Uncategorized – Our Just Future (formerly Human Solutions)

Red Robin Fundraiser: A Tasty Way to Support Our Community!

Our Just Future is pleased to announce a fundraising partnership with Red Robin!

On Thursday, March 20, 2025 head over to the Red Robins at Mall 205 and grab some tasty food while also giving back to your community!

We will receive 20% of proceeds from all eligible Dine-In and To-Go food sales—all day long! Just bring in the promotional flyer (download below) or order online for To-Go food.

TO ORDER ONLINE

Start your order at redrobin.com and select the restaurant at 9880 Se Washington St., Portland, OR 97216
Scroll all the down the MENU to the bottom, and click on “Fundraisers (To-Go Only)” and click on that item.
Click the “ADD” button, and then “ADD TO BAG.”
Add your meal items and check out.
Arrive at Red Robin, come in, say hi—OJF team members will be on hand to say hello—grab your food and be on your way. If your location has curbside pick-up, we can bring it to your car.

Please note: For online and mobile app orders you must add the fundraiser to your cart before you check out for the sales to count towards the fundraiser. Our Just Future will receive 20% of fundraiser sales* during this fundraiser. If dining in-restaurant, download one of the flyers to present to your server at Red Robin.

We’re so grateful for this opportunity to partner with Red Robin on this community fundraising program!

Red Robins brings the tasty burgers and bottomless sides and OJF will be serving up bottomless gratitude—THANK YOU for helping us help others in our community!

* This fundraiser excludes sales from catering, 3rd party ordering and delivery sites, alcohol, gift cards, retail, tax and gratuity.

Download a copy of the flyer, here.

Descargar folleto en español.

A message from Executive Director, Andy Miller

in Announcement, Frontpage Article, News, Uncategorized

We’re often asked how we address homelessness beyond our most well-known services—operating three homeless shelters and 19 affordable housing communities. While these services require the most resources in terms of staffing and funding, there are other, equally important programs that we operate which are just as critical in the fight to end homelessness.

From career coaching to financial wellness education to emergency rent and utility assistance, our goal is to help those experiencing or at risk of homelessness—due to eviction, for example—access the skills and resources they need to either prevent becoming homeless entirely, or to remain housed once they’ve secured affordable housing.

Last Friday, the US Department of Housing and Urban Development released a new report that indicates that the rate of homelessness rose 18% from 2023. Although the data is nearly a year out of date, local statistics confirm the rise of homelessness in our region. The combination of stagnant wages, dwindling pandemic assistance, and ballooning housing and utility costs are the primary factors contributing to the increased number of homeless individuals in need of housing.

There are only so many affordable housing units that can be built in a year. With the development of Our Just Future’s newest affordable housing community—the Legin Commons in Southeast Portland near Portland Community College—we will add another 124 affordable apartments to help more people secure housing they can afford. Development is slated to begin in Spring of 2025; we expect to begin receiving residents in 2026. These new units will bring the total of OJF affordable housing units to 1020—roughly 4.5% of the 23,000 that are desperately needed.

These numbers paint a clear picture that while providing emergency shelter and housing are critical components of our community’s housing approach, preventing homelessness must be a part of the larger strategy for solving this crisis in our communities.

The need for more and better interventions to prevent homelessness has never been greater, and at the same time, public funding for such programs face budget and staffing cuts. With an incoming administration that is openly hostile to community care and that favors privatization to the exclusion of social supports, our need for community funding support has also never been greater.

As we enter the final days of 2024, we ask that you please give as generously as your wallet and your heart will allow that we may continue our essential services that improve the quality of life for everyone in our community.

As we prepare to turn the page on the calendar and enter a new year full of change and uncertainty, let’s reaffirm our commitment to helping the most vulnerable in our community access the resources and support they need to build a path out of poverty.

in Uncategorized

Our Just Future counters the forces that keep people and communities in poverty by building relationships and assets that create opportunity – today and for futuregenerations. East Portland and wider East Multnomah County, Oregon, is ourhome and the heart of our investments, advocacy and programs.

Our programs are effective thanks to the amazing people who staff them. If you are or know of someone who would be a strong fit in our trauma-informed and anti-racist culture, please apply and spread the word!

Current Openings

Accounts Payable Specialist

Affordable Housing Project Manager

Engagement Specialist(s) – Shelter Team

Family Advocate

Family Advocate – Rent Assistance

Family Advocate – The Aurora (Permanent Supportive Housing)

Housing Specialist

HR Coordinator

Peer Support Specialist

Shelter Kitchen Specialist

Skill Development Specialist

Visit our recruiting web page today to find a role that inspires you!

Volunteering: Ways to Get Involved in March!

in Uncategorized

All opportunities to volunteer and donate things we need, in one convenient place!

Our monthly digest of all the ways to engage is here! Bring a dish to an emergency shelter, donate items that shelter and affordable housing residents need, and more. We’d love you to work alongside us to support and build our community. It takes a village to house a city.

COOK A MEAL FOR A COMMUNITY POTLUCK!

March 8: Women’s Day Potluck at Chestnut Tree Inn
Celebrate all who identify as women on International Women’s Day by delivering a home-made or store-bought dish for the 60 residents of this shelter for folks identifying as women, non-binary, and gender queer. 💖 Sign Up Here!

March 12: Daylight Savings Potluck at Lilac Meadows Family Shelter
Spring forward with a home-made or store-bought dish delivered to our drop-off potluck for the 140 residents of the largest family shelter in the metro region. Think: kid-friendly food! 💖 Sign Up Here!

March 17: St. Patrick’s Day Potluck at Gresham Women’s Shelter
Honor St. Patrick by making a home-cooked or store-bought dish for this drop-off potluck for the 90 residents of this shelter for those identifying as women, non-binary, and gender queer. 💖 Sign Up Here!

ONGOING VOLUNTEER ACTIVITIES

Become a Large Meal Provider
Get your civic group or religious organization together to make regular meals for a shelter – 60, 75, or 140 people at once! 💖 Contact Us

Sponsor a Shelter Dinner
Cover the cost of a meal that’s cooked by a local restaurant of your choice and served to residents in any one (or combination) of our emergency shelters! 🧑🍳 Learn More

Cook in a Small Group at Our Shelter Kitchen
Friends, families, neighbors, and any groups who want to volunteer together can join us in our shelter kitchen to help make meals. We’d love to have you! 🍳Contact Us

THINGS WE NEED THIS MONTH

Gresham Women’s Shelter
We need comfortable clothing and craft supplies at our shelter for folks identifying as women, nonbinary, and genderqueer. 👕 Shop Wish List!

Lilac Meadows Family Shelter
Bedding is on the top of the list this month at our shelter for families with children. 🛏️ Shop Wish List!

Chestnut Tree Inn Shelter
We’re looking for clothes and more for folks at Chestnut Tree Inn shelter. 👚 Shop Wish List!

We protect the locations of our shelters as a matter of privacy and safety for residents, and we count on our volunteers to maintain this confidentiality. If you sign up to cook for a potluck, we’ll email you specific delivery instructions. Please do not share the location of our shelters with anyone who is not an Our Just Future volunteer.

Want to donate items offline or chat with us about volunteering? Reply to this email and we’ll get started!

— Our Just Future’s volunteer and donations team