We have fall on our minds and in the midst of COVD are grateful for the beautiful weather so we can still get outside. In this month’s Volunteer eNews we have a few seasonal opportunities for you that include pumpkins and potlucks – read on to find out how you can engage. Thank you for being part of Human Solutions’ response to COVID, which continues to hit East County hard. We depend on our strong volunteer community to meet our community’s needs.

DROP-OFF POTLUCK TO HONOR INDIGENOUS PEOPLE’S DAY

Indigenous Peoples’ Day honors the past, present, and futures of Native peoples throughout the US. The holiday recognizes the legacy and impact of colonialism on Native communities, and it also celebrates the cultures, contributions, and resilience of contemporary Native peoples. We want to acknowledge and celebrate this special day with our second “drop-off” style potluck dinner for residents of our emergency shelters. Want to join us? Great, because we need your help!

  • WHO: Volunteers like you!
  • WHAT: Drop-off potluck dinner to feed 30 shelter shelter residents. You cook & deliver a dish for 12, shelter residents eat a fabulous meal prepared by a loving and engaged community.
  • WHERE: Gresham Women’s Shelter
  • WHY: A well-functioning community where everyone has what they need includes mutual aid. Plus, sharing food is a powerful act of community.
  • SIGN-UP: We use Sign-Up Genius to track dishes – see what’s still open and add your name right here. (If all slots are full, don’t worry, we’ve got another planned soon. Contact Brielle if you want to be notified when that sign-up is ready!)

If you’d like to read more about Indigenous People’s Day, this article is a great resource.

Questions about out drop-off potlucks? Call/text Brielle @ 971.806.7759 or email

JOIN US! VOLUNTEER ORIENTATION ON WEDNESDAY, OCT. 21ST

Thanks to the community’s strong response during COVID, we have a host of new folks helping us in various ways, from driving to collect and deliver donations, making sack lunches and hot meals, baking cookies for shelters and more! So, we’re planning a virtual orientation so we can all get to know each other. We want to share with you who we are, and also connect us all because we believe deeply in a connected, engaged and supportive community and want to help foster it whenever we can.

We’ll be gathering on Zoom on Wednesday, October 21st from Noon to 1 PM for a casual brown bag lunch conversation, featuring our Executive Director Andy Miller, our Emergency Services Director Marci Cartagena, and us, your trusty volunteer team, Shawna and Brielle.

EXCITING NEWS TO SHARE ABOUT OUR NEWEST HOUSING COMMUNITY

Nine months after the untimely death of Portland City Commissioner Nick Fish, a cutting-edge new development in the Gateway neighborhood will be named in his honor.

The Nick Fish, now under construction at NE 106th and Halsey Street in East Portland, is shaping up to be a landmark project adjacent to a gorgeous new city park, with housing priced to help families remain in the neighborhood and retail spaces for small, local and minority-owned businesses.

The Nick Fish will offer 75 affordable and market-rate apartments, many with exceptional views of Gateway Discovery Park, considered only the second “barrier free” greenspace in Portland with a plaza, accessible playground, “skate dot” for skateboarders, outdoor seating and more. Residents will also enjoy a resident lounge that opens onto the park’s plaza, convenient access to neighborhood and parkside amenities, and accessible public transit.
Read more about this historic development

WHAT OUR PROGRAMS NEED :

We depend on volunteers to help us do what we do (truly: where would we be without you?!), and we have a few ideas for you this month – in case you were looking for the right fit for you:

  • Have a car and some time? We need weekly and on-call drivers to pick up and deliver donations, especially food! We’re especially seeking folks in East County who have some time mid week.
  • Have unused art and knitting supplies? We know all about those hopeful but unfinished projects! If you have some that are new or gently used, we’ll happily take them off your hands.
  • Large size diapers! The families at Lilac Meadows, our family shelter, often need size 4-6 diapers – and wipes, too! Grab a box next time you’re grocery shopping, or send us one from Amazon.
  • Pumpkins! ‘Tis the season – we want shelter residents to enjoy the festive decoration and fun activity of having pumpkins to paint. If you’re out getting some for your front porch or grandkids, grab a few extra for us!

If any of these tasks sound interesting, please reach out to Shawna at 503.278.1637 or volunteer@humansolutions.org.

Thank you for all you do. Together, we are what community looks like!

Warmly,

Brielle Jones & Shawna Hoffman, Your Volunteer & In-Kind Donations Team

PS – If you ever want to support Human Solutions’ work in the community with a financial contribution, we happily accept donations 24/7 right here: https://ourjustfuture.org/giving/