PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Usually the Sunshine Division provides about 500 Thanksgiving meals. But this year they’re delivering around 6000 meals to families all across the Portland metro.
One of those meals was delivered to Yulia Lewis, a single mom of 3 in Northeast Portland who was laid off from her restaurant job when the pandemic began — and then again recently in the COVID freeze.
She told KOIN 6 News she doesn’t know what she would do without the help she’s received from the Portland Police Bureau and the Sunshine Division this year.
“Literally, my kids are dressed, fed, happy in all ways, including, like they’re helping to fix my car,” she said. “And I’m a single mother, have no family, like zero here, me and my kid, that’s it. So this means a lot.”
PPB Officer Matt Tobey, the Community Liaison with Sunshine Division, said “It’s a huge way for us to connect with the community, especially during the holiday season when people really need that connection and need that little spark of hope.”
Officer Tobey said that with so much negative going on in the world right now it feels special to do something positive like this.
But despite the huge number of families in need this year, the Sunshine Division has had to cancel fundraiser and make other changes because of the pandemic.
KOIN 6 News will hold a Special Day of Giving for the Sunshine Division on Tuesday. You’ll be able to donate online.
Follow KOIN 6 for the latest news and weather
Download our FREE news and weather apps for iPhone, iPad and Android. You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, and sign up for our email newsletters.