1st Phoenix Community Center has received $38,500 in three grants to support its food pantry program over the past couple weeks, exceeding previous donations by a significant margin, but coming in time to help meet an increasing demand for food in the community.

So far this year, the food pantry has served up to 1,800 clients in some months, and it served 1,500 during June. Center officials attribute the increase, in part, to post-pandemic cutbacks in federal food stamp programs and greater awareness of the operation among the Hispanic community. In 2021, the pantry served an average of 483 clients per month.

“Our budget has just blown up,” said Karen Jones, a grant writer and Food Project Pod leader. “We seek lots of opportunities so we can come up with what’s needed for the folks here.”

The donations all came from local area organizations. The Cow Creek Indian Tribal Foundation gave $15,000, while another $15,000 came from the Arthur R. Dubs Foundation of Medford. Roseburg Forest Products gave $8,500. All the gifts were designated for food purchasing

“Local philanthropic organizations are really stepping up to help those families needing a little help-up to supplement their diets with good, nutritious food,” said 1st Phoenix board Chair Marko Cook. “We see a lot of large families coming through our doors seeking a little assistance because their income just doesn’t stretch to meet all of their life needs.”

The center gets food donations from the local Green Bag program, ACCESS and the Oregon Food Bank, which supply a considerable amount of the food and other products the pantry gives away. But it must also supplement those supplies with purchases. So far this year, the pantry has spent nearly $6,000 a month on food purchases.

Pull Quote

“Local philanthropic organizations are really stepping up to help those families needing a little help-up to supplement their diets with good, nutritious food. We see a lot of large families coming through our doors seeking a little assistance because their income just doesn’t stretch to meet all of their life needs.”

— 1st Phoenix board Chair Marko Cook

1st Phoenix operates out of the Phoenix First Presbyterian Church at 121 W. Second St. Besides the food pantry, it also has a clothes closet and a kitchen that provides community meals. Food operations have taken over much of the space in the church on the main level and in the basement.

Food pantry hours are 8 a.m. to noon every Saturday, and Cook said he has seen clients getting in line as early as 6:30 or 7 a.m. Clients must give a first name and information on family makeup, but they do not report income. Volunteers and clients circle tables inside the church building to select food they want, with limitations on some items. Hygiene products are also available.

Other grants received this year include $5,000 from the Chaney Foundation for hygiene products; $8,000 from the Reed and Carolee Walker Foundation to support the clothing closet and general expenses; $3,000 from the Anna May Foundation for food purchasing; and an Oregon Community Foundation advised grant from the Green Springs Foundation of $5,000 to support general operations. Other grant applications are pending.

Board members Jones and Rose Ann Herrick serve as the grant writers. Jones helped found 1st Phoenix in 2016 and started the Phoenix Food Project in 2011 while serving on Phoenix City Council. Herrick was formerly assistant county administrator for Siskiyou County, where she worked on budgeting and human resources.

“They are sending out applications all the time,” said Mona Brooks, secretary and treasurer for the organization. Jones said she handles the words while Herrick oversees the numbers in the grants. The two women meet every Thursday afternoon to pursue grants.

The clothes closet program occupies most of the second floor, with storage and sorting areas and a space where clients can look for items they need. The closet is open Saturdays from 9 a.m. to noon and Wednesdays from 1 to 3 p.m.

The kitchen offered second and fourth Tuesday meals for a decade before shutting down due to the pandemic. It reopened with a community barbecue June 29 and will offer another meal July 13 starting at 5 p.m. Grants are being sought to resume the meals program on a regular basis.

1st Phoenix is a nonprofit charitable organization that grew out of the church’s efforts to support the community over several decades. 1st Phoenix leases space from the church. Besides the 1st Phoenix programs, the church site also serves as the location of a weekly Wednesday food program offered by Rogue Food Unites.

1st Phoenix divides its programs into pods for the food pantry, food project, kitchen and clothes closet. Each has a leader.

“The church is the mother pod. The Presbytery of Jackson County has been very generous,” said Cook.

More information can be found on the group’s website www.1stphoenix.org.