Donor spotlight: Gary and Vivian Neel
Donor spotlight: Gary and Vivian Neel
According to those closest to them, Portland-based twins Gary and Vivian Neel were guided by compassion for those struggling to pay rent or in need of a warm meal. They lived modestly, with a deep sense of community responsibility.
Gary, who worked for the U.S. Postal Service, delighted in simple pleasures like finding the best fishing hole and eating homemade apple pie. He made regular donations over the years and, before he died in 2015, quietly established a trust in his sister’s name to benefit Oregon Food Bank upon Vivian’s passing. Beginning 2021, the trustees, close work friends of Gary’s, ensured that the trust addressed some of the greatest needs in our region, including the advancement of Rooted + Rising’s strategic priorities.
Support from the Gary and Vivian Neel Trust has already helped:
Respond to an unprecedented volume of visits to food assistance sites — more than 1.9 million in 2023 alone.
Provide flexible business grants to farmers through the Community Producer Support program, designed to grow and stabilize small agricultural businesses and build new prosperity across our region.
Integrate green and sustainable technology into Oregon Food Bank’s operations and facilities improvements while increasing community access to dietary and culturally appropriate foods.
Launch the Equity and Racial Justice Education Team and Oregon Food Bank’s field organizing program to educate our networks and advocate for policy changes that end hunger for good.
The trust’s $5.8 million gift to Oregon Food Bank is impressive, with $4.2 million designated to Rooted + Rising. It is an inspiring reminder of our potential to make change through generous action rooted in a love for our neighbors.
And it is our entire community of Oregon Food Bank’s Legacy Circle members who help to ensure the sustainability of Rooted + Rising’s innovations into the future. Since the start of this campaign, 40 new Legacy Circle members have made documented bequest intentions with a total future estimated value of $2,550,000. To meet our Rooted + Rising Legacy Circle goal, we hope 21 supporters will come forward by June 30, 2026, to name Oregon Food Bank as a beneficiary of their estate plans.