While volunteering at the Giving Plate Food Bank in Bend in 2019, Sharrie Sheridan was introduced to the Food Project model by observing the relationship between Bend Food Project and The Giving Plate.

She was inspired to start a Food Project in her own community of Redmond, and in April 2020 the Redmond Food Project was born using the same Neighborhood Food Project model that was being used by Bend Food Project as well as dozens of other communities nationwide.

The first official collection occurred in June 2020. With the initial 79 food donors who committed to fill a green bag six times per year, 2,543 pounds of food was collected to deliver to St. Vincent De Paul Food Pantry of Redmond.

In August, 122 food donors brought in 3,395 lbs. In October, 176 donors brought in 4,039 pounds and in December, 200 donors brought in 5,358 pounds.

“None of this could have happened without Redmond’s generous food donors and the dedicated Neighborhood Coordinators who volunteer to collect the green bags and deliver them to the food bank,” Sheridan said.

So, in 2020, Redmond Food Project’s volunteers brought in a total of 15,335 pounds of food to help fight food insecurities in our community. This equates to approximately 12,268 meals. Sheridan chuckles when she asks, “How often do you hear that 2020 was an exciting year”?

“We now have 255 donors who have committed to filling six bags of food over the course of this year,” Sheridan said. “That equates to 5,000 meals.”

The way it works is remarkably simple. A volunteer, called a Neighborhood Coordinator recruits neighbors to be Food Donors. They provide them with a reusable green bag and suggest that when they go to the market, they grab one or two extra non-perishable items to place in the bag.

Then, on the second Saturday of every even month, (February, April, June, August, October and December) each donor puts their bag of food outside their front door. The neighborhood coordinator picks up all the bags in his or her neighborhood and leaves a thank-you card and empty bag for the next time. The next collection will be Feb. 13.

The neighborhood coordinator takes the bags to the food bank drop off point where volunteers are waiting to unload the food, weigh it and shelve it for distribution.

“That’s all there is to it,” Sheridan said. Sheridan, 64, is a retired human resources director and customer services manager for a firm in Anchorage, Alaska.

“During COVID, every precaution is taken to ensure the safety of both donors and volunteers by the wearing of masks and gloves and maintaining social distancing.”

The idea originated in Ashland, Ore., during the Great Recession as residents wondered how they could help those out of work. It has grown to 60 locations across the nation.

Redmond Food Project is a 100% volunteer organization whose goals are three-fold:

1. Provide a year-round, sustainable supply of food to our neighbors who are experiencing food insecurity;
2. To build stronger community by focusing on what we have in common rather than our differences;
3. To serve as a model for other communities and other organizations

“100% of the food collected stays within the Redmond School District area,” Sheridan said. “We have selected St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry of Redmond to be the recipient of the food we collect.”

One volunteer will be moving to Terrebonne to helps startup a program in those neighborhoods, Sheridan said.

“What’s nice is the volunteers are mentoring their children to learn the benefits of giving.”

For more information on how one can help fight food insecurities in the Redmond area, visit www.redmondfoodproject.org. The organization has a Facebook and Instgram account as well. And it is listed on the NextDoor neighborhood app.

All donors’ information is kept confidential, Sheridan said.