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HREC plans Welcoming Week outreach; commissioners to volunteer at Family Kitchen and consider using small commission funds
Summary
The Human Rights and Equity Commission reviewed Welcoming Week events, discussed volunteer coordination with Family Kitchen for Sept. 7, and considered applying the commission’s modest annual budget to support local meal operations.
The Human Rights and Equity Commission on Aug. 27 spent part of its virtual meeting planning Welcoming Week activities and discussing a proposed volunteer day with Family Kitchen, a local meals nonprofit.
Chair Agatha Ventura, chair of the Human Rights and Equity Commission, framed Welcoming Week as a series of events running in September that center refugee, immigrant and Latine communities in Bend. Commissioners discussed both in-person volunteering and how HREC’s limited funds might be used to support community partners.
Tori Wild, operations manager at Family Kitchen, described the organization’s operations and volunteer needs. “We serve between 300, 400 and 50 meals in our lunches and our dinners,” Wild said, adding that Family Kitchen runs multiple meal shifts and deploys volunteers to prepare and serve food at its Bend location and in nearby towns. Wild said Family Kitchen has five staff at the Bend location and depends heavily on volunteers; she also said May had been the organization’s busiest month and that rising food and operating costs are their biggest current challenge.
Commissioners agreed to promote an initial volunteer shift on Sunday, Sept. 7, with a prep window and serving times; staff and Family Kitchen offered flexible shift options (a prep shift from 10 a.m. to noon and a volunteer window that includes 12 p.m.–4:30 p.m. with public service from 2–4 p.m.). Commissioner Jackie Curry said she had already signed up to volunteer Sept. 7 and encouraged other commissioners to join as individuals or as an organized group.
The commission also discussed how to apply HREC’s small annual budget. Andres said HREC’s annual allocation is $5,000. Commissioners proposed using some of those funds to offset Family Kitchen’s rising operating or food costs or to support other Welcoming Week events that center immigrant and refugee communities. “My suggestion would be that we put those funds towards our volunteer efforts and purchasing the food to help offset the costs for a Family Kitchen,” Commissioner Eli Lowenstein said.
Next steps: Commissioners agreed to promote the Sept. 7 volunteer opportunities, refine plans for any funding allocation, and coordinate further logistics offline. Family Kitchen’s volunteer coordinator contact information was offered to commissioners for sign-ups and organizing.
