What Lift UP does

Lift UP (legally Lift Urban Portland) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit food assistance organization headquartered in Portland, Oregon, focused on reducing food insecurity among low-income residents in Northwest and Downtown Portland. Founded in 1980, the organization distributes food through a portfolio of complementary programs including Preston's Pantry (a twice-monthly shopping-style pantry at 1838 SW Jefferson St), the Free Food Market (a monthly farmer's market-style event hosted in the Legacy Good Sam parking lot), Delivered Food Boxes (approximately 45 lbs each, delivered to homebound residents in affordable housing communities), and the Adopt a Building Program that embeds on-site and pop-up pantries within affordable housing buildings. Supplemental programs include the Supper Club (cooking demonstrations at residential buildings) and the Pledge a Crop / Grow to Donate community garden donation initiative operated with the Portland Fruit Tree Project.

The organization's service architecture is community-led and operational rather than technology-driven. There is no proprietary platform, software product, or digital infrastructure disclosed; operations rely on standard nonprofit management tools and basic logistics technology for food distribution. In the most recent reported year, Lift UP distributed 961,439 pounds of food (an 11% year-over-year increase), with 50% of food distributed being fresh produce and 44% of delivered food boxes tailored to specific dietary restrictions (diabetic, gluten-free, high blood pressure, low sodium, Kosher, soft food, etc.). The organization served 15,995 duplicated individuals through Preston's Pantry alone, stocked 115,635 pounds of food in on-site and pop-up pantries, distributed 5,875 Delivered Food Boxes, and operates with 280+ volunteers contributing more than 10,000 hours annually, enabling more than 500 food box deliveries per month.

Revenue is generated entirely through donations, grants, and in-kind contributions — Lift UP charges no fees for services. Revenue streams include individual donations (one-time gifts and monthly "Root Partners" recurring giving), corporate and foundation grants (e.g., City of Portland Office of Community & Civic Life), food donations (channeled through the Oregon Food Bank and local retailers, restaurants, and farmers), and volunteer labor. Key strategic partners include the Oregon Food Bank as a premier partner and regional food distribution hub, New Seasons Market (Give!Guide donation matching up to $2,300), Congregation Beth Israel (Adopt a Building partner at NW Tower), Legacy Good Sam (Free Food Market venue), the Portland Fruit Tree Project (tree care and harvest support), and First Tech Federal Credit Union. As a registered 501(c)(3) entity, Lift UP has no equity ownership, no traditional for-profit revenue model, and is governed by a board of directors under the US charitable organization regulatory framework.

Name

Lift UP

Legal name

Lift Urban Portland

Website

https://lifturbanportland.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1980

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Lift UP (Lift Urban Portland) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit food assistance organization serving low-income residents in Northwest and Downtown Portland through free pantries, home-delivered food boxes, and embedded on-site pantries in affordable housing communities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Food Assistance Services / Nonprofit Hunger Relief

NAICS

Community Food Services (62421), Community Food Services (624210)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-To Dwellings & Other Buildings (7340)

akta.pro primary industry

Food Assistance & Nutrition Relief (Emergency Feeding) (BPAGAAAD)

Keywords

• Food assistance services
• Food insecurity relief
• Free food pantry
• Community food distribution
• Nonprofit hunger programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Portland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Lift UP receives donations from individuals through one-time gifts, monthly giving programs (Root Partners), and special campaigns such as Give!Guide. The organization promotes recurring monthly donations as a sustainable support model.
2. Corporate and Foundation Grants: Lift UP receives grant funding from organizations such as the City of Portland Office of Community & Civic Life and participates in corporate matching programs (e.g., New Seasons matching donations).
3. Food Donations: The organization receives donated food from community members, retailers, grocery stores, farmers, and restaurants, as well as from the Oregon Food Bank, which serves as a food bank (regional food distribution hub).
4. Volunteer Contributions: 280 individuals donated more than 10,000 volunteer hours in the past year, enabling food packing, distribution, and delivery operations that would otherwise require paid staff.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Lift UP provides free food assistance services to low-income residents in Northwest and Downtown Portland through multiple distribution channels, including a shopping-style food pantry (Preston's Pantry), monthly farmer's market-style Free Food Markets, ~45-lb Delivered Food Boxes for homebound older adults and people with disabilities, and on-site pantries embedded in affordable housing buildings via the Adopt a Building Program. The organization also runs the Supper Club cooking demonstration program and a Grow to Donate community garden program to expand food donations and food education.

