Sisters of the Road: nourishing community

Jan Haaken talks with volunteer and board member Robert Adams and co-manager Kris Soebroto of the non-profit Sisters of the Road Cafe in Old Town, which for nearly 35 years has been serving immediate needs and seeking systemic change. The Cafe offers hot meals in exchange for $1.50 cash, for work barter, or for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. Work credits earned at Sisters can also be used at Portland Farmers' Markets, and field trips from Sisters introduce the farmer-vendors and explain how to use the foods they offer. Sisters also partners with the Sauvie Island Organics farm Food Works program, which teaches teenagers about farming. Jan, Robert, and Kris also discuss the central role of volunteers at Sisters of the Road: the organization recognizes that nourishment is about not just food but also community, and provides opportunities for people to come together.