Archive for category: News

What an amazing streak of gorgeous fall weather we are fortunate to have. Makes raking all those leaves more enjoyable! That said, we are on the cusp of chillier nights when sleeping outside will be even harder than usual.

We appreciate and are glad to share advice for all of us during the cold weather from 211.info, our local social service coordinator: Community members are asked to be vigilant watching out for their neighbors in need. Anyone who has concerns about someone they observe who appears to be unprepared for the cold weather and does not seem to be capable of caring for themselves should call Police Non-Emergency, 503-823-3333, and request a “welfare check.” If it appears that the person’s situation is mental health-related, the Mental Health Crisis Line can be reached 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, at 503-988-4888. If the situation appears to present an imminent risk to the person’s health or safety, dial 911. Every one of us can help out in these situations, and with accurate information we are better able to step up and do the right thing. Human Solutions supports the most compassionate response to people on the street and has endorsed Portland Street Response, a developing program spearheaded by Street Roots.

In other news, the team at Human Solutions has been busy as ever this fall. I’m sharing some highlights here that I think may interest you.

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Your Help Needed! ‘Tis the Season for Human Solutions’ Holiday Toy Drive!

This event is a joyful tradition at Human Solutions! Every year, we partner with volunteers and organizations across our community to collect gifts for kids who need them and invite their parents to “shop” (for free, of course!) for the holidays. Shoppers are families with low/no incomes who live in our affordable housing communities or are participating in our programs. You can help by hosting a collection bin in your community, church or office space, delivering gifts to our two office locations (12350 SE Powell Blvd. and 124 NE 181^st Ave.), shopping for gifts on our Amazon Wish List (they send things right to us!), volunteering, or sponsoring the event. Details and volunteer sign-ups are on our web page. Let’s put a little shine in the holidays, shall we?!?

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2^nd Community Conversation on Homelessness | December in the Pearl

We had such a strong turnout this summer for our first Community Conversation on Homelessness that we’re doing it again! This time in the Pearl District in downtown Portland. Join us – you can RSVP here.

Event Details:

• Who: Anyone interested in understanding and solving homelessness in our community.
• Where: CENTRL Office Pearl - 1355 NW Everett Street, Portland, OR 97209 (here’s a map)
• When: Tuesday, December 3rd from 5:30 to 7:30 PM (program begins at 6:00 PM, settle in and grab food from 5:30-6:00).
• Food/Drink: Light snacks and beverages available – or BYO if you prefer!

Questions? Contact Lisa Frack, Human Solutions: 503.548.0282 or lfrack@humansolutions.org. For CENTRL Office, contact Madeline at madeline@centrloffice.com

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Help Out by Cooking & Serving Meals in our Emergency Shelters

Human Solutions operates two emergency shelters for people who are unhoused: one for families with dependent children and another for women (all who identify). Approximately 230 people (80 of them children) stay with us every night. Of course we provide meals (three per day for every shelter resident, which adds up to about 250,000 meals a year!)

That’s where you come in! Our part-time kitchen manager, Chris, cooks a lot, but we depend on volunteers in the community to supplement her meals (like those pictured here who cooked and served lunch for 90 women few weeks back). Is that you? It is a joyful way to be a contributing member of our community. Our shelter volunteer and donations coordinator, Christina, awaits you: volunteer@humansolutions.org or 503.278.1637. ‘Tis the season to feed and break bread with others, right? If you’ve been thinking, “I want to do something, but I don’t quite know what,” get in touch with Christina – she’s friendly and can get you all set up! #thisiswhatcommunitylookslike

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New Skills2Work Program

The group you see here are proud graduates of Skills2Work, a new program we created to support people experiencing housing insecurity and homelessness as they prepare to re-enter the job market. While we have long worked with folks with low/no incomes to increase their skills and find career-track employment, this program fills a gap by offering training and support for those with the most barriers to work so they can recover confidence, skills and self-awareness on the road to potential employment and a brighter future. Our incredible employment team worked to craft this unique series specifically for a cohort of women – including many who reside in our Gresham Women’s Shelter. After six weeks of inspiring hard work, the cohort of 13 graduates received their diplomas at an emotional ceremony. It was a morning filled with pride, accomplishment, tears, hugs and love – one of the most memorable celebrations I have attended in my 25 years of doing this work. Take a look at this recent article in the Gresham Outlook about this program.

