The Sunshine Division Welcomes Change with New Staff and Food Store Model

There are a lot of changes going around the Sunshine Division but one thing that hasn’t changed is our devotion to feeding and clothing Portlanders in need.

In the last two months, we’ve enlisted the expertise of our first-ever Executive Director, Kyle Camberg.  Kyle is no stranger to the nonprofit world, working several years at Komen Race for the Cure as a Corporate Relations Manager and prior to that in development at the March of Dimes.

The Sunshine Division’s 88-year legacy is evolving and with this evolution the need for strong leadership is ever prevalent.  Part of the Sunshine Division’s program evolution is the shift from our traditional food box model to a more dignified shopping experience for clients who visit our facility.

Clients who enter our doors are now given a shopping cart  (rather than a box) and are able to ‘shop’ for their food in our warehouse store model.  This allows clients to hand select the food items that best fit their needs, rather than pre-packed boxes which contain a variety of items which may or may not suit the diets of the clients.

Getting the word out about our expanded programs and current needs requires constant communication efforts.  Therefore, we are happy to add to our staff our new Development and Communications Manager, Kristi South.  Kristi comes from a varied background of journalism, fundraising event planning, and advertising.  She has consulted for nonprofits for many years and now devotes her skills full-time  to the Sunshine Division.

Please join us in welcoming Kyle and Kristi to the Sunshine Division team.

For more information about our new Food Store model, please visit  our website at http://www.sunshinedivision.org/programs.php .

First Emergency Food Box of the Week

Zoe's emergency food box. The very first box given to a family on Monday, April 25, 2011.

There’s an amazing story about the very first emergency food box that went out to a family in need this week on Monday morning, April 25, 2011.  A 9 year old girl named Zoe packed that box on Friday afternoon, April 22.  Packing a food box is more than just putting food into a box, it takes planning and a little creativity as Zoe learned on Friday afternoon.  But to us Sunshine Division staff and regular volunteers packing the food box is the easy part.  The challenge is making sure that our warehouse has an inventory of food so the emergency food boxes can be packed.  When Zoe learned about the Sunshine Division from her dad, Dennis Glasgow, and the challenges we face she had a solution.

Dennis Glasgow is the Program Director at AM 860 KPAM/AM 1550 KKOV and had a brainstorming meeting with Officer Phil Kent a few weeks ago about being a radio partner and coming up with great ideas to generate some large donations to the Sunshine Division.  Dennis shared this with his daughter Zoe.  And then he shared with us:

My daughter is at that age where she’s noticed a lot of homeless and people in need here in Portland – and like her Mom – has a HUGE heart – and feels very sad for all the families that cannot eat and sleep like our family does – so she came up with the idea before her party – that she has more than enough toys and she’s a very lucky girl – and hence her idea for our guests at the birthday party to make a donation to the Sunshine Division…

We’re very proud of our daughter – she’s our only child – and with both my wife and I being in radio – we’ve worked closely with charities more than half our lives – so we’re not only excited about Zoe’s idea and her guests donation to your specific charity – but very glad her mind and heart are in the right place – I’m hoping to bring Zoe by and see what everything is all about and drop off a trunk-load of food…

Zoe with her birthday presents, 115 pounds of food for the Sunshine Division.

Friday afternoon was inspiring for us.  Zoe has a heart of gold and her smile lights up an entire room.  When she and her parents first arrived Zoe unloaded all of ‘her birthday gifts’ into one of our blue donations barrels.  She filled the barrel with 115 pounds of food donations! After weighing the barrel we took Zoe and her parents on a tour of our warehouse.  While on the tour she came up with many ideas about ways she could bring more donations to the Sunshine Division.  We were impressed.

The last stop of our tour was the room where the emergency food boxes are packed.  To keep the tour from being boring we asked if she wanted to pack a food box.  Yes!  Then we got to work.  With a box we walked around our pack room, telling her how many of each item goes into an emergency food box:

1 box of cereal, 3 cans of tuna fish or canned meat, 1 canned dinner (pork and beans, ravioli, etc), 1 can of soup, 2 cans of vegetables, 1 can of fruit, 2 cans of tomatoes/tomato sauce, 1 jar of peanut butter, 1 container of mayo, 2 cans of beef broth, 1 container of salad dressing, bottle of pomegranate/cherry juice, crackers, hot chocolate, pasta, rice, mac and cheese.

