editor's note

Hi suma friends,

Happy spring!

Make sure you note the May 2nd deadline to sign a letter protecting Oregon’s Lifeline internet program below! This weekend we’re back at the farmers markets with our Market Match deal, come by, stretch your dollar and enjoy the warmer weather with us.

Thanks for being here!

-Jacqueline

what's new
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Grocery Store Gift Cards
​This winter, we piloted a new way to stretch your grocery budget: discounted gift cards to stores like WinCo, Hong Phat, Fubonn, and Fred Meyer through suma for half the price.

We’ve continued the offering starting with our partners at APANO in February, grew to Hacienda CDC in March, and this April brought the offer to Latino Network. We sold over 135 gift cards to community members in the first two months and our April offering is still open through April 27th!

Community members from APANO, Hacienda CDC, and Latino Network can order this month's grocery store gift cards on suma until 10am on the 27th.

Farmers Market Season Is Here!

Starting May 2nd at St. Johns Farmers Market and May 3rd at King Farmers Market, suma’s market match is back: pay $1 and get a $2 voucher — up to 15 vouchers each weekend for fresh, local food!

Get our first-time deal once per season: pay $5 and get $24 in farmers market vouchers.

We’re keeping the savings going — see you at the market!

a just digital future

Call to Action for Broadband Affordability support

Last year the Oregon Legislature passed a landmark expansion of the Oregon Lifeline program with HB 3148. Suma was a part of the workgroup to put this together as a state level alternative to the Affordable Connectivity Program.
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The expansion increased the total monthly benefit for Lifeline participants from $19.95 to $24.95 and added a one-time $100 device benefit. The bill is currently being implemented by the Public Utility Commission (PUC).

Now, the FCC is seeking to make changes that will almost entirely roll back the program improvements included in HB 3148 such as:

• Revoking “opt-out” status. Oregon’s status as an “opt-out” state is what allows residents of Oregon to fill out a single application and receive both the federal and state benefits.
• Enrollment barriers. Requiring applicants to provide a secondary form of consent before being enrolled in Lifeline, adding an additional and unnecessary application step for applicants and creating an unfunded process that the state would be required to perform.
• Ending voice-only support. This change would further isolate households who rely on landline support.

​The Oregon Citizen’s Utility Board (CUB) is collecting signatures on a letter opposing these changes. If your organization, community, or household benefits from the Oregon Lifeline program, we strongly recommend signing on to the letter. May 2nd is the deadline!

Coalition of Communities of Color launches CEDAR

As part of the ongoing work with the MADE (Modernized Anti-Racist Data Ecosystems), Coalition of Communities of Color launched the website for CEDAR — the Collective Environmental Datahub for Action and Resilience. CEDAR will bring together data from frontline Portland organizations to strengthen climate and environmental advocacy. The data hub is still in development, but the site is live and suma is proud to be among their community partners. Learn more about CEDAR​