and was moved to its current location on N. Hancock St. With this move came a name change, to celebrate the original Gems: Anne and Mike’s daughters Greta and Emma Miller.

Over the last eight years, their understanding of eating and baking gluten-free has grown immensely, and so has the menu. Gem plans to continuing to develop new gluten-free products that help to change the perception of what gluten-free baking can be, all the while maintaining a 100% gluten-free facility, where everything is delicious and safe to eat.


Explore Better Banking at Trailhead

CaptureWe’ve just started partnering with Trailhead Credit Union, a local financial cooperative committed to guiding people on their own individualized path to success. Trailhead is well aligned with Portland Pedal Power; they are local and homegrown, they actively support non-profits in our community like the Bicycle Transportation Alliance and the Forest Park Conservancy, and they are committed to supporting the individuality that makes Portland thrive.

Trailhead has been around since 1935, founded during the great depression when there was high demand for small salary advances and loans. Portland Gas and Coke (now NW Natural Gas Company) employees organized to form the union to benefit all employees of the companies. While the credit union has evolved in the last 80 years, the commitment to “serve the underserved” has made Trailhead an valuable option for anyone living in Multnomah County.

Capture 57The great thing about credit unions is that they are not-for-profit and they exist to serve their members. You can be sure your money is not going to big business and you don’t pay excessive banking fees.

Because credit unions have lower operating expenses in general, they pass those savings on to their members. Trailhead offers an interest rate on their checking account for members who qualify and they will reimburse ATM fees. Trailhead also has an app that allows for mobile deposits easy peasy.

If you’re disillusioned by big banks and big fees, it’s time to switch to a credit union. Trailhead is a community bank that is “small enough to know better.” Make the switch today and bank local. Also, keep your eyes peeled for the gorgeous Trailhead bikes on the road!


The Great Toy Drive was a Great Success!


USAgencies and Portland Pedal Power recently teamed up to form a team that would make the Justice League jealous. To help give back to the community, USAgencies collected toys to donate to the KGW Great Toy Drive, matching donations Toy for Toy.

On December 11th, Portland Pedal Power was privileged to convey the precious cargo from the USAgencies office to the KGW Studios.

With your help, USAgencies Credit Union was able to donate more than 360 toys, helping out 130 different non-profits partnered with KGW Studios and bringing a lot of joy to many families.

We want to thank everyone who helped make this holiday season extra special this year by donating a Toy to the Great Toy Drive. Together, we were able to deliver a lot of happiness this year.