New Seasons Market Gives $150K to Oregon Worker Relief Fund
New Seasons Market is donating a $150,000 donation to the Oregon Worker Relief Fund, providing direct financial support to Oregon immigrants, who have been disproportionately affected by the pandemic and continue to be, even as the state reopens. The funds will help immigrant families stay housed, fed and solvent.
“Immigrants are essential to the vitality of Oregon’s food economy, and this is a critical time to support our neighbors working in the farm, food-processing and service sectors,” said Nancy Lebold, CEO of Portland-based New Seasons Market. “The state reopening comes as we experienced record-setting heat in the Pacific Northwest, making immigrant workers likely to see continued financial hardship, as their earning opportunities were reduced due to unsafe field conditions and sun-blistered crops.”
The Oregon Worker Relief Fund was created in March 2020 by the immigrant rights organization Causa and more than 100 statewide community partners, in response to the devastating impact of the pandemic on Oregon’s Latinx immigrant community, which is often excluded from federal and state safety-net programs such as SNAP, unemployment or stimulus checks. The fund provides direct financial assistance to these people.
“Undocumented workers have suffered widespread income loss during the pandemic,” explained Isaura Peña, interim executive director at Salem-based Causa Oregon. “These losses are expected to continue for several years into the future, and even with that forecast, these workers are still excluded from most relief. The Oregon Worker Relief Fund is a lifeline for undocumented families during the pandemic; however, the fund has filled just a fraction of the need. We are honored to have New Seasons support our work in such an instrumental way, allowing us to continue to serve those in dire need of relief.”
The world’s first Certified B Corp grocer, New Seasons Market donates 10% of its after-tax profits to 1,000-plus local organizations supporting hunger relief, education and environmental protection. The grocer employs nearly 3,500 associates at 19 stores in Oregon, Washington and Northern California, serving a mix of locally sourced and organic items, classic grocery favorites and chef-made grab-and-go meal solutions.
The Oregon Worker Relief Fund is operated by the Oregon Work Relief Coalition, a group of 100-plus community-based organizations, including Causa. The coalition also operates the Quarantine Fund and the Small Enterprise Fund.
