Category Archives: community resource

Impact of the Recession on Low Income Households

Posted on by

Multnomah County

Multnomah County

The current recession has hit our community hard. One out of four households in Multnomah County report that over the past 12 months they have been unable to pay for essential services such as housing, heat, or food, according to a 2009 Oregonian poll. With unemployment rates of nearly 12% and 2% of homeowners in mortgage default, households in Multnomah County are feeling the impacts of the recession in big and small ways. More public school students are homeless. More families are going without healthcare, even for serious medical conditions. Poverty is not a new concept in Multnomah County, but there are now more households new to poverty that may not know how to access support services and assistance.

Your input will inform how federal dollars are spent on programs addressing the impacts of our current recession for households in Multnomah County.

Where: Floyd Light Middle School: 10800 SE Washington St.
Date: Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Time: 6:00-8:00 pm
Trimet: Bus line 20 & Max Blue Line
Dinner will be provided. Childcare and translation are available upon request by calling (503) 823-2396 three days in advance of the hearing.

We are especially interested in your answers to these questions:
• What has been the impact of the recession on low-income households?
• What temporary strategies should the City support to counter these impacts?
• Has the recession had a greater impact on communities of color and immigrants?
• How can we expand access to economic opportunities for households in need?
• How are schools and public services affected?

Co-sponsored by: Housing and Community Development Committee along with the
Multnomah County Commission on Children, Families & Community

Community Warehouse Open on Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd

Posted on by

community warehouseCommunity Warehouse, a non-profit that collects and redistributes furniture and household items to people in need is moving to the former location of Hanna Bea’s at 3969 Martin Luther King Jr. and Shaver Street.

To ensure that our shelves stay stocked, businesses, families, schools, and other professional and social groups throughout the metro area host collection drives for the Community Warehouse for one week in 2009. We encourage you to consider helping local families in need by agreeing to gather items for the Warehouse.

During your week, you and your group will collect needed items. Community Warehouse helps coordinate these efforts, picking up items from a central donation drop-off point, providing guidance on items needed and flyers to publicize collection efforts. For more information or to adopt a week in 2009, contact Roz, our Community Connects volunteer, at (503) 329-5588 or e-mail roz755@aol.com

Neighborhood Small Grants

Posted on by

This is a great funding opportunity for neighbors with innovative projects – planting trees, shooting documentaries on neighborhood landmarks, spiffing up parks, creating community gardens, starting new neighborhood projects/programs with seed money, and so on. The money comes from the City and is distributed by the Northeast Coalition. From the NECN website: “the NE Coalition will be awarding $20,913 in grant funds for projects that build community, attract new and diverse members and sustain those already involved.” Last year, the King Neighborhood Association worked with Board Member Allyson Spencer to start The Blue Door Project, tidying up and replanting the yards of seniors and single-parent families in the King area. Do you have any innovative ideas? If so, you can go directly to the Coalition website to check out the Small Grants application, or you can come to the next King Neighborhood Association meeting (Wednesday, October 14th) to find partners/feedback for your project.

Small Grant website:

http://portland.necoalition.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=165&Itemid=89

Liberation-Based Healing Conference

Posted on by

Lewis and ClarkThe Liberation-Based Healing Conference is coming to the King neighborhood, at Mallory Avenue Community Enrichment Center. Professional therapists, community organizers, educators, faith communities, and activists are invited to learn and develop clinically and theoretically sound interventions and strategies that promote family and community healing. The conference is being held during Domestic Violence Prevention Month, and this topic, along with others, will be discussed. Understanding contemporary socio-political contexts and engaging community partners is emphasized throughout the innovative workshops. Nationally acclaimed presenters partner with community activists to deliver liberation-based strategies and facilitate dialogue to bolster resilience and promote social justice and equity. On the second day of the conference, non-professional community members are invited to join the conversation.

Date: October 16-17, 2009
Time: 8:30 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Location: Mallory Avenue Community Enrichment Center, 126 NE Alberta St., Portland, OR 97211
Website: http://www.lclark.edu/events/info/?id=2138

Day 1—Workshops for professionals
Friday, October 16, 2009

Day 1 offers professionals the opportunity to engage in dialogue facilitated by national leaders in liberation-based healing. In the morning we will focus on current models of liberation-based practice. In the afternoon, participants will discuss strategies for implementing transformation practices in their daily work.

Day 2—Community participation
Saturday, October 17, 2009

On Day 2, local community members and leaders will join conversations that engage all of us in applying liberation-based healing practices to local grass roots community change. Non-clinical community members and organizers are invited to attend day two of the conference (Saturday, October 17) for no charge. You will join conversations that engage all of us in applying liberation-based healing practices to local, grass roots community change. If you are a non-clinical community member or organizer register here.

Conference Presenters
Alliance of Racial & Social Justice, Pastor Frederick Woods, Rhea Almeida, PhD, LCSW, Andraé L. Brown, Ph.D., Gene Combs, M.D., Lisa Dressner, LCSW, Jill Freedman, MSW, Dr. Sally St George, Ph.D., Caroline Hann, LCSW, Carmen Knudson_Martin, Ph.D., Teresa McDowel, Ed.D., Keva M. Miller, Ph.D., LCSW, Nocona Pewewardy, PhD, Cornel Pewewardy, D.Ed., Carolyn Tubbs, Ph.D., and Dr. Dan Wulff, Ph.D.

Conference sponsors
* Affinity Counseling Group
* Institute for Familty Services
* Johns Hopkins University
* Lewis & Clark Graduate School of Education and Counseling
* Portland State University School of Social Welfare

St. Andrews to Break Ground on Expansion

Posted on by

StAn update on the progress of St Andrew Catholic Church’s future building project:

St. Andrews staff presented to the King Neighborhood board last year their intention to build a new community services center from which their safety net programs for the neighborhood are run as well as improvements to existing buildings including a new kitchen, bathrooms, youth education facilities, and improved landscaping including a new Eco roof. All areas will now be ADA accessible.

They are close enough to their financial goal to begin construction this month. A ground breaking ceremony will take place on September 20th at 11am in the parking lot between the church and the community center. The church is located on 8th and Alberta. All are welcome.

The King Neighborhood Association’s letter of support last year has been included in some of the grant applications and contributed to a substantial grant from Meyer Memorial Trust.

If you have any questions relating to this project, you can contact:

Lisa M. Hatten
St Andrew Catholic Church
Capital Campaign Coordinator
503-880-0116