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Mia Birdsong Was So Inspiring!

We are still on cloud nine after hosting the incredible Mia Birdsong (pictured here with Human Solutions ED Andy Miller and our Board VP Jo Ann Hardesty) at APANO’s new space in SE PDX in October (we recorded her terrific presentation so you can watch it right here). Mia raises questions so relevant to our times, making clear that we can’t have a community that works for everyone if we don’t tackle head-on the root causes of inequity that create so much hardship today. She clearly called out structural racism, misogyny, classism, and our unique brand of aggressive capitalism that puts profits ahead of humanity. As Mia told us that night and shared again with our staff on Friday morning (lucky us!), our job is to put ALL the people into “We the People,” creating truth from fiction.

To keep the conversation going, we are sharing a few resources:

• Mia’s web site - she has lots to say. Check it out!
• Pre-order her book “How We Show Up: Building Community in These Fractured Times.”
• Listen to her podcast about guaranteed income when it comes out, it’s called More Than Enough.

At Human Solutions we are working towards housing and economic security for all – and Mia’s approach really resonates with us. Hope to see you at another event soon!

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Good listen about East Portland, our service area

This short segment on OPB shares historical background and current issues in East Portland through the lens of an artist working with the community. We’ve been here 31 years and even we learned something new! Enjoy.

“Portland artist Sabina Haque began exploring the history of Portland east of 82nd Avenue for an art project two years ago. Since then, she’s interviewed various residents about their history in East Portland and their hopes for its future. She joins us to talk about her project and what she hopes to do next.”

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October was National Domestic Violence Awareness Month

On October 22^nd Human Solutions staff participated in the City of Gresham’s annual candlelight vigil to raise awareness, support survivors and remember those we’ve lost. We know all too well from our day-to-day work that domestic violence is a 365-day-a-year issue. Nearly 70% of the residents at our Gresham Women’s Shelter report being survivors of domestic violence; it is a major contributor to homelessness for women. This powerful event is spearheaded by Rep. Carla Piluso, former Gresham Police Chief and current Human Solutions board secretary. We were glad to show our support this night and also appreciate the ongoing work of the Oregon Coalition Against Domestic & Sexual Violence.

Thanks, as always, for your interest in our community – it needs us right now.

Warmly,

 

 

 

Andy Miller, Executive Director

PS – Inspired by what we’re doing? Please consider a donation to keep us going strong – we’re open 24/7 right here: https://www.humansolutions.org/giving (thank you!)

On Friday, September 20th we celebrated something BIG here at Human Solutions: we broke ground to build 75 units of rental housing and a new anchor office for our team alongside Portland’s newest greenspace – Discovery Park in East Portland’s Gateway neighborhood. This new development will provide homes for those in need, a place for local businesses to thrive and a new home for Human Solutions. We can’t wait to invite you to the Grand Opening in about 18 months!

I encourage you to check out the project details on our web site along with some of the architectural renderings. That way you’ll be able to envision the transformation of this empty lot where we will open this new community in Spring 2021. We hope you think it’s as beautiful as we do!

In addition to adding 75 apartments affordable to a range of incomes, this new space will include an anchor office and service center for Human Solutions. We are thrilled to be building a home of our own in East Portland, where we have been part of the community for more than 30 years. We have outgrown our current leased space, which has long needed an upgrade. We’re ready for our amazing team and the people who seek our support to feel the warmth and sense of value a beautiful space conveys.

Project partners helped us break ground. Thanks to LMC Construction, our contractor, for the gold shovels!

We could not have put this project together without a host of incredible partners - some experts, others investors (and some both!). Our development team: Gerding Edlen, Holst Architecture and LMC Construction. Our investors: JP Morgan Chase, The Collins Foundation, Dudley Ventures, US Department of Housing and Urban Development, Low Income Investment Fund, Metro, Meyer Memorial Trust, Multnomah County, On Semiconductor, Oregon Housing & Community Services, Portland Housing Bureau, PNC Bank, and (last but definitely not least!) Prosper Portland.

