Resilience & Flexibility
Hello World!
This is the first time you're hearing from me as Portland Fruit Tree Project's new executive director. It’s wonderful to be joining this organization, with such a rich history, built on an ethic of community and sharing.
What I see as one of our best sources of inspiration in these complicated and hard times of COVID-19 - are our fruit trees.
If you're like me, you have been watching the trees start to bud and drinking in the green of spring that celebrates renewal. Now as our beloved trees have begun to blossom, it's time to reflect on the season ahead in the changed landscape of corona.
As our natural world springs ahead, like the pollinators on the blossoming trees, our board, staff, and volunteers are moving ahead to fulfill our mission of creating equitable access to food and empowering our neighbors to share in the harvest of our city-grown fruit.
The harvest season is coming up and I’m sure many of you have wondered how we will manage with social distancing in effect - assuming it still is at that time. Our committees have been hard at work coming up with ideas.
So far we have:
Researched food safety best practices.
Started identifying ways volunteers can still help with the harvest.
Communicated with food recipient agency partners about fruit donations.
In addition to being flexible, we have always been resilient. With our passionate and skilled board of directors, our current membership, and our 13 years of operation through good times and tough times, we know that we are in the right position to fulfill our mission to increase equitable access to healthful food and to empower our neighbors to share in the harvest and care of city-grown produce.
We would not be able to operate without our members and volunteers and we hope that you will make the choice to help us blossom into the harvest season through your support.
How can you help?
For those whose resources allow, consider joining as a member or increasing your monthly member contribution in support of our continued programming to help provide essential support that we can depend on. (To increase your current gift, please fill out a new version of your gift on the donation page, then email donate@portlandfruit.org to cancel your current payment in PayPal. Unfortunately there is no way to change payment amounts in PayPal!).
Or, it’s possible that you also find yourself with some free time on your hands. If you have professional skills you’d like to contribute, I would love to talk with you about your interests! Email me at heather@portlandfruit.org. I’m also very happy to hear other ideas you have!
With gratitude for being able to bend with the storm,
Heather Keisler Fornes
Executive Director
Portland Fruit Tree Project
P.S. We would like to extend a huge THANK YOU to Welcome to PDX Realty who is matching the first $500, so make your donation go twice as far!
P.S.S. The new CARES Act, which offers paycheck protection to businesses, has also expanded benefits to individuals donating to nonprofits! If you plan to take the standard deduction on your 2020 tax return, you can now deduct 100% of cash or equivalent contributions to charity up to $300 per year. If you itemize on your taxes, you now can deduct 100% of the cash or equivalent contributions you make to charity in 2020.