JOIN Blog

JOIN Lore

2012-01-24T12:14:00.000-08:00

By Colleen Sinsky

The culture I’ve grown up in relies almost entirely on the written word for communication. E-mail, annual reports, Twitter, Power Point and case files are tools of a world that has forgotten oral tradition. Most of the information I’ve digested throughout my education was read off of a screen or page. I don’t believe this is a bad thing, but there is some magic to storytelling that has been lost somewhere along the way. In this way, JOIN is countercultural in the value we place on storytelling.

Friday afternoons long been the space to connect outside the office, to talk informally about what’s going on in our work and personal lives. When the House closes, staff migrates to a local restaurant and closes out the week with a laid back experience of just spending time together, often passing on stories of “old JOIN” and what it was like in the office on 17^th street or at St. Francis. Hearing long-time employees tell stories from the olden days of JOIN is invaluable to people like me who are new to staff. We keep JOIN’s roots relevant by having a space for passing along our stories- some funny, some terrifying, an occasional legendary disaster, and all making me proud to play a role in this tradition. Better than any binder of “employee information,” learning from these organic gatherings has taught me so much about JOIN’s philosophy and how to do the work. We learn from each other’s experiences and have a safe place to vent or to solicit advice. Hearing Mike laugh about a minor crisis ten years ago puts whatever I’m dealing with this week into perspective. In the past 20 years JOIN has grown and changed and survived a huge array of hurdles. We keep those years, and the people who made them memorable, alive in our collective memory.

JOIN’s organizational culture revitalizes face to face communication. Everything from how we prioritize monthly retreats, to how our downstairs office space is designed, to the almost total lack of email communication between staff members is geared towards promoting conversation. JOIN is so fortunate to have had the influence of Lio’s Samoan culture that, for thousands of years, has had a rich history of oral tradition and verbal communication. From my desk, I can hear Lio begin meetings with our folks, “So, tell me what is going on.” He creates space for a conversation, not an interview to fill in the blanks on an intake sheet. From the big blue armchair, our folks are asked to tell their story. This is the foundation of building a relationship, and storytelling the first step towards empowerment.

Cleaning Out

2012-01-05T16:24:00.000-08:00

By Colleen Sinsky

I’ve been meaning to do a “day in the life of the Outreach Assistant” blog post. To be honest, I was going to wait for a day with a long list of exciting activities to report on, but I realized that even today’s ordinary morning merits a reflection.

I met Quinn at the office just a little past our 8:45 meeting time. While the coffee brewed in Cafe Join, we chatted with Joe and Jose about last night’s dreams and weekend plans. Procrastination over, Quinn and I grabbed gloves and heavy duty trashbags and headed out for an apartment clean out.

(I should mention here that an “apartment clean out” is about as fun as it sounds. Not every time, but sometimes, when someone whom we’ve housed gets evicted or moves out, the responsibility to clear the unit falls to us. The state of the apartment when we get there ranges widely... but it’s almost always a half-day job I’d never wish upon anyone.)

Quinn and I arrived at the apartment, which had been home for a few squatters since our person moved out. “Melissa,” whom Quinn has known for years chose to enter in-patient treatment and has been meth-free for nearly three months. We’re extremely proud of how well she’s doing, and happy to help her tie up loose ends, like her old studio apartment.

Happy to help, yes. But that doesn’t make dealing with endless piles of junk much easier. It’s difficult to describe what inhabits an apartment like this if you haven’t seen one. Melissa’s was far from the worst I’ve seen, but imagine several trashbags full of dirty laundry, broken electronics, old pictures, a deflated air mattress, some sad stuffed animals, dirty dishes, a fridge of putrid food, blankets, a deflated bike tire, tools, etc. (“etc” in the most literal sense). It’s overwhelming. We salvaged and recycled what we could, but overall the process of clearing an apartment feels wasteful and depressing. Melissa was a huge help and worked alongside us tirelessly, taking loads to the compactor downstairs and cleaning the bathroom.

Used syringes are something I’m always cautious of, and Quinn and I quickly realized that today we had to move slowly and be extremely careful of old “rigs” and razors forgotten in the piles of stuff. In a makeshift “sharps” container, we collected a dozen or so artifacts from Melissa’s previous life as a meth addict.

It felt good to lock the door to the now empty studio and leave with Melissa for the last time. Yes, JOIN allows people to open doors, but just as important is providing the support for closing the door against destructive lifestyles.

Last Minute Christmas at JOIN

2011-12-25T20:29:00.000-08:00

By Colleen Sinsky

Happy Holidays JOIN friends!

This morning I saw an email from our Executive Director Marc Jolin- who’s going to be very embarrassed for me writing this. Marc, at 6:30am sounded chipper and upbeat, letting the staff and board know that JOIN would be open for families today- Christmas Day.

Because of some scheduling conflict, the space that homeless families had been planning on spending their Christmas afternoon and evening had to close- leaving them all without a warm place today. In his email, Marc welcomed the company if anyone wanted to stop by this evening- but was mostly after those leftover holiday treats so many of us have lying around so he could put them out for the kids.

What a simple, yet profound gesture; changing personal Christmas plans at the last minute to create a safe and warm place for a few homeless families. This is what service is about. This is why we do immersions, and why we choose to emphasize solidarity and relationships over statistical measures of success. This, (shamelessly quoting myself in another recent blog post) is the JOIN Way, and this is the epitome of the organization that I am so fortunate to volunteer for.

I’m saving Marc's email forever- as yet another small reminder of how truly wonderful an organization can be when soulful and selfless people are at the helm. I’m proud of JOIN for bucking some traditional social service rules and having the flexibility to do something as counter cultural yet human as suddenly

deciding to be open on Christmas.

Earlier this week I went out to East County to deliver some Holiday food boxes donated by our friends at TAZO. I visited one of our families who was homeless until last month. Knowing where they came from, it's impossible for me to get into words how happy it makes me to get to see them with their Christmas tree and presents. And when I'm trying to not break into "proud-of-you" tears in front of the kids.. sometimes it's easier to make this face when they're playing with my camera in their living room:

(this is me.)

So thanks for reading and Happy Holidays to all of our friends and supporters wherever you are. This season, hug your family extra tight and tell those you love that you do. We're all in this wonderful chaos together.

In loving memory of Jessica Chyrek.

Winter Weather on the Streets

2011-12-12T12:03:00.000-08:00

By Colleen Sinsky

For the past week, temperatures in Portland have been dipping below freezing each night. Being from Southern California, scraping ice off my windshield in the morning is a pretty exciting battle against Mother Nature, and about as close as I’d prefer to get to the elements at this time of year. This morning as I walked from my car to the JOIN office I passed by a group of our homeless folks huddled outside waiting for our day space to open at 10am. Not that I’m living in luxury as a full-time volunteer, but that stark contrast between our lives continues to blindside me.

While writing this I took a break to catch up with “Adrian” who until recently camped in a beautiful forested area overlooking downtown Portland. When I visited his camp it was summer, and I was amazed at what a secluded and well-kept camp he kept. Talking about winter there though, he said “It just sucks. I had to use about four sleeping bags and a bunch of quilts to be able to sleep. As soon as I woke up, I’d high-tail it to a warm bus.” Adrian got his sleeping bags from organizations around town, including JOIN who receive donations of warm gear to pass out during winter. Lately, Quinn and Lio and I have taken the van out downtown to give sleeping bags and blankets to people sleeping on “the 2 C’s- Cardboard and Concrete” during these chilly nights. Adrian is now living in an apartment and is really appreciating being indoors this winter, but we could always use donations of warm blankets and sleeping bags for the many people still sleeping outside.

Cold temperatures make the experience of living outside exponentially more uncomfortable, and at times dangerous. According to a 2008 survey by Portland’s Bureau of Housing and Community Development, the Vulnerability Index, 14% of homeless individuals in Portland had medical issues related to cold exposure. During severe winter weather, the county opens emergency warming shelters operated by the Red Cross that will accept anyone (and pets) for the night. According to 211info “The criteria used to determine a Severe Weather Alert and the corresponding opening of Red Cross emergency warming centers is: A low temperature predicted at or below 22° F, or three or more nights predicted at or below 25° F.” I imagine I’d still be pretty uncomfortable spending hours on end outside in weather outside of this when the usual warming shelters are full.

We’re all lucky right now that at least this unusually cold snap is a dry one. Unfortunately this won’t be the case all winter, and it won’t be long before we’re dealing with ice storms and snow- when tarps become a lifesaving resource on the streets.

This Year's First Immersion

2011-11-08T09:42:00.000-08:00

I just had my first immersion. I hosted a group from Newberg, Oregon called GodSong Church. The group was great and super fun. They brought their own icebreakers for us to all do together! I was impressed by how open the kids were to letting the immersion affect them. And they were really into the things I said. I was an expert in their eyes; I am not used to that since I feel like there is still so much I don’t know about the city and all the services it has to offer. In all, the immersion consisted of 13 people, 1-middle schooler, 8-high schoolers, and 4 leaders.

I arrived at JOIN with Carolyn, the house coordinator. She decided to come on my first immersion with me because she also felt a need to learn more about the social support in Portland.

7:00pm rolled around and GodSong Church arrived a little early for the immersion. They came in and unpacked their gear while I finished printing the last of the journals. The first thing they asked is if they could do their own icebreakers with us and if Carolyn and I would like to participate. I was floored. I went for it! Who wouldn’t?

After the game, I led the group through a reflection. Asked them to define “homeless.” The discussion ended up being more fruitful than I had hoped! The group could not come up with a definition. They realized that they didn’t know as much as they thought they knew and that even trying to define the word homeless is more difficult than it sounds. I let them journal and have free time for the rest of the night.

I woke up at 5:30am. The group was already up and rearing to go (that made me really excited). We had coffee, they did a morning reflection, and we left to go on the MAX downtown to eat at Blanchet House. Blanchet serves 3 meals a day, 6 days a week. It is one of the only places that serves food on Saturdays (there are a few more too). The food that Blanchet gets is pretty awesome, it is all either donated or they grow it. Blanchet serves an average of 250-350 plates of food each meal. Each meal lasts for 1 hour. Between 700 and 1,000 plates of food every day.

Blanchet also has a transitional housing program. The building has 25 apartments above the kitchen that is filled with men, 4 months at a time, who are trying to recover from drug or alcohol addictions and find stable housing or simply just trying to get their feet on solid ground. Those men work and sustain the kitchen. Here is what the building looks like:

the outside

the inside

The food is really good, especially when you realize that sometimes they serve 300+ plates in 1 hour. So, I brought the group here to eat with other folks. It hit them hard when they realized that hundreds of people flock from all over Portland and otherwise every single day, at early hours in the morning just to eat breakfast. And we even had bus tickets to get there, which is something that everyone cannot claim. They reflected upon it afterward and it was one of the more memorable parts of the immersion.

Afterward, we got a tour of the social services in Old Town. There are places where people can get clothes, meals, TB cards, free alcohol/drug treatment, more meals, more clothes, showers, free laundry service, shelter beds, bus passes, the works. It was immensely helpful for me to see all the social services also. The tour was led by a man named Larry who was previously homeless since his parents died when he was 5 years old. 11 years ago, JOIN housed him and he has been in permanent housing since. He decided that he needed to give back to JOIN, so he has been leading tours on the immersions since. I asked him if he was still interested in leading the tours when I just started out as the coordinator. His answer, “Are you kiddin?! I am going to do this till the day I die.” He is also a social activist. He always petitions and tries to get more women shelters and public bathrooms downtown. It was great experiencing the tour from someone who accesses those services. It also helps to break down some of those invisible barriers between people living on the streets and participants of the immersions.

