Domestic Violence Support Group for Woman

Invitation to CRAFT: 

Creating Realistic Actions for Transition

Support Groups for Woman Offering the Following Services:

• Referrals to community resources for woman affected by violence in their personal lives.
• Group meetings to learn about intimate partner abuse; the effects of domestic violence on children; the long term effects of domestic violence on all members of the family; healthy family roles; effects of substance abuse, etc.
• Referrals and help with information about restraining orders and safety planning for families.
• Opportunities to share and receive support from woman experiencing similar life experiences.

CRAFT Group

On Tuesday evenings from 6pm to 8pm 

Human Solutions

12350 SE Powell Blvd

Portland Oregon 97236

Please call Teresa Keishi Soto (503) 548-0244

Human Solutions Fundraiser

Why is Rockwood the Poorest Community In the County?

Below is a portion of an article from the Oregonian that discusses how Rockwood became the poorest community in the Multnomah County:

Jean DeMaster has run Human Solutions, a nonprofit social services agency, since 1988 in east county. She said the population shift occurred in four surges. The first began with the renovation of the public housing project Columbia Villa, which forced many residents to find cheap housing out east. More came as Alberta and other inner Northeast neighborhoods such as Boise, Eliot and King gentrified, and another rush came with the Interstate MAX. Rental homes were sold, rents driven up, and many low-income renters couldn’t find anything affordable within the inner city. The recession drove the fourth wave.

“We’re seeing a much higher demand for services than we’ve seen before,” DeMaster said. “But there aren’t enough services for low-income people, and we are getting pushback from people in the community who say we’ve been here a long time and we need help and it’s not fair that the new people are moving in.”

Last month, 900 people came to Human Solutions seeking emergency money to avoid eviction. The agency had 40 vouchers to divvy up.

Every type of service is stretched, DeMaster said: homeless services, rental assistance, youth gang prevention, alcohol and drug treatment.
 
But the greatest need, she says, is for health care. Many people she sees have lost jobs because they got sick and were unable to get care. That wreaks havoc on every part of their lives: their health, their ability to keep a roof over their family and their ability to support themselves.

To read the whole article, click this link:  http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2010/03/rockwood_health_center.html 

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.