Among the many wonderful speakers at the groundbreaking celebration one really stood out. Laurie Palmer is not just an eloquent speaker (though she is definitely that). She is an incredible woman with a story to tell who happens to live in another housing community that Human Solutions developed and owns. Her message is perhaps the most important of all, because she represents the reason we do this work: to create a community where everyone can experience the dignity of a well-built, permanent home that they can afford. Our work at Human Solutions helps people overcome the barriers they face in our inequitable economic and social systems. Laurie sought Human Solutions’ help to bust through those barriers, but make no mistake: she is a survivor who got herself where she is today. We’re grateful that Laurie is using her voice to call for a better way. We invite you to take a few minutes (two and seven seconds, to be exact!) to hear her powerful and inspiring message.

Thank you for celebrating with us as we work to build a community that works for everyone,

 

 

 

 

Andy Miller, Executive Director

PS – Want to be part of the solution? We never turn down an offer of support – give here today. It’ll feel good!

This month has been a whirlwind of activity here at Human Solutions - including a visit from Mayor Wheeler to our awesome after-school program, planning for our inspiring fall speaker, and a robust community conversation about homelessness – among much else! Happily, we were still able to find time to gather for an all-staff picnic last week to connect with each other in a beautiful place and honor our team for their tremendous work every day. Here’s the full scoop:

Come Listen to Mia Birdsong Reframe Poverty

We’re very excited to open registration for our fall speaker event. Be sure to save the date! Mia Birdsong gave a TED Talk in 2015 that went viral. We’re bringing her to Portland to address a topic that is at the heart of what we do and who we are: poverty and how people view those who experience it. This is an opportunity to open our minds, explore our biases and learn to see things in new ways. Plus: it’s free and there’s food! What are you waiting for!?! Register here (it's free but space is limited). Spread the word on Facebook here.

 

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We’re Concerned About the Proposed Change in the Public Charge Rule

As you may be aware, the Trump Administration has been moving a policy change through the rulemaking process that could go into effect this fall related to how we determine when an immigrant is considered a “public charge” and denied entry (here’s a nice overview of the concept). Human Solutions does NOT support the shift and believes it to be harmful to our immigrant neighbors – whom we welcome with open arms. We rely on expert organizations like the Immigrant Legal Resource Center (ILRC) to guide us, and want to share their tools to help others understand what’s at stake and how to respond. A quick overview from them:

“On August 14, 2019, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) published a final rule related to public charge in the Federal Register. The rule will not take effect until October 15, 2019. Additionally, many organizations have indicated they will file lawsuits challenging the legality of the rule. Thus, even after publication, legal challenges could delay implementation.

The new rule has created confusion and fear in our communities. Because it is very difficult to understand who might be impacted, many immigrant families have decided to disenroll or refuse enrolling in programs that are necessary to survive and thrive. Many immigrants remain exempt from this public charge rule and many immigrants continue to be eligible for various programs.” 

We encourage you to learn more from the ILRC here and share where needed. Human Solutions believes that this kind of anti-immigrant fear mongering is neither good for our community nor true to our values as a nation. We oppose this new policy.

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We Hosted a Community Conversation on Homelessness

Earlier this month we hosted a gathering for members of our community to learn, ask questions and share their thoughts about the humanitarian crisis of homelessness in our area. We welcomed 55 people into a productive discussion where we shared personal experiences, considered how our humanity works in this moment, and tried to grasp the enormity of the causes that led us here – and how we might solve them. Our goal is to discuss both the practical how-tos and the big picture questions that we’re all grappling with. We are considering where to host our next one – stay tuned!

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Homelessness Isn’t the Crisis You Think It Is

This is a powerful opinion piece by Marisa Zapata, an associate professor at PSU who directs the Homeless Research and Action Collaborative. What resonates with us is her focus on the underlying systems that are broken and her insistence that if we don’t turn our attention to those systems we won’t – can’t - end homelessness.

