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Our History
The Hawthorne Park Potluck began in 2020 during the COVID pandemic, when a few neighbors came together to share food with people facing hunger during a time of limited social services. After the Almeda Fire displaced many in the area, the potlucks grew in size and purpose. Volunteers began rescuing extra surplus food from farms, grocery stores, school cafeterias and home gardens to create meals for 60 to 150 people each day. Over the years, we have remained a grassroots effort with community members organizing sharing and distribution of ingredient donations, cooking meals, and serving lunch in the park four days a week.
At the Hawthorne Park Potluck in Medford, OR, our mission is to build a network of care for those who are food insecure.
Every day, we serve a community meal to 40-160 low-income families, veterans, senior citizens, domestic abuse survivors, houseless individuals, and other marginalized community members.
By sharing warm, home-cooked meals, we aim to break down barriers and rehumanize not only our unhoused neighbors through inclusion and nutrition, but also to encourage our housed community to see our houseless neighbors as their fellow humans.
Through a collaboration of caring neighbors - we have created a daily lunch program that isn't just about feeding people, but building a community that feeds us all!
Our Mission
Volunteers
The people who make food magic!
Our volunteers are our lifeblood, but not just of this food program, but to building a stronger and more compassionate community. Whether you can cook, serve, deliver meals, collect donations, or help us do tabling for more volunteers, we want you as a part of our little labor of love.
