New Avenues for Youth - Ben & Jerry's Partnershops

September 20, 2013

New Avenues for Youth - Ben & Jerry's Partnershops
Some the New Avenues For Youth team at their Ben & Jerry's Partnershop ice cream cart.
Some the New Avenues For Youth team at their Ben & Jerry's Partnershop ice cream cart.

What's better than ice cream joined with food carts and community giving all-in-one? It's like a peanut butter and chocolate malt milkshake delivered by gentle flying unicorns in superhero costumes. Not really, but it does always warm our hearts at Food Carts Portland to hear about nonprofits utilizing the power of the carts for a greater cause, especially when it comes to helping homeless and in-need youth.

Enter the New Avenues for Youth / Ben & Jerry's Partnershops.

New Avenues for Youth
is a Portland based nonprofit that works with homeless youth to help provide them with resources, gain skills, and get the support they need to exit the unstable and often dangerous world of street life. Ben & Jerry's, the well known ice cream empire, runs the Ben & Jerry's Partnershops
program, " a form of social enterprise, in which nonprofit organizations leverage the power of business for community benefit".

In Portland, New Avenues for Youth
runs two Ben & Jerry's Partnershops (one on the PSU Campus, the other on SW Yamhill near 5th). New Avenue also has a food cart and catering program to bring their partnershops to the streets, squares, parks and private events of Portland. How it works is this,
PartnerShops are Ben & Jerry’s Scoop Shops that are independently owned and operated by community-based nonprofit organizations. Ben & Jerry’s waives the standard franchise fees and provides additional support to help nonprofits operate strong businesses.

PartnerShops offer job and entrepreneurial training to youth and young adults that may face barriers to employment. Ultimately, they help people build better lives. (from the Ben & Jerry's website)
New Avenue's for Youth operates the partnershops and works closely with youth in the program to provide extensive job training and other professional and personal support that helps give these hardworking kids employment skills, but also helps boost their self esteem and other positive benefits that can make a difference in their lives. New Avenues for Youth explains,
New Avenues believes that every young person should have food, shelter, and access to education and job training. We believe we must go beyond meeting basic needs and offer programs that heal young lives and foster growth and independence. Our mission is to work in partnership with our community to prevent youth homelessness and provide homeless and at-risk young people the resources and skills needed to lead healthy, productive lives.
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You might have seen one of the New Avenue's Partnershop carts set up and selling scoops and cones at the U.S. Bankcorp Plaza downtown on SW 5th and Oak St. this past summer. With their distinctive Ben & Jerry's tie-dye t-shirts and cows with clouds cart, The mobile partnership was a beacon for anyone wanting a quick frozen treat while walking or waiting for the MAX Train just a few feet away.

The New Avenue's Ben & Jerry's cart is off the streets for the fall and winter, but is still available for private catering gigs and other functions. And the Ben & Jerry's Partnershops at the PSU Urban Plaza and the one on SW Yamhill and 5th are open year round for all your ice cream cravings.

In the next year, New Avenue's for Youth is considering expanding their mobile operations and/or other food programs. 'Cause I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream that not only tastes good, we all love ice cream that does good too. It's like the cherry on top of the double Cherry Garcia ice cream cone.

For more information, to inquire about Ben & Jerry's New Ave's ice cream catering, or to volunteer or donate to New Avenues for Youth, contact Phone: 503-224-4339 or email: [email protected]. Website: www.newavenues.org


 

 
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