Reaching Goals
Have a comfortable seat. Close the door so we can have a private conversation. Smiles of welcome and the sharing begins. We celebrate the successes. “My daughter loves playing with the other kids and is feeling at home here.”“I made that phone call and found a great resource.” “ I have an interview!” “ I’m getting along better with my mom.” “ I accomplished all my goals last week!” Then comes the harder conversations. Every…
A Community in Service
From September 2017 to September 2018, donors gave over $200,000 to Community of Hope. In addition, 98 volunteers gave 2600 hours of their talent and time to the work we are doing. Without these gifts, we would not be able to provide shelter or stability for anyone! And while we immensely appreciate all the help, we know that often when we think of homeless families, we look at what we can do for them. Sometimes…
A 20.19 Challenge
The past year has been a testament of the incredible community that is built when people come together in many ways to help their neighbors. From September 2017 to September 2018, you all raised $208,700! Your contributions funded shelter and stability for over 100 adults and children, provided resources for 400 mentoring sessions, and allowed opportunities for over 600 classroom hours. These gifts give families the care, tools, and opportunities they need to follow in…
Meet Rich
Without personal context the massive scale of the homelessness issue, and potential solutions, tends to ride on the egos of the ones doing the “fixing.” At Community of Hope, we know that context, and relationship, is everything, especially when we believe that those experiencing homelessness are absolutely capable of transformative growth and healing. We also know that no two stories are the same, but HOPE is a common theme for a reason. Meet Rich. Before…
Homelessness in Portland: Part II
City officials from the United States Conference of Mayors identified lack of affordable housing as the leading cause of homelessness among unaccompanied individuals. This was followed by poverty, mental health and the lack of needed services, and substance abuse. Housing affordability in Portland has continued to decline as rents and home prices continue to climb, outpacing incomes. The average monthly rent in Portland rose 7 percent between 2015 and 2016. That was the fourth consecutive…