After the tour, I had the group split up into groups of four or so. I gave each person 1 dollar and a sheet of scavenger hunt questions. Things like, “you are looking for a bed tonight but none of the shelters will let you in unless you have a TB card, where would you obtain one.” The scavenger hunt was intended to get the group to talk with people who are living on the streets and strike up conversations, and hopefully, to break down some misconceptions. They were to use their $1 for lunch. Most of them went back and ate at Blanchet House. Some went to the Union Gospel Mission and had lunch. Others combined their money and went to a store to buy something to share. One thing I thought was interesting. Everyone who didn’t use their dollar had full meals and were feeling very satisfied. The people who used their dollar at the store hardly ate anything. Four people shared an apple, a bag of chips, and an iced tea. It was a good discussion topic.

After the scavenger hunt, we went out to Dignity Village which is located right next to the State Correctional Facility, the airport, and a composting site. Dignity Village is a dwelling area that has been defined by the city for people who are homeless. They are not allowed to build “permanent” structures because then the village would have to be up to fire code. So all the people have constructed these shack structures.

We had a tour of the place and watched a video of its history. This place is fascinating. It is really far from downtown, but for some people, it is their only place to live. So, public transportation is a big deal for the folks living there.

There are about 60 people who live in the village. It was good for the group to see how a completely self-maintained community can be peaceful and successful.
Afterward, we came back to JOIN to have dinner with some of the homeless community. I invited a couple regulars who come to the house often. They came to be in conversation with the kids on the immersion and to share a meal. Meals tend to break down those invisible barriers and encourage free discussion among people. The night was great. The three folks told their stories over a spaghetti dinner and the young people said they were touched by the experience and by hearing what actual people have to go through on a day to day basis. Stories are powerful especially when they are full of pain and sorrow.

After dinner, we had a reflection and I asked them some questions to get them really thinking about what they saw. Altogether, it was a huge success. The leader of the group even did this extended affirmation circle where he listed the things that he loved about each person. It was really endearing!

Later, I got this email from the leader of the GodSong group:

Hey Joe,
Our group had such an amazing time. Thank you so much for the card. We had such a good time and the kids told so many people that I have had many come up to me wanting to do an immersion themselves. These would be all new people. You in for a round 2? Thanks good sir!
Blessings,
Marcus

I am happy to hear they want more!

-Joe Clark (Immersion Coordinator)

Rest in Peace Lordian Cross

2011-11-02T11:47:00.000-07:00

By Colleen Sinsky

Last month one of our JOIN friends who had recently moved off the streets passed away after a long battle against chronic health problems. Lordian was a double-amputee who strongly valued independence and refused to cave into the difficult circumstances life had handed to him.

I wish I’d had the honor of having known Lordian years ago. While our lives only briefly shared an intersection I am so grateful for the time we did get to share.

I was introduced to Lordian by Lio, who had met him recently camped out under a bridge downtown. In all of the chaos and desperation that often accompanies homelessness, Lordian was a beacon of hope and calm. He was extremely well-spoken and well-read. I’d been working with him on getting a blog started, and he planned on going back to school to become a paralegal. He was actually supposed to have been the “guest blogger” here this week but instead I’ll share the impact Lordian had on me.

Lordian was one of those friends whom I felt genuinely happy when he name came up on my caller ID. His outlook on life and openness with his struggles and joys were insights that I always felt honored to share. The Friday before he passed away, I was at home, sick in bed and I gave Lordian a call. He was also sick in bed in his studio at the Bud Clark Commons, and dealing with pain that made my cold seem like nothing. We talked for half an hour- a rarity for me because I usually use any excuse to keep my phone conversations as brief as possible. But Lordian had a way of speaking that skipped over shallow chatting and got to issues of life that would open your heart and even restore a bit of your faith in the world. He was hopeful and loving, despite everything the world had thrown at him. He’d talk about the struggles his neighbors and friends were going through and how much he felt for them. At one point I asked him “How do you do it Lordian? How do you stay so optimistic with everything that you have to deal with?” His answer was along the lines of how impossible it is to compare any two persons’ struggles and how we all come equipped our own set of tools for dealing with life. He’d just learned to tap into his and was able to see the beauty beyond the pain.

The morning I stopped by Lordian’s apartment and was told he had died, I had been planning on telling him the good news that we’d received a grant that could help with his educational expenses in going back to school. Lio had just gotten him a pretty swanky electronic wheelchair to replace his broken manual one and Lordian was planning on starting a community Bible study for his neighbors in his building. His friendly nature and ability to reach out to others made an impact on the whole staff of his building. We’ll all remember Lordian Cross fondly, and I hope to learn from his example of resiliency and optimism.

Lordian was a big fan of poetry, especially from the Harlem Renaissance. Here’s one of his favorite poems that reads oddly appropriately now. (Courtesy of poets.org)

The Weary Blues
by Langston Hughes

Droning a drowsy syncopated tune, Rocking back and forth to a mellow croon, I heard a Negro play. Down on Lenox Avenue the other night By the pale dull pallor of an old gas light He did a lazy sway . . . He did a lazy sway . . . To the tune o' those Weary Blues. With his ebony hands on each ivory key He made that poor piano moan with melody. O Blues! Swaying to and fro on his rickety stool He played that sad raggy tune like a musical fool. Sweet Blues! Coming from a black man's soul. O Blues! In a deep song voice with a melancholy tone I heard that Negro sing, that old piano moan-- "Ain't got nobody in all this world, Ain't got nobody but ma self. I's gwine to quit ma frownin' And put ma troubles on the shelf." Thump, thump, thump, went his foot on the floor. He played a few chords then he sang some more-- "I got the Weary Blues And I can't be satisfied. Got the Weary Blues And can't be satisfied-- I ain't happy no mo' And I wish that I had died." And far into the night he crooned that tune. The stars went out and so did the moon. The singer stopped playing and went to bed While the Weary Blues echoed through his head. He slept like a rock or a man that's dead.

Not all rainbows and apartment keys...

2011-10-04T12:34:00.000-07:00

By Colleen Sinsky

Most of what I get to do at JOIN is uplifting or fun or at least a new challenge- but occasionally it’s just plain depressing. (And no one told me to just blog about happy things.) Quick excerpt from my morning spent with one of our challenging fellows that exemplifies the emotions that I believe a lot of our folks are going through. I was frustrated that this guy who I’m trying to work with who was ..yet again.. drunk. We talked for a while and eventually accomplished what we were trying to get done today, after which my friend said “I’m sorry I’m so loaded, it’s just that if I’m not loaded I feel like killing myself, so I don’t have much of a choice. You don't understand.”

I can't think of anything to say to close this one out. He's right, I don't understand.

The JOIN Way

2011-09-15T22:31:00.000-07:00

By Colleen Sinsky

Many conversations in the office make some allusion to the nebulous “JOIN Way.” It’s a sort of undefinable set of principles that guides the work we do. I’m new, and underqualified to try to explain what exactly the JOIN Way is, but it’s a beautiful thing to get to experience. It both encompasses, and goes beyond our mission and values statement and reaches towards a holistic understanding of how, and why we do what we do. Even when we’re overwhelmed by audits, communication frustrations, funding limitations and the sheer volume of individuals experiencing homelessness in Portland, the JOIN Way exists like a guiding spirituality to carry on the mission. The shared humanity we foster in each relationship is the product of nearly two decades of dedication by volunteers, donors, the board, the outreach, retention and admin staff, and our folks who have allowed us into their lives.

I’m not the biggest Star Wars fan, but I googled a definition of “The Force” feeling like there’s some comparison to be made between the mentor Obi-Wan Kenobi and Lio, who’s spent the last year teaching me the ways of JOIN. According to Wookiepedia (The Star Wars wiki. No joke.) the light side of the Force is defined as being "aligned with compassion, selflessness, self-knowledge and healing, mercy and benevolence." Sounds familiar! Lio just left for a well-deserved sabbatical, leaving the rest of the office scrambling around to stay on top of his gigantic caseload. Earlier this week he and I went out to our favorite pizza place for lunch and I voiced how worried I was about him being gone, and about the possibility of me having to have a say in whether or not to continue with financial assistance for some of his folks. Maybe it’s my background in economics or having worked briefly for another large non-profit, but I find myself often wanting to take a more conservative approach to continuing financial support. Lio’s smiling Samoan answer was the perfect understanding of the JOIN Way: “Just remember compassion towards the person in front if you and you can never do wrong.”

Year Two...

2011-08-31T15:43:00.000-07:00

By Colleen Sinsky

I think I’m somewhere around my one year anniversary of working at JOIN. I’m just starting to experience annual events for the second time, and it’s all starting to feel a bit more like a comfortable- and of course chaotic- pattern. I transitioned last month from my full-time volunteer position being supported by the Jesuit Volunteer Corps Northwest to the United Church of Christ, but my “Outreach Assistant” position at JOIN stays the same. It’s hard to convey how fortunate I feel to get to spend two years at such a wonderful organization that has let me learn so much about the world of homelessness and about myself. I’m not sure that I’ve gone public with this confession yet, but until I started at JOIN I was pretty wary of those homeless people. I had very little experience relating with people who lived so different from myself, and I probably put more stock into stereotypes than I should. Obviously, my worldview has been rocked by the past 12 months and I’ve had the opportunity to totally revamp how I thought about and related to urban poverty. I’m excited to see where the next year takes me. I know that I’m going into this alongside the incredibly supportive and fun JOIN staff and I’m confident that we’re all going good places together. Here we go, year two!!

My Year at JOIN

2011-08-08T17:30:00.000-07:00

By Lindsay Rundquist

I have been putting off writing this post, as the topic is encompassed perfectly in the cliché “words cannot describe”. We’ll start with JOIN as a culture. The individuals on staff here are some of the most compassionate, accepting, hilarious, FUN people I’ve ever met. You would be hard pressed to find another more unique group of human beings who are so good at what they do.

JOIN’s philosophy is “we don’t have all the answers”, which is a tough find in the social work world. Every day at JOIN was a matter of reflection—and a lot of the time you’re wrong! This is what makes it beautiful though—all of us are trying to figure life out, whether we’re on the streets or in a position of “authority”. We’re humans working with humans.

In that, there was obviously a lot of conflict to deal with on a daily basis. In a way, I liked getting my hands a little dirty and trying to work through these conflicts because it’s real. People come in to the day space and their daily—their minute to minute stressors from the street, explode over the peanut butter jar. And so really, we can intervene and maybe stop a fist fight from occurring in that moment, but there is little or no affective intervention on the street.

One of my most profound moments occurred very early on, when I had several extra tickets to the symphony. Daniel(JOIN’s Immersion Coordinator) and I offered the tickets to a few of our folks. When we walked to our seats that night we saw “James” already sitting down, reading the program. We hadn’t really expected him to come, but certainly hoped he would! It was the Oregon Symphony’s Christmas show, and during the final number I looked over to see James’ eyes watering, and a “smile the size of Texas” on his face(as one of our old time regulars would sayJ). As we were walking out amidst the ridiculous display of wealth and class, I asked James if he had enjoyed the show(as frankly, I had found a few of the pieces amazingly boring). He began to cry, said it was wonderful, gave us hugs, and jetted out the side door.

