Our programs
More than emergency food
Beyond emergency food: school + summer programs, senior nutrition, hospice support, refugee + immigrant family support, workforce development, free health screenings, special holiday meals. Long-term solutions plus immediate relief.
Core: emergency food
The biggest program (75% of distribution)
Partner pantry network
850+ partner organizations distribute food directly to recipients. Church pantries, community centers, shelters, school programs, college pantries. They serve Portland-area neighbors weekly.
Family food boxes
Pre-packed grocery boxes designed for family of 4 for 1 week. Nutritionally balanced. Includes fresh + shelf-stable items. Distributed through partner organizations. ~14,000 boxes per week.
Mobile pantry program
We deploy mobile pantries to underserved areas (rural Multnomah, transitional neighborhoods, areas with no fixed pantry). 12-15 mobile pantry events per month. Reaches communities without easy partner access.
Drive-through distributions
COVID-era innovation that continued. Drive-through distributions for recipients who can’t come inside (work schedules, mobility, illness). Multiple per week across counties.
Emergency response
Wildfire response (2020+). Winter storm response. COVID surge response. Specific incident response capabilities. Partner organization coordination during emergencies.
Quality + safety
Food safety protocols. Cold chain maintained. Expired food not distributed. Periodic recipient feedback. Specific complaints addressed within 48 hours. We treat recipients with dignity.
School + summer programs
Children-focused
Backpack program
Weekend backpack program — kids in food-insecure households take home backpack with food for weekend (Friday after school, return Monday). 4,200 kids/week receive backpacks. Coordinated with Portland + Beaverton + Gresham school districts.
School pantry program
On-site pantries at high-need schools (24 schools currently). Weekly distribution to families. Discrete + dignified access. Coordinated with school counselors + family liaisons.
Summer meal program
Summer when school meals stop. Program operates June-August at libraries, parks, community centers. Free meals for kids regardless of household income (federal program). 18,000+ meals served per summer.
School supply backpacks (annual)
Annual school supply distribution. 12,000+ backpacks distributed each fall (August). Kids return to school with what they need: notebooks, pens, calculator, lunch bag. Coordinated with school district counselors.
Holiday meal programs
Thanksgiving + Christmas + Easter complete meal kits. Distributed through schools + churches + community centers. ~12,000 family meal kits per major holiday.
Field trip + experiential education
Partner with school district to provide nutrition education + healthy eating workshops. Students visit warehouse, learn about hunger, food systems. Most-impactful for upper-elementary + middle school students.
Senior nutrition program
For 65+ recipients
Senior food boxes
Customized food boxes for senior nutrition. Easy-to-prepare items, smaller portions for solo seniors, items appropriate for chronic disease management (diabetes, heart disease, kidney disease).
Meals on Wheels coordination
Coordinate with Multnomah County Meals on Wheels. We provide some food + funding; they deliver to homebound seniors. Joint program for seniors who can’t access partner pantries.
Senior center partnerships
Senior centers as partner organizations. Lunch programs, social engagement, nutrition education. We provide bulk food; senior centers coordinate distribution.
Aging in place support
Foods that support seniors aging in their own homes. Easy preparation. Long shelf life. Single-serving where appropriate. Cultural considerations for diverse senior populations.
Nutrition counseling (limited)
Partner with Providence + OHSU dietitians for senior nutrition counseling. Quarterly events + appointments. Particularly valuable for seniors with chronic disease management needs.
Senior advocacy
Federal + state senior nutrition policy advocacy. Older Americans Act funding. Senior-specific SNAP + assistance program access. We participate in regional senior policy discussions.
Hospice + medical support
End-of-life + chronic illness
Hospice program meals
Partner with Providence Hospice + Kaiser Hospice + others. Meals + food support for hospice patients + families. Particularly important during difficult end-of-life period when families can’t cook for themselves.
Cancer treatment support
Patients in active cancer treatment (chemotherapy + radiation). Specific food needs (bland, easy-to-digest, nutritious). Partner with OHSU oncology + Providence cancer programs.
Diabetes-friendly food boxes
Specific food boxes for diabetes management. Lower-carb, lower-sugar items. Coordinated with healthcare providers + community health workers. Specific to chronic disease management.
Kidney disease support
Specific dietary needs for kidney disease patients. Limited-protein, limited-potassium, limited-sodium foods. Coordinated with healthcare providers.
Pediatric medical support
Children with serious medical conditions (cystic fibrosis, leukemia, others). Specific nutrition needs. Coordinated with Doernbecher Children’s Hospital + OHSU + others.
Transportation support
Transportation to medical appointments + food pickups for medical patients. Coordinated with Ride Connection + others. Filling gaps in healthcare + food access for sick people.
Refugee + immigrant family support
Recently arrived
Refugee resettlement organizations
Coordinate with IRCO (Immigrant + Refugee Community Organization), Catholic Charities, Lutheran Community Services. Specific programs for newly arrived refugees from Afghanistan, Ukraine, Venezuela, Somalia, others.
Culturally appropriate food
Foods matching refugee + immigrant cultural preferences. Specific produce, spices, cuisine considerations. Refugees from same country grouped where possible. Important for cultural continuity during resettlement.
ESL + integration programs
Partner organizations offering ESL + integration programs receive food + funding. Food + community + integration go together for new immigrants.
Specific community programs
Vietnamese seniors. Russian-speaking immigrants. Latin American families. Each community has specific cultural + linguistic considerations. Partner organizations specialize.
Halal + kosher + religious food
Halal foods for Muslim recipients. Kosher foods for Jewish recipients. Religious food considerations integrated into procurement + distribution. Particularly important for refugee + immigrant populations.
Translation services
Translation services for partner organizations + recipient communication. Spanish, Russian, Vietnamese, Arabic, Somali, Mandarin most common. Specific to refugee + immigrant populations served.
Workforce development
Beyond emergency food
Riverbend Culinary Training program
16-week culinary training program. Partnership with Portland Community College culinary department. 24 students per cohort, 4 cohorts/year. Most graduates find food service employment within 3 months. Powerful path out of food insecurity for participants.
Job placement + support
Job placement assistance for culinary training graduates + general food bank network participants. Coordination with Portland-area food service employers. ~$18-$22/hour starting wages typical.
Volunteer-to-staff pipeline
Some volunteers transition to paid staff at Riverbend or partner organizations. We hire from our volunteer base when possible. Approximately 40% of our paid staff started as volunteers.
Resume + interview support
Workforce development support for participants. Resume help, interview practice, job search resources. Free for program participants + occasional drop-in support for community members.
Apprenticeships
Limited apprenticeships for nonprofit operations skills. Particularly: warehouse operations, fleet management, partnership management. Apprenticeships fee paid; lead to job offers. Specific selection process.
Specific community partnerships
Vietnam Veterans of America (employment + reintegration). New Avenues for Youth (homeless youth employment). PCC + Mt. Hood Community College workforce programs. Joint programming + warm-handoff referrals.
Programs questions
What supporters ask
- Food insecurity is rarely just about food. It’s about poverty, housing, healthcare, education, social isolation. Long-term solutions require addressing root causes. Our programs do both: emergency food for immediate need + workforce + nutrition + advocacy programs for long-term solutions.