homelessness

Donations Needed

Jane Green1 Comment

Do Good is looking for help. If you are in the PDX area and can donate any of the following items, please let me know. If you are outside of PDX and would like to contribute in dollars, that would be great, too! Do Good staffs the sixth “physical distancing motel shelter” opened by the Portland/Multnomah County Joint Office of Homeless Services last year. The 43-room shelter at the former Value Inn on Barbur in SW Portland provides 24-hr services along with meals, health support, and access to counseling and substance use treatment. This is a stellar example of repurposing space to meet the needs of the community. Let’s do what we can to help them succeed. Here’s what they could use now:

GARDEN SUPPLIES: They want to create raised garden beds and do some garden therapy. Soil, seeds, starts, tools, raised beds. ART SUPPLIES: A wall mural is being planned that will incorporate art therapy. Paint, brushes, tape, tarps. GRILLS: As warmer weather approaches, they’d like the ability to grill meals for residents. Any size of grill would be appreciated. Grill tools, too.

Questions or ideas about donations: Email or contact Jane at A Clear Place.

A Man Crawled Into A Dumpster

Jane Green

43648586_10155067784098039_9207806800496164864_nSounds like a joke set-up but it’s not. Last month, I witnessed a guy get into a dumpster and close the lid. He didn’t come out. After 30 minutes, I called the police thinking what if he was sick, wounded, dying? Two squad cars responded within 5 minutes and he turned out to be none of those. But he was clearly disheveled, disturbed and in trouble. This incident weighed on my heart. How does one get to such a low point in life as to seek refuge in a dumpster? More importantly, what could I or anyone do to help? The mental health system continues to be overwhelmed. Police are getting special training in counseling and intervention. Street drugs have become the norm. Homelessness has arrived at our doorstep. So again, what can be done to help? I called back the police to thank them for their quick response and to ask what they suggest if a citizen wants to help in prevention or solution? The answer? 211. Ever hear of it? Me neither. Apparently, a lot of folks don’t know about it including my neighbors, my dentist, his assistant and pretty much anyone I’ve talked with in the last few weeks. 211 is the 911 for resources. Everything from suicide to abuse to hunger to shelter to senior needs and paying bills. It’s a clearinghouse for 50k programs and over 3k agencies across the nation and Canada. Anyone can call the 211 hotline and talk to an operator who is trained to listen and provide appropriate connections. Part of the 211 manifesto reads: WE BELIEVE in the transformative power of collective action. So do I. Please share this number. Visit 211.org to learn more about services and volunteering opportunities in your local community. Shine the light!

Here’s the Facebook page for the Oregon area.