Overnight Shelter Training

This week there is training for those wanting to assist in overnight shelters.
  
This training is led by the City of Gresham, and it is preparation for warming centers held at Anawim Christian Community, First Baptist of Gresham and St, Henry's Catholic Church.  These shelters are church led and staffed by volunteers from local churches.

The next training is Thursday, January 26 from 6 to 8:30pm. This will be the last opportunity for a volunteer training this season. It will be held at Anawim, 19626 NE Glisan, Gresham.

If you have any further questions, please contact Steve Kimes at 503-888-4453. 

Free Meals in East Multnomah County

Twenty six years ago Zarephath Kitchen began serving to the hungry in East County.  Since then, they keep their doors open for meals six days a week and many other local ministries also serve meals to those in need.

If you need a meal, there are places to go in East County seven days a week, sometimes two or three meals a day.  If you want to volunteer, there are a lot of opportunites to do so-- The Chapel is especially looking for people to serve food Tuesday through Thursday afternoons.  And if you'd like to donate finances or food, any of these ministries would appreciate the help.  

Below are the list of meal sites and times.  Contact information is also given, if you'd like to donate or serve.

Mondays:
Zarephath Kitchen
 507 W Powell Ave. Gresham
 The house behind Trinity Lutheran Church
 11am-1pm
  Contact: 503-667-2692 10am-2pm M-F
  http://www.trinitylutherangresham.org/Trinity_Lutheran_Church_-_Gresham/TLC____Zarephath.html

Tuesdays:
Zarephath Kitchen
11am-1pm

The Chapel
27132 SE Stark Ave, Troutdale
11am-1pm
  Contact: 503-661-2475
  http://www.thechapelonline.org/

Wednesdays:
 Zarephath Kitchen
 11am-1pm

The Chapel
  11am-1pm AND 6pm

Rockwood Seventh Day Adventist
6pm
1910 SE 182nd Ave, Gresham
  Contact: 503-661-4100
  http://rockwoodadventist.com/

Thursdays:
Zarephath Kitchen
11am-1pm

The Chapel
11am-1pm

Fridays:
Zarephath Kitchen
11am-1pm

Saturdays:
Anawim Christian Community
11am-3pm
19626 NE Glisan, Gresham
  Contact: 503-888-4453
  www.NowhereToLayHisHead.org

Sundays:
Zarephath Kitchen
2-3pm

Special Meals:
Anawim Christian Community has three special meals a month.  On the first Friday of each month, The Chapel serves a meal at 4:30.  On the second Wednesday of each month, Anawim holds a community BBQ (yes, even in the middle of winter!) at 5pm.  And on the fourth Wednesday of each month, Portland Mennonite serves a meal at 5pm at Anawim.

Christmas at the Dayshelters

There are a number of events taking place for our local homeless folks before Christmas. You can participate or donate to our day shelters!

Saturday December 17—Good News Clinic Christmas at Anawim

There will be Christmas carols, a musical quartet, worship and presents for the homeless, as well as a special meal. 11am-2pm.

Saturday December 24—Christmas Eve at Anawim

A special meal, worship service, and donated meals and presents from the community!

Do you want to participate?

Bring Christmas treats!

You can donate:

Canned food

Socks

Warm clothes (especially men's sizes)

Hand warmers

Sleeping bag liners (like this)

If you would like to give special gifts, donations or food to the homeless, here are the locations and times of the day shelters:

,
Mondays: First Baptist of Gresham, 224 W Powell Ave. Gresham, 1:30-6:30pm
Tuesdays: St. Henry's Catholic Church, 346 NW 1st St. Gresham, 1-6pm
Wednesdays: Anawim Christian Community, 19626 NE Glisan, Gresham, 1-8pm
Thursdays: East Hill Four Square, 701 N Main St. Gresham, 1-6pm
Fridays: Anawim Christian Community, 2-5pm
Saturdays: Anawim Christian Community 11am-3pm

(Please drop off larger donations to Anawim Tues, Wed, Fri, Sat.)

Day Shelters Galore!

Today First Baptist Church of Gresham opens their doors to the homeless and youth that have no place to go for the winter.  First Baptist is one of four churches in the East Multnomah County area that open up for a day shelter.

 A day shelter is a place for those in the community to go who have no place to go.  In our day shelters, we find the homeless, older high school kids, and retirees who don’t have a regular place to go. They come to our day shelters to hang out, to connect with others and to get some basic food and clothes.  

  A day shelter isn’t like a night shelter—it’s much more busy.  There are fewer requirements to begin a day shelter than an overnight shelter:  All we have to do is open our doors and make sure we have trained people to deal with conflict or referrals.

~It provides a safe place for people who have no other place to go.  Many of our folks are not even welcome at public parks.  But now they have  a place to go.

~It provides security for the community.  Rather than having people on the street in family neighborhoods, where  people don’t know why they are there,  the day shelter provides a place to be. Day shelters not only provide a safe place for our guests, but also make the community safer.

~It trains people about community respect.  Because most of the day shelters are in churches, there is a basic understanding of respect for the property.  Violence, threats, theft or blasphemous language is discouraged by the guests of the day shelter.  It also provides people, who are trained in peaceful conflict management, to assist others in their conflict.

~It provides volunteer opportunities for those who otherwise have nothing to do.  Trained volunteers from the street and churches run the day shelters, and provide assistance in cleaning and security, if necessary.

~It provides a focus for other organizations to assist needy populations. Medical and dental clinics, veteran services, services for pets, and churches who want to serve the needy know where they can go to provide services. 

If you'd like to volunteer or donate food or clothes at a day shelter, please contact the following organizations:

Mondays 1-6pm -- First Baptist Church of Gresham, 224 W Powell, (503) 665-2159

Tuesdays 1-6pm-- St. Henry's Catholic Church, 346 NW 1st, Gresham, (503) 665-9129

Wednesdays 1-8pm-- Anawim Christian Community 19626 NE Glisan, Gresham, 503-888-4453

Thursdays 1-6pm-- East Hill Four Square Church 701 NW Main Ave, Gresham, (503) 661-4444

Fridays 2-5pm-- Anawim Christian Community  19626 NE Glisan, Gresham, 503-888-4453

Saturdays 10am-3pm--Anawim Christian Community 19626 NE Glisan, Gresham 503-888-4453

There is also the Daybreak day shelter, specifically for the families of the multi-church Daybreak network. 

It is run by Human Solutions.  If you'd like information about volunteering there, please call HS at (503) 548-0200.

Anawim Donations

Right now, Anawim Christian Community, a church of the homeless, could really use the following items:

Socks

Toilet paper!

Tents

Tarps (green or brown, all sizes)

Sleeping bags

Winter clothes-- all sizes, both sexes, especially men's

If you could help, send or drop off donations to 19626 NE Glisan, Gresham OR 97230. Or you can contact Steve at stevekimes@aol.com

www.nowheretolayhishead.org