To top the box Zoe added instant soup and a bag of marshmallows; she likes marshmallows.  She took packing this food box very seriously and we got to see a food box through the eyes of a 9 year old.  As Zoe packed the box she visualized what it would be like to have to eat that food.  Every item that she added to the box was the largest can or package out of everything available in that food category.

Once the box was packed, Zoe weighed it, and then carried it into the food vault putting it at the beginning of the line.  Zoe’s emergency food box was the first box to go out to a family on Monday morning.

Thank you Zoe and happy 9^th birthday!  We can’t wait to see you again.

What a difference a day makes!

Saturday, May 14

Join us at Macy’s Community Shopping Day on Saturday, May 14th, 2011 at the Washington Square Macy’s in Tigard, OR.  And, by join us we mean enjoy a day of shopping with amazing deals — the best part is you’ll feel good about it because you’ll be supporting the Sunshine Division at the same time!

Here’s how it works

• Community Shopping Day is a special shopping day event that offers the opportunity for nonprofit organizations in select communities to raise funds in their local communities. It is a unique opportunity to fundraise in a different way.
• Community Shopping Day will be held May 14, 2011 at select stores in California, Hawaii, Nevada, Oregonand Washington.  Oregon’s store is the Washington Square Macy’s located at 9300 S.W. Washington Square Rd, Tigard, OR 97223.
• Community Shopping Day tickets entitle Macy’s guests to exclusive 10 to 20 % savings plus an additional $10 off of one purchase of $25 or more during the pre-sale period and on the day of the event at Macy’s participating stores only. The difference between these tickets and other Macy’s offers is that there are next to no exclusions! You can buy much MORE than you could if you were using a regular Macy’s coupon!
• And… All supporters that buy a ticket from participating organizations (this includes the Sunshine Division) can enter a drawing for a chance to win a $500 Macy’s shopping spree — must be returned on event day at the specially designated turn-in table.

What are you waiting for?  Buy your Macy’s Community Shopping Day ticket now, right here online and we’ll mail it to you!  They make great gifts too.  *You must submit your online order and payment by Wednesday, May 11, 2011 at 5pm.

This shopping ticket is perfect to use for Father’s Day, wedding gifts, summer birthdays, and even yourself!  How can you say no to $10 off one purchase of $25 or more during the pre-sale and on Saturday, May 14?  That’s like getting your shopping pass for free AND giving $10 to the Sunshine Division.

If you prefer to buy your ticket in person or pay with a check please call Sara at 503-823-2116 or send her an email, sara@sunshinedivision.org.

Happy shopping!

Thank you Macy’s for supporting the Sunshine Division and many other wonderful nonprofits in our community.  You are truly making a difference.

It’s greater to give than receive.

Guest blog written by Zupan’s Markets.

Officer Phil Kent and Mike Zupan

Zupan’s loves good food.  When we started 35 years ago, our goal was to always provide people with the best of the best, whether it’s meat, wines, the freshest produce available, baked goods, or flowers.  In tandem with this purpose, we’ve also been committed to helping families and individuals in the Portland area that are struggling financially, especially those that find it difficult to adequately feed and clothe their families.  Especially in tough economic times like we’re facing today, everyone is being affected in some way.

We’re proud partner with the Sunshine Division.  It’s one of those organizations that is changing lives daily in our city.  Says President Mike Zupan, “The Portland Police Department’s Sunshine Division is a longstanding organization that helps feed Portland families, and it’s a natural partnership for us.  We’re happy to be involved with The Sunshine Division and have been for over a decade.”

Zupan’s supports the Sunshine Division year round.  Our annual Taste of Zupan’s event proceeds go straight to feeding hungry families delicious Thanksgiving boxes.  We also do a holiday season food drive and provide monthly food donations.  And every spring, we launch the Ray of Hope food drive.  And through April 30^th, this annual food drive is happening!   This is our 11^th year doing this, and the goal is to collect 35,000 pounds of food in one month’s time.  It’s easy for you to help!   The next time you’re shopping at Zupan’s, put a few extra canned goods in your cart, then simply drop them in the blue barrel at the store.   Or you can purchase a $5 or $10 pre-packaged bag to donate to the Sunshine Division.  Plus, for each Natural Directions item you purchase, Natural Directions will match it with a donation to the Sunshine Division.

Zupan’s has three locations in Portland.   Stop in today and become a part of what the Sunshine Division and Zupan’s are doing to help local families and individuals in need.

http://zupans.com/locations/

Palm Sunday Food Drive

On March 18, 1951, more than 600 people gathered to walk up North Vancouver from the site of the old church, which was 1914 N. Vancouver Ave., to the present location of the church, 3138 N. Vancouver Ave. Members of the congregation who remember the procession recall people of all ages, dressed in their Sunday best, singing hymns and defying rain as they walked in the street. This year, in celebration of the 60th anniversary of the historic 1951 procession, the Vancouver Avenue First Baptist Church invites the community to join in the festivities.

