Help Foster Youth This Holiday Season

Project Lemonade Inspires Self-Esteem While Raising Awareness

By Jake Ten Pas

“No kid gets to choose to be in the foster care system. No one wants to be there.” These are the words of Kalia Hope, a 19-year-old who has experienced the Oregon foster care system. She says life has been a struggle and uncertain at times, but things have been made easier by support from Project Lemonade, a Portland-based nonprofit founded in 2012.

This year, MAC members have a chance to support the organization, which runs a store in Lloyd Center that allows 2,800 foster youth the chance to shop for free for brand-new clothing, shoes, and other basic necessities. Project Lemonade is showing up in two big ways at the club during the month of December.

Donation bins near the Main and Fourth Floor Entrances collect clothing items such as gloves, warm winter beanies, and stuffed animals from Dec. 2-20. Plus, in an effort to raise awareness and spark family conversations about the ubiquitousness of connections to individuals in the foster system, Project Lemonade plans to activate at the Children’s Holiday Party on Sunday, Dec. 8.

“Oregon has one of the highest numbers of youth in foster care, and we are often surrounded by members in our community who’ve been directly or indirectly impacted by it in some way,” says Community Engagement Manager and MAC member Gail Andersen. As someone who onboards volunteers for the organization, she often asks them if they or anyone in their family have been affected by foster care. “I’ve never had a group where someone didn’t raise their hand.”

Serving nearly 3,000 youths a year might seem like a tall order, but Andersen points out that through the power of collective giving, nobody needs to feel daunted by the proposition.

“We all don’t have to heavy lift. When we each contribute, a lot can happen,” says Andersen, who has been with Project Lemonade for more than a decade now, first as a volunteer and now an employee. In addition to its flagship store, the nonprofit supports foster youth in a number of ways. These include paid internships; funding for wishes to attend summer camps, cover sports fees, and educational needs; scholarships for those wishing to pursue education beyond high school; and guidance and support to those aging out of the foster care system at age 18.

“They’re as smart as we are, engage in the same goal setting, want to take part in the same childhood activities, and have the same dreams. They’ve experienced numerous adverse experiences in childhood, and that can be abuse, neglect, or poverty,” Andersen points out.

“Foster youth are just like anyone their age,” adds fellow board member Susan Namkung Torch. “They want to wear the same clothes our children wear. They want to join sports teams, go to camp, and do well in school. When you support Project Lemonade with a new item at a donation bin or a financial gift, we can inspire their self-esteem.

With a college-aged daughter herself, Torch was moved by the prospect of helping kids who didn’t have access to the same resources. “Once I got to know the team and more about their mission, I knew it was the right fit for me. They are committed, work tirelessly, and manage their money very carefully. My fellow MAC members can feel that their volunteer time and donations will be spent wisely if they choose to get involved,” adds Torch.

Andersen hones in on the concept of choice, since that’s something that foster youths often don’t have. “They don’t get to decide what happens to them when they enter care, where they’re placed, what school they go to, or how the system shows up in their life.”

Project Lemonade’s “retail space” provides what so many people might take for granted — not just the necessary clothes to go about their day, but the sense of identity that choosing a shirt or pair of pants can impart. “I thought it was Hanna Andersson when I first walked into the store,” Torch recalls. “We are able to provide so much because, one by one, our community steps up — sometimes through their businesses or organizations — to support our work and needs.”

Case in point, Kalia Hope. Through her own determination and support from Project Lemonade, Hope currently is thriving. She continues to shop at Lloyd Center store for basic needs. She also worked as an intern this past summer, and this fall she started her sophomore year at Oregon State University thanks in part to a Project Lemonade Fill the Gap scholarship.

Andersen says that Project Lemonade has a long history of MAC member support over the years, and she hopes it continues. “Five of its original founding board also belong to the club. MAC members have volunteered, attended fundraisers, and currently serve on the board today,” she says. “Please consider making a financial donation of any amount. When we give collectively, we all can be a part of supporting foster youth in our community.” Visit projectlemonadepdx.org to learn more about or get involved with Project Lemonade.

More Sweet Ways to Give Back

Giving Tree

Every year, MAC’s Giving Tree invites members to take a tag and fulfill a need for the families and individuals served by one of the participating nonprofits. This year, gifts go to those served by Friendly House, West Women’s and Children’s Shelter, and Morrison Child & Family Services. Please take a tag starting Dec. 2 and return with the corresponding item by Dec. 16.

Holiday Toy Drive

Since 2018, MAC Gymnastics has held a toy drive for Portland Fire & Rescue’s Toy & Joy Makers effort. Drop a new, unwrapped toy in the $20-30 range in the bin inside the Gymnastics Arena from mid-November to Dec. 20 to contribute to this annual effort and benefit kids who otherwise might not have presents under their Christmas trees.

Thanksgiving Food Drive

The Community Involvement Committee holds a donation drive for the William Temple House. Preferred donations include canned cranberry sauce, instant potatoes, stuffing, cooking oil, and other nonperishable items, and can be left in bins at the Main and Fourth Floor Entrances. The drive begins on Friday, Nov. 22, and culminates at the Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving morning.