I realized then that I had invited him to a nice, warm musical evening, and then sent him back into the winter streets to sleep. This was a tough thing to grapple with, as I’ve grown up going to the symphony and not thinking twice about it. Now when I travel downtown for a show, that experience with James is very much present. Doing outreach with Quinn and Lio in that area also has caused me to take a look around when I’m heading to a bar on Saturday night, and that amazing view of downtown from the Marquam Bridge holds different meaning. I learned later that the other individual I invited to the symphony showed up outside the Shnitz, saw the crowd, was keenly aware of his homeless status, and left.

The thing I will remember most about JOIN though, is how much I laughed—how much fun I had. Through the chaos, emotionality, and authority I often had to exert, I just had a good time! Some pretty outrageous things happened in the day space, and it wasn’t hard to keep a sense of humor about it all.

The friendships I formed at JOIN, both with staff and our folks, will be with me the rest of my life, along with the wealth of knowledge I gained from this invaluable experience. JOIN has certainly rocked my views of social work, relationships, and how I view life, so the transition from here will be a little rocky! But in the best way possible. Thanks JOIN! I love you! :)

Sonia

2011-07-07T12:44:00.000-07:00

This will be a quick post..promise. I just had to share a brief moment from my day that just happened a moment ago here at the JOIN office. I had to fill out a quick intake form with a new household we’re housing. The woman, “Sonia,” whom I met for the first time today is in her upper sixties and has really been struggling with sleeping on the sidewalks around St. Francis. She has a family member who’s been her camping partner and protector while they’ve been outside, and the two have endured a lot together. Sonia broke down while talking about the thoughts that she’s been having about her self-worth as a woman experiencing homelessness. She said that she spent nights afraid, and wondering if it was worth living. She carries a knife in her purse, but hates the thought of having to use it, even to defend herself against an attacker. Sonia doesn’t have many possessions- just blankets mainly, but it’s too heavy to carry and she said that more than once she’s broken down in tears, unable to carry the load from one camping spot to another. Sonia said all of this conversationally, in a straightforward tone. She abhors pity and wasn’t trying to play a sympathy card to get housing help. Her reality has become a daily exercise in survival, and at her age, it kills me to hear about someone like her experiencing the difficulties of homelessness.

Fortunately this story has a happy ending. As soon as I post this blog, I’m heading out to the management company to drop off checks to cover their move-in costs, and Sonia will be moving into a quiet apartment tomorrow morning. When she left the office just now, Sonia gave me a hug and I asked if she’d be able to hang on for one more night outside. “Oh yeah, I can hack that. I’m going indoors tomorrow!”

"Love Is Building Bridges, Not Walls"

2011-06-30T12:25:00.000-07:00

By Colleen Sinsky

This past week I had the opportunity to be part of a delegation of high school students who chose to leave their more comfortable lives to spend seven days on an immersion trip with the goal of building bridges between themselves and the homeless community of Portland. Sponsored by JOIN, the Portland Plunge has been an annual summer experience for Oregon teens for the past 20 years.

JOIN’s Immersion Coordinator, Daniel, spent months organizing volunteer placements, reviewing applications and coordinating logistics. He and six young adult volunteers (myself, Amanda, Sinclair, Kelly, Jess and Neil) joined the teens in sleeping at St Francis, in inner SE, walking to daily volunteer placements, and abiding by a set of “simple living” guidelines that the whole group decided on.

“Simple living” we decided for the week, would mean challenging ourselves by limiting what we wore to just two outfits, showering once or not at all, eating simply, and a “sleep challenge” on the last night we spent at St. Francis. Originally this last challenge meant giving up a pillow or sleeping pad, but the leaders secretly decided to include a “sweep” at 2:30am. Without warning, we came into the boys’ and girls’ sleeping rooms with flashlights and even a siren yelling “No camping here! move along! you’re in violation of Oregon code yadda yadda yadda…” We prodded the poor bleary eyed, and rightfully pissed-off teens down the hall to switch rooms and let them continue Thursday’s “sleep challenge” until 6:30 when it was time for a quick breakfast and a neighborhood clean up and BBQ with the Volunteers of America Mens Rehabilitation Center. While the “sweep” sounds a bit sadistic at first, the valuable lesson was an experience in what occurs regularly to homeless folks, when made to “move along” from a doorway or illegal camping spot in the middle of the night.

The Plungers also got to volunteer at 15 organizations around town that serve not just the homeless community, but other marginalized groups. Some examples of where we spent a morning or afternoon working are Downtown Chapel, Dignity Village, Rose Haven, Housing Transitions Program, the Oregon Food Bank, Sisters of the Road Café, and even sorting donations, gardening and hanging out with folks at JOIN. The week was a whirlwind tour of many aspects of homelessness, and we had evening speakers who shared their perspective of working for the Portland Police Department, or p;ear, or JOIN.

Lio came to debrief the large group after their first day of placements. His talk prodded everyone to think about the larger picture of their place in service and solidarity. He shared stories from his 14 years of doing Outreach at JOIN, and challenged the group to learn names, the stories behind the faces, and not to be afraid of making a human connection with people who we’re usually more comfortable avoiding eye contact with. We also got to hear from Marc Jolin who talked about the legal and practical side of homelessness and lack of affordable housing. In discussion afterwards, my small group (named “Jesus! And the Jive Turkeys”) talked about how important it is to have the “big picture” numbers in addition to conversations with folks on the street.

We all came into the Plunge from different places, but we were all challenged and grew together. I heard so many amazing insights come out of my teens, one of which came after a few days of volunteering in Old Town. “I can’t believe that I always go to concerts and restaurants around there, but I had no idea that any of this was here. Like the Red Doors? [Downtown Chapel]? I’ve seen that a million times and never known what it was.” This week was about opening the door to shift our perspective, and see new things in our community. All of us involved in the Plunge laughed a lot, made or cemented friendships with each other, and learned valuable lessons from folks affected by homelessness. I was moved, and continue to be touched by how open everyone, and especially my small group was. I learned that we are all hungry for a human connection, and that experiences like the Plunge really can take us out of our comfort zone and into that place where love can transcend social barriers.

Thank you participants! You all rock. See you at the reunion! Feel free to weigh in here with any memories or comments you want to share!

Getting a tour of "the caves" from a longtime JOIN friend, Buck, who once camped down here.

"Even Jerks Deserve Housing"

2011-06-16T16:04:00.001-07:00

By Colleen Sinsky

I was remembering back to one of my first days at JOIN, while I was tagging along with Quinn, one of our outreach workers. We were stopping in to visit one of the guys Quinn had housed recently. Now, the vast majority of our folks are some of the most wonderful, friendly and sweet people I’ve had the privilege of meeting. Working with them is a joy, and I love spending time and talking with almost everyone. This guy though, was not a joy. His apartment was a minefield of empty Steel Reserves, and our friend was cranky, belligerent, and dismissive of the food box we had brought. The brief visit felt like it bordered on hostility towards us and I was relieved to escape into the fresh air.

Walking back to the car, I asked Quinn something along the lines of “How do you work with that guy? He’s such an ungrateful jerk!” And Quinn’s simple answer has stuck with me, and reminds me that we aren’t doing this work for our own gratification. “Even jerks deserve housing.”

So we house jerks and saints and everyone in between. Even in the most hardened, long-time homeless alcoholics I’ve seen incredible moments of human vulnerability and warmth, and we keep plodding along every day beside them because we all deserve housing.

On a more fun note, everyone in the office is excitedly getting ready for the golf tournament tomorrow! We’re excited to see our supporters out there having fun on the green and raising money for a great cause.

Tomorrow is also the beginning of our 30^th annual Portland Plunge, where 25 high school students from the Portland and surrounding areas will come for a week of immersion into the world of homelessness. I’m going to be one of five small group leaders on the Plunge and am feeling both excited and nervous about spending the next week away from my home and my usual job at JOIN. When I return, next week’s blog post will be about our experience on the Plunge. Stay tuned!

Lonely Apartments

2011-05-25T15:21:00.000-07:00

By: Colleen Sinsky

I feel like every opinion I offer has to be preceded with the disclaimer that: I’m new at this! Several months ago I didn’t know a thing about homelessness. I still don’t know much about the issue in general, let alone being able to make judgements or offer any insights. I do have the wonderful opportunity of building my knowledge base from scratch, straight from the experts on homelessness. From this unique perspective of being the “outreach assistant” at JOIN, it’s been a daily hands-on classroom on the streets in Portland. Every day I’m exposed to some new tragedy, issue, story, or complicated individual. Today, I got an intimate look into the loneliness that often accompanies the transition from homelessness to independent housing.
At one point I naively thought that giving someone apartment keys would magically solve not just whatever issues had forced them into homelessness to begin with, but would also preclude new issues coming up. Obviously, as needing to have a large “Retention” team at JOIN proves, I couldn’t have been more mistaken. Housing often carries a new batch of potential problems, not least of which is isolation.
Today while running around doing errands and dropping off and picking up our folks, I had a chance to sit down and talk with a few recently housed friends. One of the guys I visited, “Thomas” lived on the streets for nearly 20 years and has spent the past few weeks adjusting to living in his own apartment, far from the downtown scene that he had been part of for so long.Thomas is one of the most sociable and outgoing personalities I’ve ever met. We all love spending time with this guy, and despite his health complications is a constant source of fun. He asked me to read an excerpt from his journal, which included having fear of failing this opportunity, and a desire to “make JOIN happy and do whatever JOIN needs me to.” After the initial few days of unbridled happiness at finally being inside, Thomas is beginning to realize that moving into an apartment is just the first step of a larger paradigm shift along the path to self-sufficiency and independence.
Sleeping under a bridge, individuals have to be in survival mode, and are focused on the next meal, staying safe, avoiding arrest, being able to carry enough blankets, etc.. there is no time to think about “long term” issues that we, as housed individuals consider necessities. Thomas spent his whole day relying on his experience to deal with each day’s logistics, and made canning and survival into a full-time job.. Learning to budget, to save, to manage time, get a job, pay utilities, take advantage of resources in a new community and often, to navigate healthy interpersonal relationships often replace the issues that our folks faced while homeless. Our retention workers help navigate these hurdles to maintaining housing, and possibly most importantly, are reliable friends and a source of moral support when someones entire way of life is suddenly changing.
Thomas, who has a disability, jokes about sometimes being bored out of his mind, and only being able to spend so many hours a day cleaning his already immaculate apartment. He’s talked about how he realized that people whom he had considered his friends on the street, suddenly think that Thomas is “so much better than we are, now that you’re a housie.” He admits that it’s tough to deal with, but for the first time in years is choosing to seek help for his addiction and is ready to own his life, even if his only supportive community for the time being is JOIN.

Spring at JOIN

2011-05-05T09:48:00.001-07:00

By Colleen Sinsky

I feel like spring has finally arrived in Portland! I’ve never lived somewhere with so much color exploding in blossoms and flowers everywhere you look. It’s great, and I think that the mood among our folks living outside is starting to reflect the sunnier weather. This morning after our all staff meeting my friend Emily was waiting for me upstairs with a grocery bag full of lilac, rosemary, allysums, irises that she had picked along her walk to the office.

We chatted and made a few arrangements to decorate the office with and they look great! I love these fun little surprises throughout my workday that remind me of the wholly human element of working here.