Making their move: Palm Sunday of 1951 significant in history of Portland’s black congregations from The Oregonian.

Date: Sunday, April 17, 2011

Time: Procession starts at 10am; Worship service begins at 11am.

Where: The procession starts at the Lillis/Albina Park located at North Flint and Russell Streets in North Portland. Following the procession, marchers will gather for the Annual Palm Sunday Worship service that will begin at 11am at the Vancouver Avenue First Baptist Church located at 3138 N Vancouver Ave, Portland, Oregon.

Food drive: All participants are asked to bring macaroni and cheese or cereal to be donated to the Sunshine Division.

Want to volunteer to help collect food at the event? Volunteers needed from 8am to 12pm on Sunday, April 17. Contact Sara Gourley at 503-823-2116 or sara@sunshinedivision.org.

Executive Director Search

Since 1923, the Portland Police Bureau Sunshine Division has been providing emergency food and clothing relief to Portland families and individuals in need. Governed by a civilian volunteer board of directors, the Sunshine Division enjoys a unique partnership with the Portland Police Bureau, which allows us to extend the reach of our services into the community on a 24/7 basis. Through our staff of 7 and more than 300 loyal and dedicated volunteers we provide 2,700,000 pounds of food and clothing annually to Portlanders in need.

About the Position
The Board of the Sunshine Division is committed to finding a full-time Executive Director to increase our visibility in the community, expand food and fundraising capacity and enhance our operational effectiveness. The Executive Director is responsible for overall management of the organization as well as serving as the primary fundraiser. The Executive Director is responsible for achieving the organization’s mission and financial objectives by providing leadership in the following areas: strategic planning, fundraising, Board of Directors relations, finance, human resources, public relations/marketing, and development planning.

The Executive Director will have these skills and characteristics:
• A passion for the mission of the organization and the ability to clearly articulate and make the case for support of the organization’s mission.
• Understanding of and ability to work in nonprofit culture with a wide variety of individuals.
• Leadership skills with an ability to encourage productivity, elicit creative problem solving, mentor staff and facilitate consensus-building.
• Superior communication skills, both written and verbal.
• Excellent organization, planning, prioritization skills
• Ability to analyze work processes and to make recommendations for improvement.
• Creative and self motivated, with the ability to produce and deliver results in a timely manner.
• Bachelor’s degree, a minimum of three years of supervisor experience, and preferably 3 to 5 years of management experience.
• A demonstrated track record of successful face to face solicitation and fundraising event and program implementation.
• Experience working with a volunteer board of directors and volunteer staff is strongly preferred.
• A valid driver’s license

This is a regular, full-time exempt position and will occasional require work outside of regularly scheduled work hours. The minimum starting salary is $65,000 annually plus health, dental and retirement benefits. For a complete job description, visit our website at http://www.sunshinedivision.org/employment.php

Please submit the following:
• A complete chronological resume including dates of employment
• The name and contact information for four references.
• A cover letter answering the following questions:
1. What excites you most about the possibility of this position?
2. How would you approaching leading the Sunshine Division?
3. What unique characteristics would you bring to the Sunshine Division?

To apply for the position, please submit the above information to applications@sunshinedivision.org. Please ensure your last name and first name are included on the file names that you email. For full consideration all application materials should be received by Friday, May 6, 2011 at 5:00 pm.

Sunshine Cheer

It’s a rainy Tuesday afternoon and our lobby is full of families patiently waiting to receive free food and clothing.  All of us here – volunteers, staff, and clients, including an adorable little boy stomping around in his rain boots – are wishing for a little sunshine cheer this afternoon.  We are all focused on the tasks at hand when a generous lady walks in carrying two huge bags full of frozen food.  She’s here to make a donation – 88 pounds of frozen food!

Pleasantly surprised we ask her how she heard about us.  Officer Phil Kent recently spoke to her professional networking group about the Sunshine Division and mentioned that one thing we desperately need is frozen food.  While listening to him that day she decided that she was going to set aside a percentage of her tips each month to purchase frozen food for the Sunshine Division.  This kind lady is a massage therapist who works around the corner from our warehouse so she’s seen families coming and going on a regular basis.  Her donation and commitment to donate frozen food every month is humbling and inspiring.