About  Us
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The Columbia Gorge Helping Hands Food Salvage Program is an outreach program dedicated to providing food assistance to residents of Corbett and the neighboring rural communities east of the Sandy River. The Program started as a conversation between neighbors in 2000. Spearheaded by the late Albert Kimbley, who enlisted many of the volunteers still with the HH program, it is housed in the lower level of the Grange Hall.

Today Helping Hands has over 100 volunteers and reaches more than 1,500 people each week. Our dedicated volunteers commit over 2,000 hours, and travel nearly 5,000 miles every month to gather, sort and distribute donated items.


element_settings.Image+Text_94464494.defaultWe collect fruits, vegetables, and other produce items from local area donors.
The Helping Hands Program works with Cascade Locks, Aimes, Bridal Veil, Springdale, and other nearby rural communities. Helping Hands assists families on limited incomes toward a goal of reducing food insecurity. Our program collects donated food from the greater Portland area and makes these resources available on Monday and Thursday afternoons every week. Food is distributed to over 1,500 people on a weekly basis.

What makes this effort different from other programs? We are rural communities - the places where other food assistance programs often don't easily reach. We are committed to serving seniors on fixed incomes as well as those families who make their lives in the country. As a food salvage program, we receive dated and damaged items that we can distribute to local farms as well. We strive towards a zero waste approach to food salvage. Every donation helps many families in these communities.
element_settings.Image+Text_94464494.defaultLocal community interaction is a welcome part of our regular operations.
This program enhances many facets of life.  People who wouldn't normally see one another for weeks or months now come together and visit over a cup of coffee.  Two shopping days a week provide a place for neighbors in the area to connect.  They are strengthening community ties and friendships, and forming a network of caring and safety.  They receive much needed food, companionship, and a touch-base with neighbors.  Every donation helps many families in the communities.