About Us
Mission
Our mission is to increase equitable access to healthful food and strengthen communities by empowering neighbors to share in the harvest and care of city-grown produce.
Vision
We envision joyful communities that see every fruit tree as an abundant resource which contributes to a just food system and enhances the well-being of people, community networks, habitat, and our changing climate.
Values
Community resilience - Fostering joy around shared food and resources; climate change resilience, and skills sharing.
Col(labor)ation - Working in partnership with individuals and groups to address the root causes of inequity and climate change.
Connection - Stewarding and repairing relationships between each other, the land, and our food system.
What We Do
Portland Fruit Tree Project is a grassroots 501(c)(3) non-profit gleaning organization that provides a community-based solution to a critical and growing need in Portland and beyond: access to healthy food and the benefits provided by trees including cleaner air, shade, and food. By empowering neighbors to share in the harvest and care of urban fruit trees, we are preventing waste, building community knowledge and resources, and creating sustainable ways to obtain healthy, locally-grown food.
Why it Matters
One in seven Oregonians faces food insecurity. Of the approximately 552,900 Oregonians who are food insecure, over 35% are children. And even more, people struggle to afford fresh produce, which is critical to healthful eating and the prevention of diet-related diseases. Portland Fruit Tree Project provides fresh fruit to those most in need in our community.
Through our Harvest Program and Partnerships, we strive to improve the quality of life for people in Portland through the shared harvest and equitable distribution of one of our city’s greatest natural resources: fresh fruit!
Our city is also plagued by a history of racial inequity that has led to fewer trees generally in lower income areas, which means that climate change is felt more quickly and extremely in these low canopy areas. In 2022 PFTP will begin working with partners to plant fruit trees and provide care and education around fruit trees in areas impacted by poor canopy cover.
We believe that fruit trees can be powerful tools to build a better Portland and that our programming can be replicated in other regions.
Equity Journey
Our organization has a long road ahead to become a truly equitable and inclusive organization, but we’re excited to share that journey with you. The following are located on our blog, but curated here for easy exploration. We hope that you will engage with us as we learn and grow and we’re always open to your thoughts on how we can improve.
History
The "Neighborhood Fruit Tree Project" was created in 2006 in response to the massive amount of fruit dropping from trees in North and Northeast Portland. In 2007, the program expanded from a neighborhood project into the Portland Fruit Tree Project.
During the following 14 years, the Portland Fruit Tree Project (PFTP) has hosted over 750 harvest events, founded five Community Orchards, and led countless educational workshops on topics including fruit tree pruning and food preservation.
In 2020, we re-launched with an eye toward food equity and our role in the local food system. We’re excited about where that path will lead us and invite you to ask questions, help us stay accountable, and join us in any way that feels right for you!