With spring comes new life, and we’ve been busy offering folks the chance at creating a new life of their own through permanent housing. One of the most touching stories I’ve been involved with lately is my fried Karen, who has been forced into a rough life of drugs, suicide attempts, sex abuse, and bouncing between various unstable, and often dangerous living situations, since the age of 13. I’m often struck that Karen is my age, yet she’s seen a side of life that I cannot begin to imagine. Karen is a friendly and talkative person who has been a constant smile and helping hand around the office since she decided to forge her way from her previous destructive lifestyle. Now, Karen is hot on the job search and working with JOIN’s Melissa to complete her GED. Yesterday she came into the office with gorgeous handmade thank you cards for Lio and I for the work we’ve done getting her into her own apartment and fixing it up with furniture from Community Warehouse.

I can’t begin to explain how touched I am when people like Karen come in a visibly brighter person, for the first time in who knows how long, actually excited about what possibilities her future holds, instead of dreading the next day. We don’t do anything besides provide the fertile ground for people like Karen and Emily to really blossom into the wonderful, independent people they can be, but it still is a beautiful thing to get to be a part of. This photo of Karen and I was taken on her move in day, of that symbolic moment of handing someone their own key. This move was especially memorable for me because my family was in town for the weekend and got to help move Karen's furniture in and see what we get to do every day. Thanks, Mom, Dad, Matt & Emily!

Housing First

2011-04-21T11:50:00.000-07:00

By: Colleen Sinsky

Lately what’s been taking up my time at work is one of the less glamorous aspects of social service – gathering data to comply with funding regulations. One of our larger sources of funding is a city program which provides a flexible source for us to pay housing costs.

The catch- from my perspective- is the series of surveys that we are required to give the recipients. These “cost-avoidance” surveys collect data to compare the costs to the government of providing subsidized housing versus the costs to government of allowing individuals to remain homeless. Giving these surveys is tough- tracking down hundreds of people from a list is a logistical challenge and I sometimes feel invasive asking these questions that are fairly personal.

“How many nights last year did you sleep on the streets? In a short-term shelter?”

“How many times in the year did you go to the Emergency Room?”

“How many contacts did you have with the police? Arrests?”

“If you have children, have they been in foster care?”

A lot of the folks I visit for the survey are lonely, and relish the chance to get to share their story with a new person. I think that sometimes being able to share their experience, and know that the time they spent under the bridge was noticed, documented- validates what they went through prior to getting keys to their own place. Sitting down at someone’s kitchen table in a dingy studio apartment downtown, I try to frame the survey into a conversation, rather than the series of bullet points it is, and it opens the floor to talk about some really incredible stories. I love being able to just listen without an agenda that I have to get across during our appointment. While people have a wide range of reactions to the survey, I almost always feel as if I’ve been given a gift- of someone choosing to let me into a little bit of their life and telling me the story behind each of the ER visits, the arrests, the nights it was too cold to not go to the Red Cross warming shelter.

At the end of each survey I always thank the person and explain that, as pointless as the survey seems, that it’s their chance to let the government know based their own experience, “hey! It’s cheaper for you to be putting people into housing rather than letting them sleep on the streets!” And it is. The “housing first” model has proved cheaper to taxpayers because of increased costs associated with the higher rate of incarceration, emergency shelter and hospitalization required for homeless individuals.

This interactive tool, from the National Alliance to End Homelessness shows a breakdown of Portland’s costs per individual and drop from $42,074 to $26,819 once the person has been supported into permanent housing. Right now, Multnomah County’s Ending Homelessness Advisory Council has a ten year plan that points out that of the $30 million spent on homelessness, just 12% goes towards permanent housing.

This is a tough policy call to make, and I would feel unqualified being anywhere but on the sidelines, gathering data, but I hope that this controversial balance becomes a larger conversation. In the meantime though, I’ve helped out with four moves this week and am happy to be playing my small role in Portland.

Toes In The Mud

2011-04-11T12:40:00.000-07:00

By: Colleen Sinsky

Danny, one of our housed folks is an amazing poet and musician and spent years running cattle on ranches in the mountains of Colorado. He is one of the most intense and gifted harmonica players I've ever seen. One of these days I'll get a video up here on this blog of Danny jamming, but in the meantime here's a lyrical poem he wrote that he let me share up here.

Toes In The Mud

By Daniel Eley

Sittin’ in a window

Feeling at ease

Mouth held open

Slappin’ my knees

Head tossed back

Hair in the breeze

eyes are closed

and all is free.

Off the sill

and into the air

feet slappin’ grass

Happiness there

Jumpin’ real high

Naked and bare

Spirit is soaring

Got no care

On down the path

branches above

skin is tinglin’

no one that shoves

Relatin’ with nature

toes in the mud

sun castin’ shadows

and fallin in love

Spinnin’ around

nothin’ is dead

birds in the trees

makin’ their beds

Hearts pumpin’ hard

and I’ve been led

to a place in life

with Peace in my head.

The Four Letter Word

2011-03-31T15:02:00.000-07:00

By: Colleen Sinsky

I was thrown off the first time that “Emily,” one of our housed folks ended a conversation with “Bye Colleen, I love you so much!” I had a split second of confusion… ‘wait.. you’re not in my family, not a close friend, and not some boy I’ve been dating a while, not my dog… what do I respond with here?’ That first time Emily said that I sputtered off an automatic “love you too Emily, see you later!” But it wasn’t until I was sitting in my car and had time to think that I realized that I really did love Emily. This realization shocked even myself, and I immediately started stressing about that blurry but very present line between “clients” and “caseworkers.” Where, if anywhere, does love fit into that relationship?

Until recently, the L-word had a very specific place in my life and in my relationships, and keeping that feeling safely segregated helped me feel aloof, and protected from being able to care too much about people outside of my “bubble.” Realizing that I do, in fact, love those strangers sleeping on the streets or precariously housed was a scary, humbling, and vulnerable moment. It’s much easier to operate from a place of sterile assistance rather than opening my heart and being awake to our shared humanity.

A great Jesuit in El Salvador described the feeling of opening up to the world we’d rather ignore better than I ever could. He talks about those of us who experience poverty and find ourselves investing in and being changed by the people we meet and the stories they share:

“A sweet shame comes over them, not bitter remorse but more like the shame one feels when falling in love. The visitors feel… the world that is made up of important people like them and unimportant people losing its grip on them. As the poet Yeats says, “things fall apart;” the visitors’ world is coming unhinged. They feel resistance, naturally, to a current that threatens to sweep them out of control. They feel a little confused –again—like the disorientation of falling in love. In fact, that is what is happening, a kind of falling in love. The earth trembles. My horizon is opening up. I’m on unfamiliar ground, entering a richer, more real world.”

-Dean Brackley, SJ

Meeting the Victims, Falling in Love

I didn’t expect to find this love in urban poverty, or to work in an environment where it’s okay to embrace and run with this feeling. Love is a scary word in general, but for it to exist in social service is a rare and wonderful thing. At JOIN, love is regularly cleaning out a chronic hoarder’s bedbug-ridden apartment so that she won’t be kicked out. It’s rehousing, and choosing to help the stubborn jerks that no one else will work with. It’s saying “no” and ending rental support. It’s Sara, our Data Guru’s saint-like patience or Ellene waking up early on her first Sunday on the job to do a move. It’s Keith putting everything on hold at the end of a crazy day on the House to have a heart to heart with Don. Love is Lio telling someone to “get your head out of your a**” and Quinn endlessly talking Yankees with Tom, and a thousand other examples of love as a verb. It’s the tangible grief that settled over the office when Lee Critchlow died, or having the respect to step back and let our folks make their own mistakes along the road to self-sufficiency. Love is constantly bending over backwards to lengths I don’t always understand.

Last night I found an old voicemail in my phone of Emily calling me late one night from the hospital to check in and tell me that she loves me. I was humbled, and honored that I can be that person for someone. Her life has been devoid of many experiences of love that I take for granted, yet she shares it and says it so easily. In a society where talking about this kind of love has become taboo, there is a lot to be learned from this woman. I love you too Emily.

Portland Immersion

2011-03-25T15:37:00.000-07:00

By: Colleen Sinsky

This past weekend I got to tag along with one of JOIN’s Immersion Trips into Portland. My housemate Daniel has been organizing and leading these trips for youth groups, high schools, and colleges all year but this was my first time getting to experience this important aspect of community education.

When JOIN was founded in the early 1990’s, a primary goal was to bridge the disconnect between homeless and housed people through community education. Since then, JOIN has obviously expanded greatly to include outreach, retention, and the House drop-in space, but Immersions remain an important but quiet part of JOIN’s mission. Each year a Jesuit Volunteer becomes the new Immersion Coordinator and is in charge of planning and running approximately 20-25 immersions that last from one day to a whole week.

Participants camp out in the JOIN office and cook dinner together in our new kitchen. During the day they do a wide range of service learning projects and get a first-hand peek into the world of homelessness that we usually try hard to ignore. The group that I got to join up with was a high school aged Christian youth group from Scappoose, OR. It was their first weekend of Spring Break and I was amazed by how many of them enthusiastically came on this voluntary trip. Daniel knows me well, and didn’t tell me until after I’d signed up to come along that we would be waking up at 4:50am to take the MAX into downtown to serve breakfast at Blanchet House. This organization has been empowering homeless men for the past 60 years through a program that provides substance-free housing and job skills training for a transitional 3-month period and feeds the local homeless three meals a day, six days a week year round. I was struck by the hospitality of Blanchet House, where our high school volunteers provided table service for the guests, who were thawing out from a cold night spent under bridges or in doorways with a cup of coffee and French toast.

After cleaning up from that meal, we ate a fantastic breakfast with the Blanchet House staff and then began our tour of Old Town with Larry, a long-time JOIN friend who volunteers to do hundreds of these tours a year.

It was in the 30s- colder than we had expected, and standing around on the street for a few hours early in the morning gave us a realistic taste of what people living outside experience daily. Larry told us about the various social service agencies in the Old Town area from the unique perspective of someone who used the services. We visited and learned about TPI, Sisters of the Road, Downtown Chapel and Portland Rescue Mission.

In this photo, Daniel points out the stark contrast between the south side of Burnside that forms the border of poverty-stricken Old Town contrasted with the US Bank building on the north side- a symbol of American corporate wealth.

The kids embarked on a scavenger hunt through Old Town, trying to solve questions that someone living on the streets should know about the area, and were challenged to spend only $1 each on lunch. We then took the bus up north to Dignity Village, a self-sufficient settlement created ten years ago by some of Portland’s homeless in protest against the illegalization of

urban camping. This now-legal village, the first and so far only) of its kind in the US is incredible in its unique success. Fifty-four people live here in small houses made of donated materials, in a self-governing community whose members “pay rent” with their labor in keeping the common areas clean and well-maintained. This grassroots movement to end homelessness caused controversy when it was proposed a decade ago, and its success has illustrated that a sustaining solution can come from within the community. (Below: the All-Knowing Cow of Dignity Village)

Back at JOIN, we had dinner with a few currently homeless and recently housed friends of JOIN who shared their stories with the youth group kids. During reflection afterwards, the kids shared an amazing depth of insight. I was proud to see their level of maturity and hear how the day had affected their perceptions of homelessness. It was also so great to see my friend Daniel thriving in his element. He challenged them and they were able to leave Portland with a new level of openness and understanding of the issues surrounding homelessness.

For more info on JOIN’s Immersion Program email Daniel at Immersions@joinpdx.com

Random Violence Against Homeless Folks

2011-03-18T14:24:00.000-07:00

By: Colleen Sinsky

Yesterday was the first time I cried while one of our folks told me his story. I wasn't feeling only sadness, rather it was a kind of wounded rage- at senseless violence that clashes against my hopeful understanding of the world.

