Portland-area food bank · Founded 1989
Neighbors helping neighbors.
Riverbend Food Bank distributed 18.4 million meals last year across Multnomah, Washington, and Clackamas counties. Driven by 4,200 volunteers + 850 community partners. 1 in 12 Portland-area residents accesses food assistance through our network.
36 yr
Founded 1989
18.4M
Meals distributed last year
4,200
Volunteers per year
88¢
Of every $1 to programs
Why Riverbend
What separates Portland's local food bank
Volunteer-equal-to-donor
Volunteers are not less important than donors. 4,200 volunteers per year contribute 220,000+ hours of work — equivalent to ~$5.4M in labor. Volunteers are the engine of Riverbend; donors are essential fuel. Both required.
Local + community-rooted
Founded in Portland by 7 local churches in 1989. 36 years of community presence. Many staff + volunteers have been here 10+ years. We know the neighborhoods we serve. Trust takes years to build; ours is built.
850+ partner organizations
We don’t serve recipients directly (mostly). Instead, we provide food + funding to 850+ partner organizations: church food pantries, school programs, community centers, shelters, hospice programs, drug rehab + reentry programs.
Diverse food procurement
Food rescue (grocery store + restaurant donations): ~40%. Local farm partnerships: ~25%. Government food: ~20%. Purchased food: ~15%. Mix gives us efficiency + freshness + reliability.
Specialty programs (beyond emergency food)
Beyond emergency food: free school supplies (12,000 backpacks per fall), free health screenings (partner with Providence + OHSU), workforce development (4 culinary training program), refugee + immigrant family support.
Transparent accountability
Charity Navigator 4 stars. GuideStar Platinum. Annual independent audit. 88% of donor dollars to direct programs. Annual report mailed to donors $250+. Board financial reports public. Transparency matters; we live it.
How food gets from donation to family
The Riverbend supply chain
- 1Food procurementFood rescue from grocery stores + restaurants + farms (~40%). Local farm partnerships during harvest seasons (~25%). Government commodities (~20%). Purchased bulk staples (~15%). Mixed model = freshness + reliability + cost efficiency.
- 2Warehouse + sortingDavis Street warehouse (45,000 sq ft). Volunteers + paid staff sort donations, pack family boxes, prepare partner deliveries. Cold storage for perishables. Approximately 2,500 volunteer shifts per week.
- 3Distribution to 850 partnersDaily deliveries to 850+ partner organizations across 3 counties. Trucks + volunteer drivers + fleet management. Smaller partners pick up; larger get delivered.
- 4Partner-to-recipient distributionPartner organizations distribute to recipients: weekly church pantries, school programs, shelter meals, hospice support. Recipients receive food directly through partners — culturally appropriate, locally trusted, accessible.
Get involved
Different ways to help
Volunteer (most-needed)
4,200 volunteers per year. Warehouse + sorting + delivery + events. 1-time or ongoing. Solo, family, friends, or workplace teams. Most-needed: weekday warehouse shifts. Sign up at /volunteer.
Donate (essential)
$25 = 100 meals. Monthly recurring most-impactful. Other giving methods: stocks, donor-advised funds, planned giving. Tax-deductible 501(c)(3) (EIN 93-1184756).
Food drives + donations
Organize a food drive at your workplace, school, or neighborhood. We provide everything you need (donation bins, materials, pickup logistics). Large drives can collect 1,000-5,000 lbs of food.
Corporate partnership
Workplace giving programs, employee matching, volunteer days, cause marketing campaigns. We have established partnerships with 35+ Portland-area companies. Email partners@riverbendfoodbank.org.
Skills-based pro bono
Use your professional skills: marketing, IT, finance, HR, legal, communications. Project-based work or ongoing engagement. Email volunteer@riverbendfoodbank.org with your skills + interests.
Advocacy + awareness
Educate your community about food insecurity. Share our content on social media. Advocate for federal + state nutrition assistance funding. Education matters as much as direct support.
Voices from our community
What partners + volunteers + recipients say
“Riverbend Food Bank is the reason our church food pantry can serve 80 families per week. We literally could not do it without their reliable food supply + responsive support team. They’re the backbone of food assistance in Portland.”
PJ
Pastor James K.
St. Mark’s Episcopal · Riverbend partner 22 years
“I’ve volunteered every Tuesday morning for 6 years. The work is satisfying — actual hands-on impact. The team is welcoming + diverse + good-humored. Many of my closest friendships are with other volunteers.”
MS
Maria S.
Volunteer 6 years · 312 shifts
“Lost my job + couldn’t feed my family. Through Riverbend’s partner pantry I got groceries for 3 months while finding a new job. Then I started volunteering. Now I work in their warehouse part-time. Riverbend changed my family’s trajectory.”
RC
Robert C.
Former recipient · Now part-time staff
Recognized by
Charity Navigator 4 starsGuideStar PlatinumFeeding America NetworkOregon Food Bank NetworkPortland Business Journal Top NPOWillamette Week Best of 2024
Common questions
What new supporters ask
- $25 = 100 meals (we leverage every dollar through bulk purchasing + food rescue partnerships). 88 cents of every dollar goes to direct programs. We turn $1 of donor money into roughly $4 of food value through bulk procurement + food rescue.