“To truly stop homelessness, we need to fix the long-term systemic issues that lead to it in the first place. We need universal rights to safe and quality housing and universal health care so no one is forced to choose between buying insulin and making rent. We need major criminal justice reform that does not sentence people to life on the streets and an overhaul of how we support those with addiction and major mental illnesses so recovery is possible for everyone. We need stronger protections for historically marginalized communities so your ZIP code, gender identity or skin color doesn't dictate your future.”

Hear, hear

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Mayor Wheeler Shopped at Our Young Entrepreneur’s Market

Home-made stress balls, snow cones and ice-cream sundaes are just the start of the fastest-growing farmers market in Portland --hosted by youth in Human Solutions’ LearnLinks after-school and summer program! After conducting market research on a field trip to Saturday Market in downtown Portland, the students opened their own stands at Lincoln Woods, one of our 17 affordable housing communities. Together they earned almost $200, Portland Mayor Wheeler was among the shoppers! Human Solutions aims to level the playing field for youth from low-income families, and our LearnLinks program is one way we are doing that.

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Annual Staff Picnic @ Blue Lake Regional Park

Every summer we gather our whole 130-person team for an afternoon of connection, celebration and thanks. Human Solutions staff work hard every day in often challenging circumstances, so making time to honor their work and eat a meal together is gratifying. We work out of six locations, so bringing everyone together is tricky but really important to foster teamwork and create a workplace where we know each other as whole people. Plus, it’s way more fun and effective to work with folks you know. We shared a LOT of photos on Facebook (which you can peruse here). ‘Til next year!

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2019 Point-In Time Homelessness Count Was Released

Every other year the US Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD) requires communities that receive its funds to conduct a one-night count of people the department defines as homeless. Multnomah County completed its count in January and released the findings this summer. You’ll find the report here, including a new online dashboard. We invite you to get our (short) take here. Key caution: the data is useful, but typically results in undercounts and does not produce a full picture of homelessness in our community.

THANK YOU for your ongoing interest in and support of our work in the community. If you have any questions for us or would like to learn more about what we are doing, please don’t hesitate to reach out. Our main line is 503.548.0200 or you can email our Communications & Development Director, Lisa Frack.

Hi!

I’m really glad that you are part of the Human Solutions family. Every month when I write this update to share, it heartens me to know that you are rooting us on. Our work can be hard, but it is also incredibly rewarding. Thanks for caring.

As usual, we have lots to cover!

COMMUNITY CONVERSATION ON HOMELESNESS: JOIN US!

First and foremost, I want to invite you to our first Community Conversation on Wednesday evening, August 7^th from 6 to 8 PM. Do you have questions and/or thoughts about what’s going on in our community when it comes to homelessness? Let’s talk about them!

As an emergency shelter provider for women and families and an affordable housing developer and operator (among other programs we offer), we have expertise and opinions to share that we think might be relevant. We very much want to hear from you and respond to your questions. Please join us and invite friends who might be interested. Details are on our web page and on Facebook. No RSVP required, just drop in! Stark Street Station, our gracious host in the Mt. Tabor neighborhood, has beer/wine, sweet treats and light dinner fare for purchase (lasagna, pot pies, quiche, etc…). Questions? Contact Lisa Frack, at 503.548.0282 or lfrack@humansolutions.org.

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DREAMS DO COME TRUE: ANOTHER SUCCESS STORY

Romero Gonzalez is a single mother of four children and, like many (all?!) mothers, she had a dream for her children to graduate from high school and then college – every one of them. She entered our Alder Family Program* in 2012, and since then her dream has started to come true. Luis, her oldest who is now 18, graduated from high school last year and is currently enrolled at Portland Community College. Luis recently called Human Solutions’ Family Advocate, Yolanda, to thank her for helping him with his Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). He received $3,000; enough to cover his full tuition for fall 2019!

Yolanda writes:

“I am so proud of this kiddo. I remember he wanted to give up because we were having trouble with FAFSA. I encouraged him to not to give up and keep trying. I also encouraged him to talk to his academic advisor at PCC, to ask the staff for help and to guide him with his Federal Student Aid.  Now he is successfully enrolled for classes this fall. This is why I love what I do, because we are here to support the whole family and give the children a chance to grow.”