Earlier this week, a couple of homeless men were randomly attacked and robbed in the early hours of the morning in SE Portland. We’re still trying to find out more information and follow up wherever we can, but this afternoon I spent trying to get “Ray” (name changed), one of Lio’s long-time friends, into a safe place. Ray explained, “I didn’t see them coming because I had my sleeping bag over my head because it was so cold that night.” A group of men attacked him while he slept. They hit him hard enough with something (a baseball bat?) to completely break his shoulder, and they stole the only things of value they could find- his ID and a food stamp card. Now, immobilized and in constant pain, Ray can’t go back to his job as a laborer, and it’ll be a few weeks before we’re able to get him a new ID.

Ray keeps to himself and doesn’t cause trouble on the streets. I feel so much anger on behalf of Ray, a random victim of this terrible violence, and I continue struggling to digest the fact that this kind of evil exists. It’s sad that there is enough brokenness- even here in Portland- that people feel the need to physically attack people more vulnerable than themselves. Ray’s story made me feel helpless, as there is so much that I will never be able to control or understand. Ray’s story doesn’t have a happy ending yet.

I think that the impact of hearing Ray’s story today was compounded by the fact that I spent the morning talking with Bradley, a friend of JOIN since the very beginning, who this winter was also a victim of random violence. The day after Thanksgiving, Bradley was camping in his usual spot in inner SE. Two guys pulled up in a Jeep, and while Bradley was asleep, they threw a brick onto his face and then drove away. Bradley and his campmate spent the rest of the night trying to get the bleeding to stop.

Early the next morning, the usual police officer showed up to shoo them away, but the officer took one look at Bradley and said “What happened? Get in the car, you’re going to the hospital now.” Bradley was laughing yesterday as he told me that “This officer was known as a real hard ass, but I guess when it came down to it he was a pretty good guy.” In the emergency room, Bradley found that his nose was broken in five places and that his nasal passageways were in danger. His surgery and recovery were complicated by the fact that he had also developed a severe cold from living on the streets in such chilly weather. Though the officer did a report on the incident, there were few leads to follow and this hate crime remains unsolved.

Bradley told me that sometime during his recovery process, Jarvis, one of JOIN’s outreach workers, somehow heard what happened and immediately stopped by Bradley’s hangout spot, the St. Francis Dining Hall, to hear the story. “I couldn’t believe that he approached me,” Bradley said, expressing his surprise that a social service agency would instigate housing, rather than the other way around. “It was really a shock. After that conversation I couldn’t believe how fast everything happened. It was just one friend helping another, you know? And when you put your mind to it, you can get things done fast for a friend.” Jarvis helped Bradley get back in touch with his family, get an ID, and move into an apartment. Today he’s doing great and he can’t say enough about JOIN, St. Francis Dining Hall, and wanting to help anyone else out who is in a situation like his. Bradley knows just what he would say if he ever gets the chance to speak to the person who threw the rock: “I wish I could ask them, ‘why me?’ Why did they single me out? At least though, it ended up with me being in this apartment.”

Like Bradley, I don’t think I’ll ever understand why violence of this type exists or how a person could be capable of such hatred. For now, I’ll try to focus my energy on picking up the pieces and helping victims like Ray and Bradley move forward rather than dwelling passively in my frustration.

Maybe feeling this justified wounded rage on behalf of our folks is part of the process of awakening to what social justice is. Letting myself be disturbed by this, and embracing the churning frustration is going to manifest in productive action.

Birthday Surprise

2011-03-14T14:37:00.000-07:00

By: Quinn Colling

I met Kris four months ago in NW Portland where she camped with her dog Fox. She was shy at first, hesitant to speak with us but over time began to build up some trust. My coworker Colleen and I began to learn about her story and discovered there was no reason for her to be outside. She had a reliable income, nothing unusual in her background, an honorable discharge from the military, and a strong determination to get off of the streets. Kris had been experiencing homelessness for three years and told us that she had given up on Portland. Colleen and I asked her to let us work with her and attempt to find an apartment. After a month and a half of vigilant searching, Kris found a home for herself and Fox. On move-in day, Fox chose to celebrate and showed off for us by completing a victory lap around the apartment and snuggling up with Kris on the couch.

Just the other day, after three successful months of being in housing, Kris celebrated her birthday. Colleen and I took Kris out to celebrate over a great meal. We enjoyed perhaps the biggest burgers I have seen in my life, including a doggie sized burger for Fox. We shared stories from our lives and laughed for about an hour straight. After the meal was over, Kris shared with us that she had not celebrated her birthday in five years. She told us that we helped her more in three months than anyone had in three years. The shocker, what really took me by surprise, was what she told us next. Kris said that no one had ever taken her out for birthday and that we were now family.

Wow.

The power of this job never ceases to amaze me. I am incredibly honored that someone would allow us into their life and that JOIN could make such an impact in such a short time. I will be forever grateful for her kind words.

Social Justice at JOIN

2011-02-18T15:01:00.000-08:00

By: Colleen Sinsky

JOIN was a little short-staffed on the House this weekend while four of our full-time volunteers were on retreat. Three of us were on the Jesuit Volunteer Northwest retreat, held in St. Helens, WA and spent the weekend talking about social justice. Keith, our House Coordinator was in Texas for a United Church of Christ retreat, coincidentally held on the same weekend.

On his way to get a blanket from the donation closet for a visitor to the House just now, Keith was kind enough to stop by my desk and ride his razor scooter around in circles while he told me about his retreat. In San Antonio, TX, Keith met many UCC volunteers who are serving throughout the US, most of whom were foreign. Keith learned many German phrases. Each of the volunteers gave presentations about their service sites and what they do, and it was interesting to learn about what the other volunteers were doing in their capacity to better the world. Keith showed me a project that two UCC volunteers are doing to raise awareness about various placements. The duo will be coming to Portland this month to film Keith and include his work at JOIN as part of their project. Check out www.TwinMaps.com

On the Jesuit Volunteer Corps retreat we joined the 75 other JVs who have placements in Oregon and Washington and spent a weekend focused on how social justice is part of our various jobs. Going to a Jesuit college, “social justice” was one of those buzzwords that I heard often but didn’t realize the impact of until I began work at a place that consciously embodies the value. By operating through a relationship based, empowerment model, JOIN brings the idea of social justice to life every day in a way that I might have written off as idealistic. It’s hard to put into words, and I’m underqualified to try to explain it anyways, but being part of this JOIN community has reminded me that there’s still space for hope, no matter how overwhelming injustice can seem.

The retreat leader teaches Social Justice at Portland’s Jesuit High School and introduced us to the idea of the “two feet of social action.” Essentially, in order to move forward towards a just and humane world, we need both charity (immediate, direct help) and justice (actions that foster lasting change). A balance between the two ensures that people’s most basic needs are being met, and that we’re moving towards a place of self-sufficiency and freedom for everyone.

Maybe this is all obvious to you. Of course we can’t expect to bring about positive change by only operating in one of the two realms. But it was helpful for me to see this diagrammed out in a tangible way. And in a way that I could so easily apply to what JOIN does. I understood the distinct “feet” as the services that JOIN offers. Upstairs, the House provides creature comforts; showers, laundry, coffee, internet, etc. and most importantly a safe place for community. It’s very direct, and the benefits are immediate. Downstairs and on the streets, Outreach and Retention treat getting folks into long-term sustainable housing as a means towards social justice. Much of the beauty is in the overlap between the two, and it has been incredible to watch people I’ve met make the dramatic transition from accepting direct services to self sufficiency and long-term empowerment.

"Keys to my new future"

2011-02-03T09:57:00.000-08:00

Today I’m excited to introduce our guest blogger, my friend Rod. Rod’s optimism and friendly nature have made a big impact on me and Lio, and we both feel so lucky to get to spend time with this wonderful guy. Rod loves JOIN and wanted to share his story and perspectives after having moved out from under the bridge and into an apartment last week.

-Colleen

Hi friends and supporters of JOIN, my name is Rod and I have been rescued from the madness of homelessness.

Some of the ones on the street regret or deny not needing a rescue from their situation. In my case I had a friend while I was living under the Burnside Bridge, officer Burleigh, who recognized my worthiness and assisted me by helping me out of my madness by referring me to JOIN and my new buddy Lio.

I need only to mention my adventures under the Burnside Bridge for anyone to realize that I needed help. One of my main pitfalls was that I did not recognize my own need because I was too busy scraping out a meager survival. Survival isn’t enough and I found myself in a deeper quagmire of the madness and basically had to extricate myself from the lifestyle. Sometimes easier said than done. But lo and behold, there was Lio.

A few years ago I found myself in Portland, after coming down from Seattle to try to help my brother, only to find out that he needed more help than I could give alone. I soon found out that I had to shift focus to Rodriguez, and my own priorities, the number one issue was housing.

The population under the Burnside Bridge is the homeless and the forgotten. I know them well and I am them. I don’t go over there any more, I don’t think of them anymore. I don’t think of that lifestyle at all. The one thing that I hold dear now and have to continue is my education. I have to look forward. I want to go back to school soon. That chapter of my life is closed, but what I learned through that survival in that madness is something I’ll never forget. I’m reminded every day when I see fellows sleeping in doorways in America in 2011. It’s frustrating, and I try to think that they’ve chosen that lifestyle in the same way that I chose to.

I learned a lot in that chapter of my life. I learned to recognize the strength I had under the bridge, of having to go into survival mode, though I never felt that I really had my back against the wall. Some people out there seem so drained, like they have nothing left. I never felt that like. I woke up every day glad that I had “24 more” (that was my expression outside) I knew where to go for a meal. I just never got way down and that has to be because of my optimism, a basic concept of mine that not everyone has. Some of the fellows in the street frowned on that. Said “why is he so up?” I wish them well. All I can say is that I’ve been through it and it takes self-strength. It has nothing to do with having to box someone. It’s all inner strength.

Of the numbers of those who police society’s down and out, my total thanks to one Officer Burleigh, who tapped me on the shoulder more than once about being a better man than what I was displaying. Thanks Officer Burleigh. You saw strength in me that I had let wilt. But when you brought it to my attention I had to reenergize and choose a better path- one that I continue to navigate thanks to the help of JOIN, and individuals like Lio Alaalatoa and Colleen Sinsky.

Now I’m a regular guy. The future is an open pathway I’m about to embark on and I’m excited to see what happens. When I moved into my own place, I was presented with keys to my new future, and it’s an incredible feeling that only those who have had their autonomy taken from them would recognize.

-Rod

Street Count Week

2011-01-27T10:40:00.000-08:00

By Colleen Sinsky

From the outside, last week’s meeting with the outreach team looked more like a military operation plan, than our usual monthly planning meeting. We were huddled around zoned maps of Multnomah county while Marc deployed teams to cover various spots over the next week. We each claimed different areas, both urban and out in the woods to survey for the biennial county Homeless Street Count.

A portion of our federal funding requires that JOIN, along with a number of other social service agencies participate in this comprehensive “census” to count the number of people sleeping outside on a given night in January. Portland Online has more info here, including data from previous years’ counts. While it would be impossible to get perfect numbers, the Street Count is a helpful tool for the government to get a better idea of the existing need. Yesterday Quinn and I spent most of the day hiking (yes, literally hiking. I love this job) around an undeveloped butte and looking for tucked away camps to interview the people staying there.

