New Avenues for Youth Presents the 15th Annual Scoop-A-Thon

Free Cone Day While Raising Funds to Support Portland’s Homeless Youth

Volunteer Scoopers

On Tuesday, April 8th, local nonprofit New Avenues for Youth in partnership with Ben & Jerry’s, will celebrate the Scoop-A-Thon and Free Cone Day from 12 pm to 8 pm at the non-profit’s Partner Shop (524 SW Yamhill St, Portland, OR 97204). This year they will scoop more than 2000 cones, with all proceeds benefitting programs for youth currently experiencing or at-risk of homelessness.

Ben & Jerry’s Free Cone Day began in 1979, as a way for Ben & Jerry’s to give back to the community that helped it grow from a single Scoop Shop in a renovated gas station in Burlington, Vermont, to one of the most beloved ice cream companies worldwide. Free Cone Day has turned into a global celebration, with fans lining up for free scoops in more than 35 countries. Last year fans showed up in record numbers, helping Ben & Jerry’s scoopers serve up over 1 million scoops of free ice cream.

The only Ben & Jerry’s in the Portland area is also the ONLY store in the country owned and operated exclusively by a non-profit – a unique and long-standing partnership between New Avenues for Youth and Ben & Jerry’s. To celebrate Ben & Jerry’s Free Cone Day, New Avenues hosts an annual “Scoop-A-Thon” event on the same day, funds going directly towards its youth homelessness programs. This year’s event is presented by New Avenues long-time partner, Bank of America.

Opening in 2004, the New Avenues for Youth Ben and Jerry’s Partner Shop aims to provide tangible job training skills to youth experiencing or at-risk of homelessness. In addition to the Ben & Jerry’s shop, New Avenues also owns and operates New Avenues INK, a screen-printing shop that has been printing high-quality items for businesses and individuals within the community for the past 12 years. Together these shops comprise New Avenues’ social enterprise program, which over the past 20 years has provided hundreds of young people with real job skills and work experience.

“Free Cone Day has always been about gratitude – we want to thank our fans for being the best fans in the world with free ice cream and a moment of pure joy,” said Jennie Vinson, Director of Social Enterprise at New Avenues for Youth. “This year, more than ever, we’re reminded how powerful those small moments of happiness can be. AND- we are excited to be celebrating our 20th Free Cone Day in Downtown Portland, with all Scoop-a-Thon proceeds going to New Avenues for Youth.”

Next week join the Ben & Jerry’s New Avenues team alongside ‘Scooper Sponsors’: KGW Media Group, NW Natural and US Bank, as they scoop classic Ben & Jerry’s chunky, swirly flavors. This year’s event is also sponsored by ‘Sundae Sponsors’:  Canopy, Colas Construction and Ferguson Wellman Capital Management. 

Although the ice cream served on Ben & Jerry’s Free Cone Day is free, donations are gratefully accepted in the Partner Shop and online at www.newavenues.org/donate with all proceeds generated at the event going directly towards New Avenue’s programs.

To learn more about New Avenues social enterprise shop, career-readiness programs, and other programs aimed at preventing youth homelessness visit www.newavenues.org/programs.

For more information, visit www.newavenues.org/scoopathon. News organizations are also invited to cover this event on the day of and can schedule by contacting Lauren Eads, leads@newavenues.org