* The Alder Family Program is an effective program that Human Solutions participates in with several other local providers (Home Forward and Greater Than). Its purpose is to help students who attend Alder Elementary School (in the Reynolds School District) to thrive in school and to help their families maintain stable housing so that students can remain in the same school. Housing instability too often causes kids to switch schools, which can hinder their education.

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SHOP AMAZON TO HELP OUR NEW SHELTER FOR FAMILIES

Our emergency shelter team maintains a Wish List on Amazon to make it super easy for you to contribute just what they need - by literally only lifting a finger! Next time you’re online (oh, you are right now!?!), check out what we are in need of and send us a package! Here’s the link.

Learn more here about Lilac Meadows, our new emergency shelter for families opening this summer.

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STATE LEGISLATIVE SESSION: WHAT HAPPENED WITH HOUSING?

Despite the unusual and dramatic end to our 2019 state legislative session, a lot of good bills became laws, many related to affordable housing. Human Solutions engages in advocacy related to housing and homelessness through the Oregon Housing Alliance, a statewide organization devoted to affordable housing for all Oregonians. We are grateful to be members of this dedicated group and proud of what we all accomplished together this session. As Alison McIntosh, the group’s terrific leader stated, “…we have helped secure significant resources to create and maintain more affordable homes, to prevent and end homelessness for more Oregonians, and to help people maintain access to affordable homeownership.” Read all the details on their blog.

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SUMMER READING: HERE’S A GREAT PICK!

The Warmth of Other Suns is Isabel Wilkerson’s epic story of America’s Great Migration. Wilkerson devoted 15 years to the research and writing of the book. She interviewed over 1,200 people, unearthed archival works and gathered the voices of the famous and the unknown to tell the epic story of the Great Migration, one of the biggest underreported stories of the 20^th Century and one of the largest migrations in American history. The book was named to more than 30 Best of the Year lists, won the National Book Critics Circle Award, among other honors, and made national news when President Obama chose it for summer reading in 2011. In 2012, The New York Times named The Warmth of Other Suns to its list of the best nonfiction books of all time. It is important AND a page turner. We can’t put it down! Grab a copy at the Multnomah County library today!

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Thanks, as always, for reading. I am grateful to you for your compassion for those among us in need right now. As the Dalai Lama has said, “Compassion is the radicalism of our time.”

Radically yours,

 

 

 

Andy Miller, Executive Director

PS – You can *always* make a donation to fuel our work – it’s easy to do online: https://humansolutions.org/giving/

Once again it’s been a busy month here at Human Solutions! Thanks to everyone for a very successful “Friends and Family” gathering at McMenamins’ Power Station Pub – we earned $3,000 because you came out to eat and enjoy each other’s company! We always appreciate the generous support of our local business community and your help in making that possible – thank you! Here are the top stories in our neck of the woods:

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Introducing Lilac Meadows, our New Shelter for Families
We are thrilled to share the news with you that our emergency shelter program for families has found a new permanent home! In partnership with the Joint Office of Homeless Services, Human Solutions will be moving our program that supports families experiencing homelessness into a wonderful new shelter called Lilac Meadows in SE Portland, where the need is great.

To open Lilac Meadows, Multnomah County is “master leasing” an existing motel that we will update to best serve families experiencing homelessness. Human Solutions will sublease the motel from the County and operate it as a shelter. Residents of Lilac Meadows will enjoy the privacy that works best for families – something lacking in older-style mass shelters where everyone sleeps in the same room. We worked actively with the Joint Office of Homeless Services to identify a location that offers amenities families need, like a nearby park and grocery stores, access to public transit and ample parking.

 

In this new home, we can accommodate up to 40 families at a time. Human Solutions will provide families at Lilac Meadows with caring support, help accessing community services and assistance finding and securing their next permanent home. Our program at Lilac Meadows builds on our strong track record helping families find – and keep – permanent housing. Last year, 93% of the households we helped find housing remained housed a year later!

Learn more here and get info about how you can help by emailing Christina, our awesome volunteer and donations coordinator.

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Meet Pat, She’s Working Hard to Move Back Home from Homelessness

Pat met her husband 48 years ago at Jefferson High School in NE Portland, where she later worked as a school secretary - one of three positions she held over a 37-year career! Together, they have three kids and now six grandchildren - with another on the way in Atlanta.

