Do you like free food? Do you walk or bike to school? Breakfast on the Bridges might be a great option for you! 

On the last Friday of every month, Breakfast on the Bridges serves free breakfast for bikers and pedestrians commuting to work at four locations: the Steel Bridge, the Tilikum Bridge, the Blumenauer Bridge and the Flanders Crossing. From 7-9 a.m., commuters are served coffee, donuts and fruit, along with donated foods from local businesses. Past donors include Spielmans Bagels and Rose City Coffee Company, along with many others. 

Shift, the organization behind Breakfast on the Bridges, started in September 2022, with the goal of creating events for cyclists.

Junior Maja Diettrich-Kennett has attended Breakfast on the Bridges at the Flanders Crossing as a pedestrian several times over the past year. 

“It’s really nice, because I go and I get free food before school, and I can talk to people there,” said Diettrich-Kennett. “I’ve met a lot of new people who live right next to me that I never knew.” 

Breakfast on the Bridges is completely led by volunteers. 

Kaitlyn Bishop is a volunteer for the Flanders Crossing location and started volunteering there after stopping by for the free breakfast numerous times. 

“I really enjoy seeing everyone just out and about,” said Bishop, “whether it’s on their way to work, whether it’s just they’re walking around in their local neighborhood.”

Bishop emphasizes the positive impact that Breakfast on the Bridges has on people in Portland. 

“It really does promote people to interact with the local community, whether it’s others that are choosing an active form of transportation to get to work, [or] it’s just you live in the area,” Bishop said.