For over a century, Sunshine Division has been more than a food bank—we’re a promise of dignity, a testament to community support, and a lifeline for families facing their most challenging moments. After nearly 50 years in our North Portland warehouse, we’ve taken a bold step forward by acquiring a permanent new headquarters to serve more people, more efficiently, for generations to come.
For over a century, Sunshine Division has been more than a food bank—we’re a promise of dignity, a testament to community support, and a lifeline for families facing their most challenging moments. After nearly 50 years in our North Portland warehouse, we’ve taken a bold step forward by acquiring a permanent new headquarters to serve more people, more efficiently, for generations to come.
YEARS OF SERVICE IN PORTLAND
FAMILIES SERVED IN 2024
WEEKLY FOOD BOX HOME DELIVERIES
OUR CAMPAIGN PROGRESS
Funding the Future
Sunshine Division is more than two-thirds of the way toward our Capital Campaign goal of raising $11.75 million to fund our future headquarters near downtown Portland. This investment covers the acquisition and remodeling of the facility to include a new food pantry, expanded warehouse space, a volunteer center, and administrative offices.
The Campaign
Sunshine Division Executive Director Kyle Camberg & Safeway Albertsons Director of Communications Jill McGinnis talk about the Next Century of Service Campaign in this short video.
The Rising Need for Food Assistance
Sunshine Division’s food assistance programs have worked tirelessly to support the Portland metro community through wave after wave of challenges—from inflation and the lasting impacts of the pandemic to reductions in SNAP benefits and cost of living increases.
We’re stepping up every day to meet the growing need.
In recent years, we’ve made major strides to expand our impact:
- In 2016, we opened our Southeast Stark Street food pantry
- In 2020, we launched a weekly free home-delivery program
- In 2021, we started our MLK Jr. Holiday program, distributing food boxes to 3,000 families
- In 2023, we expanded our holiday food distribution events to serve more than 9,000 families per year
- In 2024, we launched our Thanksgiving home delivery program, brining a hearty Turkey meal to the doorstep of 2,000 local families
Since 2020, we’ve relied on a temporary warehousing solution that has allowed us to meet the exponential growth in demand for our services. Thanks to the generosity of Safeway Albertsons, we’ve operated out of a vacant donated grocery store space. But this interim solution is not sustainable.
Our new headquarters will allow us to meet the growing needs of Portland families today and for the next 100 years.
OUR VISION FOR THE FUTURE
The New Space
Sunshine Division’s future home is located on Northwest Front Street near downtown Portland.
The 30,000+ square-foot headquarters will house Sunshine Division’s new food pantry, warehouse space, offices, multiple loading docs, and dedicated areas for the community we serve and our loyal volunteers.
Our Vision
As Sunshine Division reaches a pivotal moment in our 102-year history, we urgently need community support to fund and transform our new permanent headquarters. This building will allow us to dramatically expand our ability to serve Portland’s growing needs.
Our new building will serve as a tool to receive, sort, store, and distribute food at scale. Planned upgrades for the new facility include new racking and forklifts, cold storage units, and modest renovations to existing offices and future spaces for the new food pantry and volunteer area.
Facility Highlights
- Over 20,000 sq ft of warehouse space
- 140% increase in food storage capacity compared to our temporary solution
- Approximately 10,000 sq ft for food pantry, offices & volunteer area
- Central location easily accessible via public transportation with ample parking
- Multiple loading docks for efficient food intake and distribution to community partners
- Room for future expansion to meet growing community needs
What’s Next?
Starting this fall, modest construction and remodeling will begin on Sunshine Division’s designated food pantry and volunteer area at the new facility. We will be building a welcoming reception and client assistance area—a space designed to offer direct service to those who need us most.
The new facility will serve hundreds of food pantry visitors each week. Our food pantry on Southeast Stark Street will remain open as well so that we have multiple direct service locations across the city in addition to our food boxes that remain available in all Portland Police Precints 24/7 as they have for over ten decades.
With your partnership, we can fully activate this space and power our Next Century of Service—building lasting solutions for hunger and helping our neighbors with dignity and community resilience.
The remodeled building will include a new food pantry, warehouse space, a designated volunteer area, and administrative offices.
A rendering depicts the front entrance of Sunshine Division’s future home, where families and individuals facing food insecurity will be able to receive immediate food assistance year-round.
Your Investment Makes A Difference
Hear from a client whose life was changed by Sunshine Division’s year-round hunger relief programs.
“The partnership between Portland Police Bureau and Sunshine Division is invaluable in our mission to serve and protect our community. Together, we work tirelessly to provide vital resources and support to those in need, addressing not only immediate safety concerns but also the pressing issue of food insecurity. As our community’s needs have grown, so has the demand for Sunshine Division’s services. It’s become increasingly evident that they require a new, expanded facility to accommodate this growth and continue to meet the rising demand for their essential services. By combining our efforts and supporting the Sunshine Division’s expansion, we can foster a stronger and safer environment for all, ensuring that no one in our community goes hungry or without the critical support they need.”
—Chuck Lovell, Former Chief of the Portland Police Bureau & Sunshine Division Board Member
Schedule a Tour
We invite you to come see our new building and learn how we’re building the future of food assistance in Portland.
To schedule a tour, please email our Executive Director Kyle Camberg at [email protected]
Donate
We’re nearly 70% of the way to our fundraising goal. Your support will help us cross the finish line!
Get Involved
There are so many ways to make a difference. Volunteering is a great place to start.
Learn More About Our Campaign
Sign up for our Next Century of Service Newsletter to receive updates on our journey to raise $11 million for our new facility. You’ll get the latest on fundraising milestones, building progress, and how to be a part of join Sunshine Division’s enduring legacy in Portland.
Sunshine Division has received a four-out-of-four-star rating from Charity Navigator every year since 2012 for excellence in fiscal responsibility and leadership.