Conversation in the office has revolved a lot around what our experiences have been with the count so far, and most of our normal work has been put on hold while we shift focus for a week. Last night Lio and I took a reporter from The Oregonian along with us to the northwest. You can check out Molly’s story about it here.

Little Bear Gets A Bed

2011-01-17T17:44:00.000-08:00

By Colleen Sinsky

I’m starting to learn that there are few things in the world that make me happier than seeing someone who I care about finally getting to transition from the streets into an apartment of their own. This week, my friend I’ll call June finally left her camping spot under a bridge in the Northwest Industrial area and spent her birthday weekend in her new apartment in a quiet suburb. I met June on one of my first nights doing outreach with Lio. I remember being terrified of her dog, who was barking and snarling at us from the end of a taut leash in the dark. I was surprised Lio didn’t just turn around at that point, but the three of us eventually sat down around Styrofoam cups of hot chocolate and started talking. Turns out that her dog was actually a terrified but adorable chocolate lab puppy named Little Bear who was thrilled to snuggle with a friendly stranger. From that initial meeting it took Quinn a few weeks of contacting landlords and submitting applications with June to finally find a safe place that she could afford on her limited social security income. During that time Quinn or I would spend an afternoon driving around trying to secure June and Little Bear an apartment in one of the buildings we’ve worked with. June and I bonded over our love of dogs and coffee, and how we both “escaped” from Southern California and love living in Portland- as different as our experiences have been here. June’s history blew me away, and I feel so lucky to have gotten to know her as well as I do. On Friday, Quinn and I took June and her puppy to sign her lease, pick up her key, and unload furniture and a brand new plush doggie bed I bought from Costco. I was happy that night knowing that June and Little Bear were sleeping in a safe place for the first time in years. I feel so privileged to get to play a small role in these success stories, and people like June help me stay optimistic and focused in the face of what sometimes seems like overwhelming need.

In honor of this being Martin Luther King Jr. Day (and why I get to write this from a trendy café on Alberta Street instead of the JOIN office) some words of wisdom from Dr. King:

“An individual has not started living until he can rise above the narrow confines of his individualistic concerns to the broader concerns of all humanity.” (..and Little Bears!)

Lift With Your Legs!

2011-01-09T14:50:00.001-08:00

By Colleen Sinsky

After a long day of moving furniture in and out of our box truck, I heard one JOIN employee jokingly call JOIN a “glorified moving company.” It’s true that I didn’t expect to get quite as good at moving couches as I am now, but I also had no idea how much work is required in the process of getting people into housing, and helping them stay there. Once the funding source is secured and the paperwork done, the real manual labor of a move begins. We have a fantastic partnership with Community Warehouse, and through them we’re able to acquire the necessary furniture, bedding, and kitchen gadgets to turn a bare apartment into a home for our friends. We try as hard as we can to set our folks up for success, and that relationship doesn’t end when we hand them the keys. I’m constantly amazed at how much each outreach and retention worker at JOIN cares about their folks, and how they’ll bend over backwards, drive well-loved but less-than-perfect vans and spend hours loading and unloading just about anything you can think of. I helped out with five moves last week, and it’s not unusual to go home physically as well as emotionally spent, but still buoyant with hope for the families that we’ve helped out. I’m lucky to often have the company of one or a few volunteers- people from the homeless community who want to give back with their time and spend their day chatting and lifting furniture with me. I love the time I get to spend with them, and working side by side gives me a unique opportunity to chat in a friendly, peer-to-peer environment.

All of the outreach workers have had some remarkable stories of success lately, and I’ve gotten to be part of a number of Lio’s. There’s a funny rumor going around that Lio actually DOES the work.. but here’s photographic evidence of what really goes on while the rest of us are doing heavy lifting. :)

I also wanted to share one of the most meaningful and poignant compliments I've ever heard. One of my roommates had an out of state friend visiting for the weekend, and I took him along with me to work on Friday because he was looking for something to do and wanted to get involved. So Matt spent the morning with Lio and I emptying a storage unit and filling a three bedroom apartment in East Portland. When the woman whose family we were moving found out that not only was Matt not a JOIN employee, but that he was on vacation she exclaimed "You're doing this for me and you're not even from here? And you're not being paid? Wow, that's like something Lio would do!"

Ringing In The New Year

2011-01-03T09:33:00.000-08:00

By Colleen Sinsky

You probably couldn’t avoid noticing Portland’s below freezing temperatures this weekend. As a recent transplant from San Diego I definitely spent the weekend more or less amazed at how Northwesterners manage to run errands, walk around downtown, and more or less carry on normal lives despite the frigid conditions. Outreach, and what we call “snow patrol” played a big part of many JOIN worker’s weekends. Because the temperature was expected to drop below 22 degrees, the county issued a Severe Weather Alert, and a few emergency warming centers were temporarily opened by The Red Cross. We went out to check on the folks we know outside and be sure that they were aware of the additional spaces available indoors for the night. I spent Saturday night driving around downtown with a roommate and we passed out a trunk-load of donated blankets, hats and socks. Sometimes what affects me the most at the end of the night when I’m ruminating on my ride home is just the tone that folks have when I ask “have enough blankets for tonight?” Not all of the time, but often enough to really challenge me, the response I hear is a desperate “YES. please. I’m freezing!” On the other hand though, sometimes someone will say "Oh, I'm fine thanks. But that other guy over there only has a tarp! You should go throw some blankets on him."

I know that a blanket doesn’t solve any problems, and that whatever positive change I can affect that night won’t be enough. But every conversation that a JOIN worker has with someone sleeping outside is a step towards what will hopefully become a long-term relationship and eventual transition to a stable place.

A walk through JOIN at the Holidays

2010-12-22T23:05:00.000-08:00

JOIN is nothing if not bustling at this time of year. Walk in the door and you'll find a crowd of folks--old friends and new--checking their mail, getting a pair of socks, waiting for a shower, browsing job openings on the computer, or just enjoying a cup of coffee and a conversation while their canine companion sleeps under a table.

Round the corner and you'll see that one of JOIN's partner offices has been appropriated for donations--piles 6 feet high of blankets and sleeping bags in all shapes and sizes for the outreach team to take to folks outside. Just as one pile starts to dwindle, another generous community member walks through the door with a few bags she has collected from her neighbors. And the piles are high again.

Continue down the stairs and you'll find yourself in a forest of artificial Christmas trees, donated by Target to bring a little holiday cheer to JOIN households. In every nook and cranny of our offices you'll find piles of donated sweaters and socks, presents wrapped and ready to be delivered to newly housed families, and Christmas music coming from a Pandora station in what we lovingly refer to as "the admin core."

JOIN staff members' job descriptions are flexible and ever-changing at this time of year. Everyone pitches in and works longer hours to pick up donations, deliver food boxes, provide blankets at night when the temperatures drop--all while continuing to do the real work of JOIN: getting people into permanent, stable housing and helping them stay there.

For those of us in the fundraising office, this time of year helps us feel more connected to our donors and our volunteers--they rally to organize item drives, put together move-in boxes, host house parties, and make generous financial contributions to help us continue to do our work. The generosity is overwhelming and impressive, and we can't say thank you enough.

None of us on the staff make it through the month of December without feeling a little more exhausted, and a little more rejuvenated, than we did before. Thank you for sharing this crazy, chaotic, and beautiful time of year with us!

-the JOIN Development Office

Holiday Stories

2010-12-18T13:24:00.001-08:00

By Colleen Sinsky

Over the past few weeks I’ve been amazed by the generosity of the Portland community towards helping JOIN’s folks.

On Friday, Annie marshaled most of the JOIN staff to pick up and deliver 60 holiday food boxes generously donated by Tazo tea.

Staff’s cars and the JOIN fleet were filled with the big boxes and we all split off for

different parts of Multnomah county to deliver all the ingredients for a holiday meal and visit people we’ve housed. I took my roommate Jillian, another Jesuit Volunteer, to help and we headed downtown. It’s easy for me to forget how much a friendly visit can mean to someone who, after having experienced the isolation of homelessness for years, is spending the holiday season mostly alone. We stayed to chat for a while with each of the folks we visited, and they each proudly showed us how they’d decorated their apartments. I was touched by how evident each person’s connection with Annie, our downtown retention worker is.

Everyone had such great things to say about their friend Annie and was excited for the future community events that she and the rest of our retention team organizes monthly. We are so lucky to have community partners like Tazo that help us help our folks on their way to self sufficiency.

Also on Friday I had the job (“job”? can this really be called work?) of taking a formerly homeless sex worker shopping for professional clothes for her first job! Through a community partnership we were able to get this woman not only her own apartment, pet cat, and soon Christmas tree, but also a full-time job that she is so excited to start. Getting to be able to play a small role in JOIN’s success stories has been the highlight of my volunteering year.

Giving Thanks... and Blankets

2010-11-30T11:01:00.000-08:00

by Colleen Sinsky

After the below-freezing temperatures last week, I realized how thankful I am for some small things in life that so many of our JOIN friends go without. Our outreach team, as well as our executive director Marc were out every night passing out blankets, hot chocolate, and letting people know about the emergency warming shelters. Outreach has become more of an emotional challenge for me as the temperatures continue to drop and it’s tough for me to build a connection with folks sleeping outside and then go back home to my warm and safe bed. It’s especially tough for me to talk to young women my age who are experiencing homelessness, but I’m so fortunate to be part of an organization that can help individuals make incredible changes in their lives. I was so thrilled to get to go back to my hometown in sunny San Diego and spend the Thanksgiving weekend with my family. I’ve never felt more thankful for my support network and where I am in my life than when it’s contrasted with that of homeless folks who have slipped through the cracks in society. For so many people, their support network consists of a few friends in a situation similar to their own, and JOIN. I feel a strange mix of guilt, responsibility and pride being on the one side of that equation, and I am thankful every day to have the resources and ability to do the work we’re doing at JOIN. The coming weeks will be busy as we push to get families and individuals inside for the holiday season. We would love for you to be involved!

And on NPR this morning I heard a feature about a student in Detroit who reminds me that we're not the only ones making strides to help homeless people. Check out the Element Survival Coat!

JOIN Thanksgiving by Renae Blake

2010-11-22T11:06:00.000-08:00

Eight turkeys. Six hams. 13 trays of stuffing. 12 vegetarian dishes. 10 bowls of mashed potatoes. 3 pots gravy. 13 dozen dinner rolls. 32 pies. 2 cheesecakes. More than one hundred bottles of Tazo Tea, juice and water. Everything donated by volunteers.

It is an incredibly empowering experience to see a conceptual idea become memories as did Friday's Thanksgiving Dinner. When I arrived at Bethlehem Lutheran Church at 11am on Friday to set up tables and chairs for the evening's event, I thought most of the work was done. Since the end of October, I've been returning calls and emails, answering questions, and making requests for donations fairly steadily almost every day. I received as many phone calls the day of the event as I did in that entire three week time span prior. I thought the tough stuff was in the past: I was wrong, of course. But that is something that does with the territory of being a planner: I think, "I plan therefore it shall be:

Lesson One: Even the best plans hold less precedence over the present than you might wish them to.

