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Fish Facts for 2009
- Fish served an average of 1,672 people each month.
- Thirty-two percent of those receiving emergency assistance were children.
- Fish provided 78,585 services. Most people need more than one kind of service during a visit.
- Fish supplies three to five days of nutritious, emergency food. This translates into 170,049 meals.
- Fish also provides clothing, personal care products, small household utensils and goods, and information and referral services. As funds are available, we also provide rent and utility assistance.
- Fish will provide service every four months; more frequent services are available with a referral.
- 1,527 volunteers contributed 27,670 hours of service to our community through Fish.
- 88% of all contributions go to program services; 12% goes to administration and fundraising.
- Fish is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charitable organization. Your gifts are tax deductible.
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frequently asked questions
How does Fish help?
Fish supplies nutritious food, clothing, bedding, infant supplies and other necessities to individuals and families. In addition, it offers referral services and education to encourage independence and promote personal dignity.
Who does Fish help?
Fish helps anyone in trouble who is willing to take steps toward gaining their independence. The people in need are your neighbors — Oregonians who are working parents trying to make ends meet on low-income jobs. They include the unemployed, seniors dependent on social security checks, the mentally and physically disabled, single parents, families broken by violence and people with serious and debilitating illness. No person is excluded based on their race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, marital or family status.
Where does Fish’s funding come from?
Most of it comes from individuals. Congregations, businesses, foundations and clubs contribute the balance of dollars. In addition, Fish receives many in-kind donations of food, clothing and other items, which are given directly to those it serves.
You can feel good about a tax-deductible donation to Fish. A recent independent audit of our operations showed that 88 percent of all contributions go to help those in need. Fish is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization – your gifts are tax deductible.
Where does the Fish name come from?
Fish takes its name from the symbol used by early Christians to identify themselves. We use the name and symbol to represent Fish’s basic philosophy of neighbor helping neighbor.
How long has Fish been helping others?
Fish began in Portland in 1967, when a small group of people, meeting under the auspices of a group now known as the Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon, began offering emergency food and transportation to those in need.
The first modern Fish ministry began in 1961. A group of untrained lay people at St. Andrew's Church in Oxford, England, decided to put the “love thy neighbor” ethic into practice, and made themselves available to anyone in crisis.