But in 2013 the wheels came off for Pat, as they sometimes can, one at a time. First a separation, which led to Pat losing her home of 50 years in NE Portland. Next, she moved in with her daughter. When that situation didn’t last, Pat moved into her car, where she lived for two years. Ultimately Pat was left with nothing but the clothes on her back. That was when she reached out for help. She found her way to Human Solutions’ Gresham Women’s Shelter, a safe, welcoming environment to get the support it takes to find a stable place to call home.

Pat is scheduled to move into her own place next month, which is terrific news! Her journey back to housing stability took a lot of hard work on her part - and expert support on ours.

Will you help those experiencing homelessness in our community – like Pat -move into stable housing? The value of your support is truly priceless. Your support helps us work with people like Pat to secure and keep their next home – a place to do everything from cooking favorite meals to hosting grandkids for a special sleepover with grandma. Home is a place for kids to do homework, cuddle up in a warm bed, eat their favorite family dishes, and to simply have a play date with a friend. On any given night, 130 households (about 210 people) stay in our two shelters. We want to help every one of our shelter residents find a safe and stable place to call home.

Just click here to say yes. With community support we can help Pat - and so many like her – move from homelessness to housing. Together, this is something we can do!

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East County Update: Relevant Data & Conversations

Human Solutions has been working in East Portland/East Multnomah County since we opened our doors in 1988. It’s our home. We are paying close attention to the changes here and to how those changes will impact our neighbors. I recently had the opportunity to participate in a panel discussion about the state of East Multnomah County – one of the poorest and most diverse areas in Oregon - and how we can move forward to ensure that current residents can thrive and resist the displacement projected as this area experiences redevelopment. Here are two data points that we are focusing on:

• 20% of households in the area live below the federal poverty level (on average, 2013-17). That’s higher compared to the state of Oregon (15%) and Portland metropolitan area (12%). For context, the federal poverty level is very low: $25,750 for a family of four, for example.
• 61% of renters are cost-burdened – which means they spend more than 30 percent of their income on housing – the limit that HUD research shows is affordable for any household. Further, 35% of renter households are “severely” cost-burdened, meaning more than half of their income is spent on rent. For these families, homelessness is a real threat every month because they simply cannot afford to pay rent and meet other essential household expenses like food and medication.

You can read more about the report and the forum here. This is an important conversation we plan to continue until real solutions are identified.

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Good Read | MAID: Hard Work, Low Pay and a Mother’s Will to Survive

This mother’s experience with domestic violence, poverty, substandard housing, low-wage pay without benefits, and government subsidies (that helped but weren’t easy) is an important eye opener for those who have not walked in those shoes. And one thing we can surely use more of today is more time spent in others’ shoes. This challenging time in Stephanie Land’s life takes place in the Pacific Northwest, too, so the backdrop is familiar and reminds us how close to home all this is.

“Rent plus groceries plus utilities plus laundry plus insurance plus gas plus clothing minus an hourly paycheck of barely more than minimum wage and the scant assistance parceled out by the government with spectacular reluctance — the brute poetry of home economics recurs throughout Land’s book.”
Read a review here and reserve it at Multnomah County Library here.

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Things We Need, Ways to Help
We depend on and are grateful for our generous community, which so often steps up when we put out the call. This month we have two priority needs:

• New Ovens: Our emergency women’s shelter needs a stove/oven upgrade and two new refrigerators. We estimate the cost to be around $10,000. We cook three meals every day for 90 women and 40 families, and our current equipment is no longer adequate and beginning to fail. Contact Marci, our Emergency Services Director if you are able to help.
• After-School Program Volunteers: Our after-school program, LearnLinks, depends on volunteers to chaperone local summer field trips with kids in kindergarten to 8th grade. Got some free time this summer? Like working with kids? Great! Get in touch with our program manager Tonya Parson to learn more: tparson@humansolutions.org or 503. 548.0210.

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Thanks, as always, for reading and paying attention to what’s happening here in East Portland/East Multnomah County. The need for change and investment is urgent and we are glad to have you as part of the Human Solutions family as we work hard to fulfill our mission.