I was exceedingly fortunate to have not only the help of JOIN volunteers, board members, and staff, but also my own network of classmates from Portland State. A requirement of the University Studies system at PSU is one six credit senior capstone class, which is designed to expand the University Studies goals--critical thinking, communication, diversity, and social responsibility--by applying them to work with a community partner. My particular capstone, Effective Change Agent, varies from the other capstone options. Each student must receive consent to register for the class because the class was created for the students who have established connections with community partners. Most other capstones have one community partner for all 12-14 students enrolled in the class; there are 14 community partners between my classmates and I in our capstone class. Because the work we do with each of our individual community partners is so different--one student teaches the Brazilian martial arts from Capoeira, another plays games with young cancer patients at Doernbecher Children's Hospital, two are coaches at high schools in the Portland Metro Area for basketball and football--an important opportunity for everyone to come together with one purpose is the group project assignment. Several students, myself included, presented group project ideas, and we decided together, unanimously, to put our combined energy toward JOIN's Thanksgiving Dinner.

Lesson two: accept all the help you can get, because no matter how organized you may be, you need the support of others.

Friday morning, set up went flawlessly with the help of several classmates and two JOIN staff members. Within an hour, the empty hall looked festive and welcoming with three long lines of tables wrapped in gold plastic tablecloth, accompanying chairs, and streamers and balloons strung along the walls. With two Vikings (that's our mascot at Portland State!) in the kitchen preparing various dishes of food from several boxes of produce volunteer Jessica received as a donation, I left for home to do the last bit or organizing I possibly could before there could be no more planning. Back to the church at 3:30, this truly was the time of calm before the (wonderfully cheerful holiday-like) storm. Food donations and volunteers began arriving at 4pm. All of the dishes of stuffing, pies, and potatoes I had meticulously marked down in my little excel spreadsheet began appearing in hands and on counter tops. Names from voice messages and email sender lines were matched with kind faces as I met the volunteers I'd communicated with online and by telephone for the past few weeks. Every volunteer came prepared to work. Some volunteers began with the 20 pies we were given by Shari's, a few ran to QFC and Trader Joe's for last minute needs and additions, and a beverage brigade outfitted the drink table with tea donated by Tazo and an assortment of bottled drinks contributed by Pepsi. Down the hallway from the kitchen, were I spent the majority of the night, members of the JOIN community eagerly awaited the feast in the snack room. Along with the large amounts of pretzels and nuts donated for pre-meal snacking, several volunteers prepared coffee for the dozens of people entering from the cold, rainy weather outside.

Lesson three: Coffee is the beverage of happiness (but I think I knew this one already).

Once the doors opened at five minutes past the 5:30 start time, plates were taken up and serving spoons were hardly set down at the buffet table for nearly an hour. The hardworking kitchen crew, lead by volunteer Jessica, heated food consistently to refill dishes as they emptied. Every seat, both at tables and the pews lining one side of the hall, was occupied in the moments I surveyed the room while running from the kitchen to the drink table to the kids room back to the kitchen in search of one thing or another. More than two hundred people attended Thanksgiving Dinner. And we didn't run out of food. Though I am unforgivably biased, I would plainly state that the meal was a success by any measure I can think of. Much of this victory I would attribute to the space, Bethlehem Lutheran Church, which so graciously donated the space for the evening. I could not have asked for a better location to work with. I was privileged enough to correspond with Solveig, Bethlehem's pastor, who is quite simply wonderful to interact with. She was beyond helpful and made herself accessible for the many questions I always find myself inevitably coming up with. And having Solveig at the dinner with her husband and two sons as a safety net for whatever problems I might (but thankfully did not) come across was a godsend. Speaking of safety nets, my mom was truly a saving grace for me. Acting as both reliable parent to me and JOIN board member, she arrived at the church at 3:45 with a dozen beautifully handmade table decorations, a ham, and a giant bag of snack food which a co-worker had given her as a donation for the feast. I don't know how to express how comforting it was to have someone there was not only as invested in my vision of the event as I was, but who believed in me as an implementer of such a plan just as much. Whatever needed doing, she was there for. And as much as my mom is a constant source of support and encouragement for me, so is she devoted to JOIN. She believes in JOIN and its inspiring, life-changing work, more deeply than I could hope to relay. It's my mom's commitment and dedication to JOIN that brought me to this remarkable organization, though it's the people I've met here that consistently affirm my desire to stay. My mom represents the goodness in people that JOIN stands for. At the end of the night, it was Courtenay, my mom, my aunt, and myself stuffing the last of the trash bags and twisted mess of balloons and streamers into the JOIN van. And it was my mom who bought me a cup of tea as congratulations for a joy-filled holiday event for more than 200 members of the JOIN community.

Lesson four: moms are awesome.

When I was little, I used to end my prayers with blessing "everybody else in the whole wide world," as to not leave anyone out. There are so many people who deserve thanks for their contributions to the Thanksgiving Dinner. My class was an extraordinary asset for all the help and support they lent me and JOIN by setting up the hall, preparing food, gathering donations, and working during the meal. So many volunteers provided food and help; their willingness to donate whatever was needed for the meal overwhelmed me. The JOIN board and staff members jumped in at the last minute to foll in the few needs I had in the days before the feast. And the use of Bethlehem Lutheran, as well as the kind monetary donation from last year's partners at Sunset Presbyterian Church, ensured the meal was a triumph.

Lesson Five: gratitude is everything.

-Renae

Busy, busy, busy...

2010-11-12T16:47:00.001-08:00

As the temperature is dropping, activity at JOIN is increasing. On Wednesday we celebrated our “kitchen shower” to open our brand new kitchen space in the building. We’re excited to have the ability for Daniel, our immersion coordinator to cook family style meals for our immersion groups, as well as a place to prepare food boxes and have the opportunity to share and prepare food as a community. I also got to tag along with our Greek cooking class, Cuisina, generously hosted by Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church. We’ve partnered with the Greeks for years to put on this class, and it’s been a successful and popular part of JOIN’s outreach efforts. I was floored by how positive and friendly the space was, and it was incredible to get to see some of our folks so proud of the meal they’d created. We made some really great lemon herb chicken, and Greek style green beans, potatoes and salad and then shared a family style dinner. Lots of fun! Here’s Annie with some friends.

We’re all excited for next Tuesday’s Day of Homelessness Awareness in downtown Portland and our annual Thanksgiving dinner next Friday! Busy weeks ahead and we’d love for everyone to get involved! Have a great weekend :)

by Colleen Sinsky

Day of Homelessness Awareness

2010-11-04T10:00:00.000-07:00

Press Advisory
For Immediate Release
Contact: J. Paul Davis, Minister of Outreach at St. Stephen's Episcopal Parish
503-449-4969, jpauldavis@prodigy.net

On November 16, 2010, civic and religious leaders and congregations throughout Portland and Multnomah County will observe the first annual "Day of Homelessness Awareness." The Day of Homelessness Awareness is intended to make the challenge of homelessness in our community visible, and to engage more faith communities in the effort to end homelessness.

A "Walk of Awareness" begins at 7am on November 16 for members of local religious communities with their pastors or other religious leaders to see how a single church, synagogue, or mosque can make a direct impact in the effort to end homelessness.

In concert with the event, organizers are asking the public to forgo one day's splurge (e.g. a coffee drink or snack) and donate the proceeds to local shelters in advance of the coming winter, or to bring coats, blankets, non-perishable food and other needed items to the walk.

Event organizer: JOIN's New City Initiative (www.joinpdx.com)

Event Co-Sponsors
Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon
Oregon Board of Rabbis
Oregon Area Jewish Committee
Muslim Educational Trust
Downtown Chapel Roman Catholic Parish
St. Stephen's Episcopal Church
Street Roots
United Way
City of Portland
Multnomah County

Event Participants:
David Leslie, Executive Director of Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon
Rabbi Michael Cahana, President of the Oregon Board of Rabbis
City Commissioners Nick Fish and Amanda Fritz
Multnomah County Commissioners Deborah Kafoury and Barbara Willer

Walkers will assemble at Downtown Chapel Roman Catholic Parish (6th and West Burnside, known as the "Red Doors") and walk from there to the new 13 Salmon Family Day Center at First Unitarian Church for a light reception.

Participants are invited to bring coats, blankets, non-perishable food and other needed items to the walk. Participants will also have the opportunity to make a financial contribution to support the Family Warming Center at Easminster Presbyterian Church.

The Day of Homelessness Awareness will also provide opportunities for people to learn more about what faith communities are already doing about homelessness, and how they and their congregation can become involved.

According to the most recent One Night Street Count (2009) and One Night Shelter Count (2010), more than 2,500 people experience homelessness on any given night, 13% of whom are homeless families. Of this number, 1,509 people were actually sleeping on the street, while 950 were sleeping in shelters or other emergency accommodations. Although such figures are daunting, the good news is that there are over 500 congregations in Portland. If every congregation were to commit to building relationships with just 10 people, we could literally touch the life of every person without a home in our city.

For more information about the Day of Homelessness Awareness, contact J. Paul Davis, Minister of Outreach at St. Stephen's Episcopal Parish at 503-449-4969 or jpauldavis@prodigy.net

Autumn Stories

2010-10-27T09:08:00.000-07:00

By Colleen Sinsky

One of the most meaningful aspects of job at JOIN is getting to listen to so many stories. I’m often blown away by the tragedy and desperation that exists alongside us in Portland. This world is new to me, and I’m still struggling daily to figure out how I can turn my frustration into productive changes. Last week some of our folks lost everything when their camp was raided and every single one of their belongings taken. Without a way to get more blankets they had to keep walking continuously through the night and then ride the MAX as soon as it began running to stay warm. They came to JOIN the next morning for help and we were able to get them some basic supplies. Their experience impacted me the rest of the day and I found myself wiping away tears while moving furniture that afternoon. For all of the talk about social justice, we still live in a place where our brothers and sisters can be living at the bottom of the barrel and still be robbed of their last meager possessions for the sake of urban aesthetics. I’ve been thinking a lot lately about a quote from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in a 1967 speech against the Vietnam War. “On the one hand, we are called to play the Good Samaritan on life’s roadside, but that will be only an initial act. One day we must come to see that the whole Jericho Road must be transformed so that men and women will not be constantly beaten and robbed as they make their journey on life’s highway. True compassion is more than flipping a coin to a beggar. It comes to see that an edifice which produces beggars needs restructuring.”

But not all stories are sad, and I am so thankful to get to be part of the opportunities for happy endings that JOIN produces. One of which is Christy and her fiancé Phil who were homeless, and moving from couch to couch of friends and relatives with their five beautiful children. JOIN was able to get the family into a great apartment and help move all of their possessions out of the storage unit that they’d had to hastily rent when they were evicted this summer. Last weekend, Christy was kind enough to volunteer her time to be a guest speaker at a Nordstrom’s United Way Rally. Nordstroms employees have been generous donors to JOIN and other organizations funded by United Way, and Christy and her daughter Veronica were the stars of the event, telling their story to dozens of tearful Nordstroms employees. “I don’t know where we’d be without JOIN. I can’t believe my daughters actually have their own room now. And we have our own front door, and a kitchen table with matching chairs and everything.” Afterwards, over a breakfast of omelets and pancakes, Christy and Veronica couldn’t believe that the audience was actually passing around a box of Kleenex. “It doesn’t seem sad to me, haha. It’s just our family” Veronica said. Veronica just started 8^th grade and is a very gifted student who wants to be a pediatric nurse or work with people with disabilities when she grows up. Lio and I were so proud of these two presenting their story, and we’re both so happy to be part of this great family getting into housing. I visited their new place yesterday and took these pictures of Angelina and Dominic, Christy’s little ones, to share with you all. They’re settling in great and even added a dog to their family :)

Thanks for reading! Stay warm and enjoy those autumn colors!

