Anniversary often feels like a celebratory word.

This one falls heavy and hard. The weather is perfect today, with no wind, just beautiful blue skies and crisp air. Kiddos are back to school, and the pace feels slower. I have been stuck trying to come up with words to capture how I feel.  I have felt blocked and nervous to put pen to paper. I can’t miss a detail, I am sure I will.  Our whole world changed on that beautiful sunny day three years ago. Three years. 1095 days. Babies born and elders passed. Newcomers to our valley who didn’t feel what we all felt, who didn’t witness our towns engulfed, our neighbor's homes lost, our fear, our strength.

In the blink of an eye, everything changed. Time is a trickster. So much time has passed, and it still feels like yesterday.  Some neighbors have had the opportunity to rebuild and recover, Others were forced from the valley with nowhere to live. Still, so many are without permanent shelter. Three years. We know these people, we work with these people, we serve these people, these are our people. We need to do more for our community. We are forever stronger together.

From the fires of 2020, I have seen so much beauty erupt from the rubble that was left. On that day, I walked away from one job and dove into this one. Finally able to contribute something tangible to my community. I continue to be deeply honored to have been a part of creating Rogue Food Unites. Every single day, I am blessed to be able to call this a job. Our team has grown, and collectively, we are so happy to be here. Our job is simple. We get to lessen burdens by providing our community with healthy food. Because once we have sustenance, we may have the strength to do the next hard thing.

We are committed to continuing this work. We know that our local recovery is not done. We may never get there. We will continue to advocate, push for change, ask questions, and work together. Our community has learned from the wildfires all too well what resilience means. Though we are tired, we will hold each other up. We will ask for help, we will give without question. We are better together. None of this can happen without collaboration. Thank you for your trust. Thank you for your partnership. 
 

Rogue Food Unites continues on:  We have expanded our services and are committed to bridging communities and making an impact on food security for everyone we serve. We are listening, asking questions, and meeting new people in our home valley and further away. We are preparing for future natural disasters. We will be there. We will come with beautiful food, We will come with hugs, warmth, and empathy. We hope that when we meet each other, even in times of crisis, we may find a bright spot, maybe even something to celebrate. Food is just the first step. 

Today, my heart is tender. Take it easy this weekend. I am thinking of you all.  

In gratitude,

Amber