Mainspring is a nonprofit food pantry located in Portland, Oregon, dedicated to addressing food insecurity and economic hardship for underserved communities. We serve a wide range of individuals and families, including younger families, seniors, veterans, and individuals facing housing instability. Our mission is to provide equitable, comprehensive services to meet the basic needs of our community, with a focus on ensuring dignity and respect for those who rely on us. In 2024, Mainspring served over 99,000 individuals, and we continue to see a growing need for our services. We offer a variety of programs, including onsite and mobile food distribution, a boutique clothing pantry, a Fare Relief Program for transportation assistance, a senior food box program, and more. These services are designed to meet the diverse needs of our community, including providing culturally specific foods and toiletries.
We are always in need of healthy, fresh food donations to support our families, and we are especially excited to connect with programs like AmpleHarvest.org to further expand our food sourcing. We appreciate donations of kosher, halal, vegetarian, and culturally specific foods to better serve our diverse community. Additionally, toiletries and hygiene products are always in high demand and greatly appreciated. Mainspring is committed to providing essential resources to those in need, and with the support of partners like AmpleHarvest.org, we can continue to grow and serve our community with the fresh, healthy food that everyone deserves.
Donation drop off hours are Monday through Thursday 9:00am - 3:00pm. We can schedule a time for us to come pick it up if you can call 503-233-5533.
ProducePedia
ProducePedia is a free resource that covers the types of fresh produce that can be delivered to food pantries. Each entry includes information on color, taste, and possible uses. People unfamiliar with the vegetable or fruit will learn how to use it, and those who are familiar with it still might learn a fun fact or two!
The Cooperative Extension sites have a wealth of information for any backyard gardener. Once you go to the site (each one if very different from the others) look for a link for “homes and gardens”, “landscape”, “consumer horticulture”, etc. to find information on improving your backyard garden. Neighboring state sites may offer information your own state’s site lacks.
