Join us in Portland! Helping Without Hurting Seminar

Join us in Portland!

Dear Friend of the Chalmers Center, Join us for our next Helping Without Hurting Seminar Saturday, May 12th at Imago Dei Community in Portland, Oregon.  This seminar is based on the paradigm-shifting book When Helping Hurts, and will be presented by co-author of the book Dr. Brian Fikkert. An afternoon break-out session will be led by co-author Steve Corbett.   Register now!    What to Expect Engage with the core principles of When Helping Hurts along with its authors. The morning session of the day gives an overview of the core ideas of the book and the afternoon sessions give you the opportunity to learn more about how you can practically help the poor in North America and the Majority World. Reconsider how you help the poor and be encouraged in how your church or ministry can practically move forward in empowering those whom you help.   Learn More View a 3 minute video about the seminar by Brian and his co-author, Steve Corbett.  View the Helping Without Hurting Seminar webpage.    Who Should Attend Pastors, elders, and deacons Church ministry leaders and volunteers: mercy ministry, benevolence committee leaders, food pantry volunteers Missions committee members Missionaries and short-term missions teams  Relief and development agency staff Christian business people interested in microfinance and microenterprise development Christian donors thinking strategically about their generosity toward agencies helping the poor internationally and locally  Register now!     We hope to see you May 12th in Portland!   In the fellowship of Christ,   Katie Jo Ramsey The Chalmers Center for Economic Development

Good News Community Health Center

Dr. Bob showing how happy he is to see his patients!

The Good News Clinic was established in Rockwood to offer to local uninsured people a regular family doctor that is affordable.  New patients have a two week waiting period after the initial paper work is filled out, and after that appointments can be made Tuesday through Friday.  They make referrals for patients with dental needs.

Their mission is to work with local churches, network community resources, educate caregivers and treat the whole person in community; addressing physical, mental, and spiritual needs with a multidisciplinary community health center that promotes healthy individuals and a healthy community, enabling these, to in turn help others.

They work with local churches and the broader community to meet the health needs of the poor in Gresham.  Their vision is to be a Christ-centered, Christ-sustained model of excellence for community clinics in underserved areas.  They also provide the clinics once a month at Lutheran Trinity Church.

If you would like to be a patient, or would like to volunteer at their office or their clinic, please contact them.

18000 SE Stark Street, Portland, OR 97233

(Corner of 181st and Stark)

Appointments: 503-489-0567

Fax: 503-489-0568

Mailing Address

Good News Community Health Center

POB 3113

Gresham, OR 97030

Poverty in East Portland

Did you have a chance to read the Willamette Week article about poverty in East Portland? It isn't an article to depress us, but rather to look at the reality around us and to shake us up to act!

Check it out:

http://wweek.com/portland/article-18071-the_other_portland.html

Hope in East County

East Multnomah County is becoming poorer every year. I’m not trying to depress you, but it is a fact we have to deal with.

The greatest poverty and violence has moved from North Portland to Rockwood, a community in North Gresham. http://djcoregon.com/news/2010/09/07/help-planned-for-aching-rockwood-neighborhood/

Willamette Week recently recognized the issues when they published their lead article about poverty in Portland, focusing on the poverty on 162nd Avenue, the dividing line between Portland and Gresham. http://wweek.com/portland/article-18071-the_other_portland.html

Gresham has been declared the most violent city in Oregon, based on reported violent crimes. This places Gresham at number 72 in the nation for violent crime, just below Los Angeles. http://www.kgw.com/home/Gresham-Tops-State-Crime-List-72188477.html

Part of the reason for this increase in poverty and violence is because of the high apartment prices in all places except for East County. Even the organizations that gain apartments for the homeless in downtown and SE Portland are moving these poorest residents to East County. All the poor who can afford housing move to the cheapest housing, which, currently, is East of 82nd Ave. And yet this is the area of Portland that have the fewest social services for those who are poor. If a family is in need of clothes in East County, they are sent to downtown Portland. If a family is in need of food, they are sent first to Clackamas County.

However, these facts are not the whole of reality in East County. There are more social services than ever before in East County and the community as a whole is stepping up to meet the increasing need. It isn’t just the large organizations that are helping, like Multnomah County or the City of Gresham or Human Solutions. Smaller churches are combining efforts to work to assisting the poor in East County.

But those of us who are helping need the help of the whole community. We cannot end poverty, but we can change the face of poverty, if we all work together. This blog is about providing opportunities for local individuals and groups to help those in need in East Multnomah County. We can help the families, individuals and couples in need. But we have to do it together.