Have you felt, like me, overwhelmed and powerless to meet the dark struggles of the refuge crisis with tangible relief? It’s far too easy to be fired up on social media and then too frozen in real life to do a darned actual thing to help.

I’m one small person living in a cozy house with my little family in North America. How can I use what I have here to make a difference way out there in the wild, weary world?

Would you smirk if I told you I’m joining the effort to combat this current refugee crisis…with baked goods?

Laugh away, if you must; this is something I can do.

And if you live here in Oregon, you can, too.

Will you be within an hour’s drive of Portland this coming Saturday night? Come to Pip’s Original to shop the Bake Sale for Refugees. Score all sorts of delicious baked goods and raffle prizes from local bakers, bloggers, and restaurants (pssst: buy my κουραμπιέδες*!), and know that 100% of the proceeds from your valuable dollars spent will go to the Migrant Offshore Aid Station.

(*kourabiedes: traditional Greek almond shortbread cookies made especially for the holidays. My recipe is chock-full of ouzo and powdered sugar…)

My kind hearted friend Lindsay is organizing the event at my favorite Portland doughnut spot, and I’m grateful for a straightforward, tangible way to help channel funding toward a worthy organization dedicated to helping rescue thousands upon thousands of people fleeing violence, persecution, and oppression.

Bake Sale for Refugees

Saturday, December 19th, 2015
6-9pm at Pip’s Original
4759 NE Fremont Street
Portland, OR 97213

There will be complimentary wine from Union Wine Company, beer from Rogue Ales & Spirits, and coffee samples from Water Avenue Coffee. And, there will be a raffle with incredible prizes from Water Avenue Coffee, Parcel, Marshall’s Haute Sauce, Pip’s Original Doughnuts, Union Wine Company, BUNK Sandwiches, Jacobsen Salt Co., Masala Pop, Owen Roe Winery, Red Duck Ketchup and more!

MOAS: Migrant Offshore Aid Station

Ways You Can Do Something:

1) Come shop at the Bake Sale for Refugees on Saturday, December 19th, 2015 at Pip’s Original and 100% of proceeds will go to MOAS. (And you can turn around and use your purchases to spread sugary-joy to neighbors, co-workers, family, and friends! Win-win.)

2) Contribute to Medical Teams International (based here in Portland, Oregon):
Their goal is to donate 10,000 kits to help 30,000 Syrian refugees by 12/31/15

Donate money or donate goods.

Give $33.

Bring items for Family Kits + Infant Kits.

Send a note.

Volunteer to help assemble kits. (I have an email into the volunteer coordinator now – they’re looking for individuals and groups and families to come help pack up kits using the donated bulk goods being dropped off this month. Evening shifts are available! Update: they have plenty of help with assembly. They really need to continue receiving donated goods at the local Oregon and Washington state distribution centers.)

3) Give to this fellow from Malaysia who is set up on the shore in Greece, cooking meals for refugees right as they get off the boats. (I learned about the project from Kim at So Many Places who shared, “This is a friend of a friend who set up a makeshift kitchen on the Greek coast to provide hot food to refugees who have just risked their lives crossing cold and dangerous waters. I know money is tight around the holidays but this amazing human is proof that we can all make the world a better place. Please consider donating what you can.” I didn’t have a lot, but I gave some, knowing a few less groceries in my shopping cart that week could mean full bellies for brave and tired men, women, and kiddos.)

4) Participate in the Imago Dei Community Portland Refugee Kits Project

This is fantastic. Refugees from all over the world end up here in Portland to resettle, and they’re usually starting from scratch.

Download the recommended shopping list and head out to assemble a kitchen kit, or a bathroom kit, or a personal care, welcome, or cleaning kit. Bundle up the goods and leave them at the drop site in the Imago Dei lobby downtown. (This reminds me of the adopt-a-room project at Ted’s former job — My Father’s House Family Shelter. Another amazing gift of hospitality for local families seeking to rebuild their lives after experiencing homelessness.)

5) If you can’t make it to the Portland bake sale fundraiser for MOAS, give directly online to the MOAS Indigogo Campaign.

Need more food for thought?

Twelve verses on Loving immigrants, refugees, and displaced people…

Hope that whets your appetite.
xx Bethany