Lift Up Portland (Cafe)

The Coalition to Advance Food Equity (CAFE) bulk food sourcing pilot demonstrated that when nonprofits work together, they can weather the hardest storms. By coordinating shared labor and bulk purchasing, our partners at Lift Urban Portland, who lead CAFE, successfully kept shelves stocked for member agencies during the critical gap created by the government shutdown and withholding of SNAP benefits. This collective energy led to an expanded strategic partnership with Bob’s Red Mill. What began as an agreement to purchase at cost has blossomed into a stream of in-kind donations benefiting the wider coalition. With these initial wins, CAFE is moving into its next phase: shifting from emergency response to actively rebuilding local food systems for lasting equity and resilience.