eUpdate: It’s Nearly Summer!

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As summer nears, we’re as busy as ever at Human Solutions. But we did squeeze in time for an all-staff retreat last week, where we snapped this pic of our whole team:

We came together at the retreat to exchange ideas about the 5-year strategic and equity plan we’re working on. After 30 years, we’re excited to focus our work on equity, systems change, and long-term positive outcomes for the people and places in East Portland/Multnomah County. Stay tuned – we’ll be rolling it out soon!

ANNA’S SUCCESS!

Just $107 stood between Anna, a resident at one of our rental housing communities, and a possible eviction back in October. Anna is the sole provider for her husband and their 6 year-old daughter, because dad had a chronic health condition that prevented him from working. When Anna became pregnant, she got quite ill for a month and was under doctor’s orders to not work. Without any other source of income, the family was at risk of eviction and Anna felt she could not take time off.

Human Solutions provided rent assistance to the family, making it possible for Anna to rest per doctor’s orders and return to work without endangering her or her baby’s health. Anna and her family were able to come through this unexpected financial crisis and keep their housing – because they received rent assistance at a critical moment. In such cases a little truly goes a long way.

OUR CFO IS ONE OF THE BEST!

Chief Financial Officers aren’t usually the people you first think of when you think of an organization. But they are critically important to the stability and sustainability of an organization. Human Solutions is thrilled to have had Tanja Lux serving as our CFO for over two years now. She has the mind for non-profit finance in a complex organization and has helped us identify areas for improvement and ways to ensure we are here for the community for years to come.

It was no surprise to us that Tanja was a finalist in the Portland Business Journal’s “CFO of the Year” awards program. Thank you, Tanja, for your smart thinking and dedication to our organization and mission. We’re sure glad she’s on our team!

VOLUNTEER TO COOK A MEAL AT OUR WOMEN’S SHELTER

We’re excited to roll out a new way to volunteer at our women’s shelter: join us to prepare a Seasonal SundaySupper. Here’s how it works: every quarter when the season changes we gather to cook and serve a meal together. It’s a fun and rewarding way to serve and connect with your community.

Our 2018 dates are: Sundays June 24, September 23, December 23, and March 18, 2019. Learn more and sign up here. Join us!

 

WHAT WE NEED NOW

At an organization like Human Solutions, we always need a few things to deliver our services better. Right now, we need:

  • 4 farmer’s market style tents. We need them to provide shade when we distribute food from the Oregon Food Bank this summer.
  • Basketball gear for teen kids. Six boys who live in our affordable housing communities have an opportunity to attend basketball camp for a week this summer, and we want to send them with the right gear so they can fit in and feel a little special. Ideally they can select shoes, shirts and shorts, and a ball themselves. Maybe even a great duffel! (New items only, please!)
  • Diapers. We can never have enough for the families we work with. When money is tight, people make trade-offs. Diapers are expensive so it’s one way we can help their budget.

If you’re the right person to provide any (or all!) of these items, please be in touch with Andie at 503.548.0283 or adoo@humansolutions.org. Thank you!

FREE SUMMER FUN & MEALS

School’s nearly out and you’re likely wondering what the kids are going to do all summer – and worrying about how much it will cost.

  • The City of Portland has a great guide to a whole lotta free summer fun – check it out!
  • The City of Gresham has a free “Summer Kids in the Park” program to look into, too! Learn more.

When school’s out, so are free and reduced breakfasts and lunches, unfortunately. This guide will help families find the nearest summer meals program – just enter your city or zip code to find out.

SAVE THE DATE: OUR 30THANNIVERSARY GALA & AUCTION

We’re planning a big party to celebrate our 30th Anniversary on Saturday, November 17, 2018. Please mark your calendars now, and we’ll be back to you later this summer with details. Here’s a link to learn more – including how to sponsor the event and donate to our auction. See you this fall!