About Us

Portland Local Food.com is the creation of Chana and Richie Andler,  who  in addition to working with nonprofits & mission-driven businesses through their company the Andler Resource Group, are also passionate about:

 

  • Supporting the production of safe, pesticide-free food
  • Buying as locally & regionally as possible—to maximize economic impact & minimize environmental impact
  • Working to make sure people at all socio-economic levels have access to healthy food
  • Helping people find alternatives to the industrial food system and begin to make local, sustainable food choices
  • Helping existing food buying clubs grow and new food buying clubs get off the ground
  • Using their  expertise to help NW farmers & ranchers  connect with buyers and make a good living

The Andlers are avid home gardeners and both are members of the Montavilla Food Buying Club steering committee.  In addition, Richie has served as a peer reviewer for USDA farmers market grants, and Chana recently served on the City of Portland’s Urban Food Zoning Code Advisory Group and on the Friends of Portland Community Gardens board.

Why Portland Local Food.com
The easier it is for people to find and purchase safe, healthy local food, the more likely they will do so. Conversely, the more difficult it is to locate and the more hassle it is to get, the more likely we all are to opt for what’s fast, easy and convenient.

Deciding to make healthier food choices doesn’t mean you have to go from fast food to raw food overnight—or ever.  Our extended family is made up of omnivores at various points along the local/sustainable/organic continuum and we see every step someone takes toward healthier, local eating as positive and deserving of support.  It needn’t be an “all-or-nothing” proposition.

For us, the film Food Inc. was the wake-up call that motivated us to stop buying meat from the industrial food system and begin the process of learning where to find and how to buy local, farm-raised beef, poultry and eggs.   Becoming aware of the widespread prevalence of pesticide contamination was what spurred us to switch to organic and safe local fruits and vegetables. By sharing what we’re discovering on this journey, we hope to make it easier for others to find and begin to enjoy Portland’s local food.