Blog

Donate Toys and We’ll Deliver!

toy-1-1

Just some of the many bikes donated last year!

The KGW Great Toy Drive, a collection event for more than 30 years, takes place now through December 17th. The campaign collects new, unwrapped toys for less fortunate families in Oregon and SW Washington. All donated toys will be distributed with the help of 120 local nonprofit organizations and hundreds of dedicated volunteers.

The KGW Great Toy Drive has hundreds of drop-off locations throughout the region. Toys can be donated at the main KGW studios located at 1501 SW Jefferson Street in downtown Portland, Regence offices, Wells Fargo locations, local Toyota Dealerships and nearly 300 other participating partner locations. For a complete list of locations, please visit KGW.com/toy.

Portland Pedal Power will work with offices who want to be drop-off locations. We will be delivering and carting as many toys to KGW as we can!

bikes-on-bikes-transporting-donations-for-the-kgwnews-kgwtoydrive-accepting-toys-till-thursday_23668735322_o

2016 donated toy delivery in action

“The KGW Great Toy Drive is an event that truly brings out the best in our community. Every year we’re humbled by the outpouring of giving from the public,” said DJ Wilson, president and general manager of the KGW Media Group.  “We’re especially grateful to Regence, Wells Fargo and the local Toyota Dealers, who continue to join with us to help needy families bring joy to their children on Christmas morning.”

Due to the generosity of the public and the commitments from many local area businesses to collect toys on behalf of the KGW Great Toy Drive, more children will enjoy a happier holiday season.

Contact me at [email protected] to discuss donating!


A Match Made in Portland

Transporting Healthy Food to Those in Need by Bike

european-plums-and-bartlett-pears--picked-by-portlandfruittreeproject-and-distributed-by-urbangleanerspdx---portlandfruitorg-urbangleanersorg_19817765653_o

European plums and Bartlett pears. Picked by the Portland Fruit Tree Project

For the last three years Portland Pedal Power has partnered with the Portland Fruit Tree Project to support the neighborhood harvesting parties sprouting up around the city. Groups of neighbors on bikes work to harvest urban trees, donating fresh fruit to local food banks. The program is expanding this year from the Richmond neighborhood to start bike harvests in Woodstock and surrounding neighborhoods; there is a current need for neighborhood participation, harvest leaders, and volunteers.

“The bike events help connect the community a little more,” says Amanda Virbitsky, a harvest leader in the Richmond neighborhood. “Instead of driving cars separately to sites, we ride together and get to experience the neighborhood together.”

Bike harvesting parties typically meet at a set location, then ride as a group to several harvesting sites. They transport all the harvest tools by bike too: fruit pickers, crates, and even an ingeniously made trailer that doubles as an orchard ladder.

also-ran-into-our-friends-and-harvesters-portlandfruittreeproject-portlandfruit-urbanharvest-foodbank-volunteer_21068528480_o

Paige, a volunteer at Portland Fruit Tree Project encouraged to connect as well. Harvesters that need a delivery assist can call on Portland Pedal Power.

Fruit is sorted by quality; everything that looks grocery store fresh is donated to the food banks, and the rest is divided up among the volunteers. Portland Pedal Power then loads the donations by cargo bike and transports the fruit to Urban Gleaners, who handles distribution of the fruit to local food pantries and food banks.

Diana Foss at Urban Gleaners says they’re grateful for the fresh fruit, most of which goes to their Food to Schools program that sets up family food pantries in schools. “Typically food bank food donations have been canned or boxed foods, not the healthiest options,” says Foss. “It’s a really important a source of fresh produce, which is usually really expensive for struggling families.”

The Portland Fruit Tree Project truly empowers Portland’s neighborhoods to share in the harvest. Homeowners and those with urban orchards can connect with the Portland Fruit Tree Project to share the bounty of their trees. Neighbors who want to lead harvests are encouraged to connect as well. Harvesters that need a delivery assist can call on Portland Pedal Power.