A Portland nonprofit that rescues backyard fruit now has a second refrigerated drop-off point on the west side of the Willamette River, aimed at getting fresh produce to families hit by federal cuts to food assistance.

The Portland Fruit Tree Project celebrated the grand opening of an outdoor community fridge at Bethlehem House of Bread, 9055 S.W. Locust St. in Tigard, on Thursday, July 23.

The hub is the organization's second; its original fridge sits at Leaven Community Center near Alberta Park in Northeast Portland, where volunteers collected an estimated 28,000 pounds of donated fruit last year, according to the Portland Tribune.

Executive Director Heather Keisler Fornes said the expansion addresses a geographic gap. West-side residents with fruit trees previously had to haul produce across the river to donate it. "This gift allows us to respond immediately rather than years from now," Fornes said at the opening. "It means more fruit rescued, more volunteers engaged, and more healthy food delivered to local families."

An $8,000 grant from the Starseed Foundation, a Portland-based nonprofit that funds educational, environmental, and arts programs, paid for the new fridge, according to KPTV.

Growing need after SNAP cuts

The timing is not accidental.

About 70,000 fewer Oregonians received Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits in April 2026 compared with a year earlier, according to the Oregon Capital Chronicle, after changes to federal work requirements under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. U.S. Rep. Andrea Salinas cited the same figure earlier in July.

Jeff Lowery, pastoral director at Bethlehem House of Bread, said his pantry has seen a sharp decline in food shipments from partners like Oregon Food Bank. Fresh produce, he said, is one of the most requested items yet often unavailable because of cost and limited supply.

Amanda Orozco, policy manager for Partners for a Hunger-Free Oregon, told KPTV on July 24: "Pantries across Oregon are running out of fresh produce. Families who used to come home with five cans of food are now going home with one."

Tigard Mayor Yi-Kang Hu and State Rep. Sue Rieke Smith of House District 26 also spoke at the celebration.

How to donate fruit

Portland-area residents with backyard fruit trees can harvest and sort their produce, then drop it at either location:

  • Tigard: Bethlehem House of Bread, 9055 S.W. Locust St.
  • Northeast Portland: Leaven Community Center, 5431 N.E. 20th Ave.

Scales are provided at each fridge. Donors scan a QR code inside the fridge to alert the organization and receive a thank-you note and tax receipt. The Portland Fruit Tree Project then distributes donations to partner organizations across the region.

Volunteer and harvest scheduling information is available at portlandfruit.org.

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