Product overview

Lift UP operates as a nonprofit food assistance organization offering a portfolio of complementary food distribution programs. The core offerings include Preston's Pantry (a shopping-style free food pantry), the Free Food Market (a monthly farmer's market-style distribution event), and Delivered Food Boxes (home-delivered groceries for homebound residents). The Adopt a Building Program extends these services into residential communities through partnerships, while the Supper Club provides cooking demonstrations to help clients maximize the food they receive. The Grow to Donate program engages community gardeners in food donations. These programs collectively serve low-income residents in Northwest and Downtown Portland, with 50% of distributed food being fresh produce and 44% of delivered boxes tailored to specific dietary needs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Preston's Pantry A free shopping-style food pantry where residents in NW and Downtown Portland can shop twice a month for fresh produce and non-perishable foods at no cost.
• Free Food Market A farmer's market style event hosted on the 4th Wednesday of every month featuring free produce, open to the general public.
• Delivered Food Boxes Free delivered food boxes (approximately 45 lbs each) containing fresh produce and pantry items, personalized for dietary restrictions, delivered to older adults and people with disabilities in affordable housing communities.
• Adopt a Building Program Partnership program where adopted buildings provide NW and Downtown Portland residents with free delivered food boxes, on-site pantries, and access to the Supper Club food demonstration program.
• Supper Club Community cooking demonstrations and food education program held at residential buildings, teaching participants how to prepare nutritious meals using pantry ingredients.
• Pledge a Crop / Grow to Donate Community garden donation program inviting Portland-area residents to pledge homegrown produce for donation to Lift UP's food assistance programs.

Quantifiable outcome

• 90% of clients surveyed say their health improved after receiving food from Lift UP
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Oregon Food BankcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOregon Food Bank is a premier partner of Lift UP. As a food bank (regional distribution hub), Oregon Food Bank supplies food to Lift UP's pantry programs. Lift UP sources wholesome, fresh food from the Oregon Food Bank and community allies to support neighbors in NW and Downtown Portland.
• First Tech Federal Credit UnionminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFirst Tech Federal Credit Union is listed as a partner organization, likely providing financial support or community partnership for Lift UP's food security programs.
• New Seasons MarketminorGTM or Marketing PartnerNew Seasons Market partnered with Lift UP for the Give!Guide Campaign, matching donations of $10 or more up to $2,300 to double donor impact during the holiday giving season.
• Congregation Beth IsraelminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCongregation Beth Israel is an Adopt a Building partner for NW Tower Apartments, supporting residents through pop-up pantries and volunteering at Supper Club food demonstrations.
• Legacy Good SamminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLegacy Good Sam provides parking lot space for Lift UP's Free Food Market events, hosting the farmer's market-style food distribution on the 4th Wednesday of each month.
• Portland Fruit Tree ProjectminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPortland Fruit Tree Project is referenced in the Pledge a Crop program, offering tree pruning, care, and harvest services to help community members donate produce from their fruit trees to Lift UP.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Regional players

• Food Lifeline: Seattle-based food bank serving Western Washington. Comparable in food bank operating model and Pacific Northwest service context, but does not directly compete in Lift UP's Portland territory.

Direct peers

• Portland Rescue Mission: Portland-based nonprofit serving low-income and homeless populations with food, shelter, and recovery services. Directly comparable in geography and beneficiary base, with overlapping food distribution and dignity-focused service delivery.
• Northwest Harvest: Washington-state food bank that distributes food to a network of pantries and meal programs. Highly comparable in operating model and mission to Lift UP, differing primarily by geography within the broader Pacific Northwest food security ecosystem.
• St. Vincent de Paul of Portland: Portland-based social services nonprofit running food pantries, meal programs, and housing support. Directly comparable as a community-based food assistance provider in the same metro area serving similar food-insecure populations.
• Oregon Food Bank: Regional food bank hub and Lift UP's premier partner that supplies wholesale food for redistribution. Operates in the same community food services space across Oregon and overlaps directly in mission and beneficiary population.
• Urban Gleaners: Portland nonprofit that recovers excess food and delivers it to food-insecure populations. Comparable in mission, food rescue/redistribution model, and Portland-specific service footprint.
• SnowCap Community Charities: East Multnomah County food pantry and social services nonprofit serving low-income residents. Comparable as a community-based food pantry with similar services, located in the same Portland metro region.
• Blanchet House: Portland nonprofit providing free meals and clothing to people experiencing hunger and homelessness. Comparable in mission, free-meal delivery model, and Portland-specific service area.
• Sunshine Division: Portland-based emergency food assistance program providing free food boxes to families and individuals in crisis. Closely comparable in food-box distribution model and target beneficiary population within the same metro.

Broad incumbents

• Feeding America: National network of food banks including Oregon Food Bank. The parent-tier incumbent in the U.S. food bank industry, with comparable mission and food distribution infrastructure at much larger scale.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/lift-urban-portland

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Lift UP