The Rookie

2010-10-15T14:53:00.000-07:00

by Colleen Sinsky

Today is the end of my third week at JOIN doing Outreach Support. I’m one of three Jesuit Volunteers who gets to work here full-time for the next year, and so far it’s been a wonderful whirlwind of getting to know Portland, meeting some incredible folks, and getting over my fear of driving JOIN’s big box truck.

My daily job is unpredictable and involves everything from compliance paperwork, building relationships with folks, outreach on the streets, and a good deal of moving furniture as we get people into housing. I feel so lucky that JOIN was able to create this new position and can’t wait to see what the rest of the year will bring!

Yesterday, I got to move Keith, who has been homeless for the past ten years, into an apartment. Keith has helped me move furniture for other families before and I was thrilled that we were able to get him into his own place. The day before he moved in we talked about how excited he was for the privacy and safety that owning a locked door would afford. Keith enjoys cooking and was looking forward to having his own kitchen, so the morning of the move I stopped and bought him a rib eye steak for his first dinner “inside.” “I’m going to be living like a king! Just watch” he said. Keith is trying to find a job and is planning on attending the weekly employment workshops that Melissa will be running at JOIN.

There’s a lot going on in the JOIN office, and construction noise from the remodel next door and structural work on the building is constant background noise. Upstairs, the House is always full of folks stopping by to take a shower, have a cup of coffee or just hang out. Lindsay, Keith, and Daniel, as well as a dedicated group of volunteers and interns keep the place running and a safe space for folks living on the street to relax during the day. We’re lucky to have donations of home-baked goods from volunteers like Paulette & Judy. Last week the House had dozens of made from scratch biscuits and homemade jam. Yet another example of kindness where all I can think is “only at JOIN…”

Cold Weather Unites Community

2009-12-16T16:24:00.000-08:00

by Marc Jolin

This past week was the first serious cold snap of the year and it brought supporters out in large numbers to assist those sleeping on our streets. Thank you so much for responding to our call for donations of blankets, sleeping bags, hats, gloves, socks, and tarps.

You brought us hundreds of items, and out outreach team put in long hours getting those items out to people sleeping outside throughout the city. The outreach workers also transported dozens of people to the emergency shelters that opened during the sever weather, and worked to ensure that people who couldn't care for themselves were brought to safety.

Just one example of the people you helped: on Sunday, the severe cold had passed but the cold rain had started. The Red Cross shelter at the Portland Foursquare Church had closed. JOIN took a car load of your donated sleeping bags, jackets, and tarps and parked outside the Foursquare to catch anyone who didn't know the shelter was closed and didn't have gear to get through the night sleeping outside.

Among the dozen or so people who we saw that night was a man who had just been discharged from the hospital. He arrived on Trimet with just a thin jacket, shirt, pants and tennis shoes. His initial response upon learning of the shelter's closure was despair.

Because of your donations, we were able to give him a warm coat, a tarp, a new sleeping bag, a hat, a sleeping pad, and gloves. We also gave him a bus ticket and directions to a shelter that we hoped might have room for him.

That night we also were able to provide gear to two single women, a couple, and several additional men, none of whom would otherwise have been prepared to sleep outside. And over the course of the week you helped us help hundreds more like them.

Stir fry with a friend

2009-09-23T08:33:00.000-07:00

Four years ago when I started volunteering at JOIN, I met many interesting people at the day center, aka "the house". Some people I saw once or twice and some I saw everyday. Many of the regulars I got to know well, and when I left for college I stayed in touch with many of them. In the past when I only worked in the day center, when someone transitioned into housing I generally did not see them very often afterward, if at all. Now I spend the majority of my time visiting folks and helping out the retention team. It is wonderful getting to see people who I've known for several years transition from outside to inside in housing. Instead of seeing them at the day center, I get to sit on their couch and chat with them in their own place.

I have the opportunity and pleasure to visit one of the people who I have known for awhile but had lost contact with. One of the retention workers mentioned that this guy could benefit from some more visiting. I didn't recognize his last name so I thought it was someone I hadn't met yet, but when he came into JOIN and Steve introduced us, I recognized him immediately and was so glad to see him again after having not seen him for a long time. Shortly thereafter I started visiting him at his home weekly. I often spend about an hour and half to two hours hanging around and chatting with him, sometimes going on walks in his neighborhood or grabbing coffee nearby. I love visiting him, he is such a kind hearted good soul, it never feels like work when I visit him.
He is currently struggling with depression and the past few weeks were really hard on him, so I wanted to do something special with him to cheer him up a bit. After finding out he likes stir frys, we set a date to cook stir fry for dinner together. So yesterday my boyfriend (whom he had mentioned he wanted to meet) and I headed over to his place with our share of the ingredients. Within five minutes he and my boyfriend were chatting it up and getting along wonderfully. As I was slicing the peppers while watching them talk, I jut had to smile to myself. It was so wonderful to see him sitting in his own home rather than outside and at the JOIN day center. It makes me so happy to know I have been able to create such a strong relationship with this guy and to know that he trusts me as much as he does. Because of JOIN's encouragement and support I have been able to build this close relationship with him.

Volunteer of the Month: Debbie Stewart

2009-08-31T13:34:00.000-07:00

Beth was homeless for over 4 years when she decided to get clean and find housing. Through her methadone program, Beth and her partner were able to find a subsidized apartment. Beth and Ed had a long-term relationship with one of JOIN's Outreach Workers, and when they were ready to move inside, JOIN helped pay the deposit and other move-in fees. After an 8 year battle, Beth's SSI claim was finally approved last April, giving her a monthly income and allowing her to be financially self-sufficient.

Steve, Beth's Retention Worker at JOIN, encouraged Beth to get involved with some of the community-building activities and events that JOIN offers. Beth came to Sunset Presbyterian's monthly dinner where she met Debbie, a member of the church who was interested in volunteering with JOIN. Steve asked Debbie if she would be interested in becoming a "friendly visitor," visiting Beth in her home and supporting her transition to stability. Debbie and Beth both agreed to meet.

Debbie realized that she and Beth were going to hit it off, despite their different backgrounds, on one of their first visits: "We seem to enjoy a similar quirky sense of humor. I think I knew this first when she was telling me about her habit of chewing ice. She was telling me once about going through a couple of 5 pound bags of ice every couple of days. I said very seriously, 'You know that chewing ice is really bad for your teeth?' She looks at me with her nearly toothless grin and says, 'I'll remember that!' And we both cracked up. It was a moment that for some people might have been awkward for one or both of us but instead we both saw the ridiculousness of it."

Soon after Debbie started visiting Beth, Beth's partner Ed passed away. Debbie was one of the first people Beth called when she found Ed in their apartment. Debbie was and continues to be "grateful for Beth's trust in me and being willing to share something so personal." The two women soon grew close and for almost a year now spend every Tuesday together. This kind of friendship is new for Beth, she says, "I've never really had anybody in my life besides my significant other. I learned that I need other people too." Beth received a large back payment from social security when her claim was approved, and was intimidated by having to manage money for the first time in her life. Debbie is helping Beth learn to budget, advising her on when it's appropriate to "splurge" and when she should spend wisely.

Beth and Debbie start every Tuesday morning at the coffee shop near Beth's apartment, and decide what the day will hold. They do a variety of things including visits to the Rose Garden, manicures, and shopping. Beth says that Debbie is a great listener--"I can talk to her and open up to her. She hangs on to every word I say and really listens. If there's something I don't know I can ask her and she will get on the internet and look it up!" Both women express how grateful they are for the friendship, and how much they both have learned from each other. Beth said, "I would never give her up, she is worth millions."

Thank you Debbie for your dedication to Beth and JOIN. People like you help make it possible for formerly homeless individuals to permanently break the cycle of homelessness and find strong, vibrant, and supportive communities.

Haircutting Day at JOIN!

2009-08-21T12:15:00.000-07:00

Ginger and Amanda, two stylists from Regis Salon, generously donated their day off to provide haircuts for friends at JOIN. They were here for 5 hours and did almost 30 cuts! Ginger and Amanda plan to organize their friends and co-workers to provide a day of haircuts each month at JOIN. Thank you so much! To view more photos from the day, became our fan on facebook and view the album. Just click here.

saying goodbye to JOIN in the language of cards.

2009-07-29T14:16:00.000-07:00

By Malcolm White, Immersion Coordinator

My last day at JOIN was on Friday. As a Jesuit Volunteer, I am only on contract for one calendar year, so August approached like the witching hour in my last weeks at JOIN. I buried the idea of leaving for a while under the frantic list of overdue tasks following the Portland Plunge, my biggest event of the year in late June. Yet, no matter how I resisted, the days of July melted away in the 100+ degree heat until only one remained, and I reluctantly told folks that if these silly goodbyes were to happen, now would have to be the time.

The day dawned with anticipation and chaos for me; quite typical of any JOIN landscape. Like a graduation of sorts, I felt the pressure to set up food and festivities for visitors to come in order to meet my final high expectations. In the end, nothing quite worked that way and yet it was perfect all the same....

JOIN can seem like a foreign land with its own language upon first visit. The chaos of the House seems unintelligible, and for the brand new employee watching his brilliant co-workers easily swim through the currents of confusion, one had to wonder "can I do this?" So on that stupified first day long ago, I finally recognized some familiar lingo coming from the cribbage table corner. I'd been playing the card game for 15 years, so while I'd maybe struggled interacting with people earlier that day, I felt welcome in an enironment where diamonds and clubs were the language of the day rather than social work dialects. I met Jake, the self-proclaimed "Captain Crib" that day, along with a few others, and friendships were formed around the knowledge that even if I had no clue about how to write you a laundry voucher, I would be able to at least lose (and occasionally win) at cribbage with you....

...Fast forward back to July 31. The afternoon of my final day was waning, and Jake and the other usual players hounded me about getting in my last games with them. By this point I was adroit at writing laundry vouchers and felt like I could carry that same swagger at the card table. After Jake thrashed my predecessor, I sat down in front of this 350 pound man and said "I'm not that easy to beat."

I have never quite been so incorrect. Josh easily dispatched me in a quick game and then, being a generous soul, gave up his spot in the winner's seat to allow me my final games with other rivals. One after one they came, one after one they left victorious. When the smoke cleared, I had lost 4 straight in a card game whose language I spoke fluently. Oddly enough though, it was a reverse situation to my earliest days: while I apparently could not play a good hand of cards to save me from drowning, I laughed and joked with each of my opponents easily throughout the fiasco. I finally stood up from the table not upset at my humble 0-4 record, but rather grateful to have known and spent the year with Jake and each of the smiling gentlemen who had so capably administered my losses.

As the door finally closed and I gave my last hug and told my last inside joke, I relaized I spoke the language of JOIN with ease. But as with any language, steady practice is the only thing that keeps one adept, so as I venture back to the East Coast I know that I will slowly lose the fluency I so happily earned through countless hours of cribbage and chaos. And I will miss it. I think that one day in the future, when I finally do manage to beat my next opponent in cribbage, I'll look back and only wish that I could lose 4 straight again...

Chronic Funny Business Syndrome

2009-06-19T15:04:00.000-07:00

by Bill Boyd

My friend Don passed away in his home a few months back, 2 weeks shy of his 60th birthday.

Don was one of the most colorful people I had met at JOIN. I met Don in inner southeast Portland in late 2004, and it took the better part of 6 months before he trusted my intent on offering him a way off the streets. He was successful in finding a studio apartment in mid 2005.

On the exterior, Don was a tough person to be with - he was usually drinking, often angry and always quick with a complaint. But as time and mutual persistence played its role, his true nature began to emerge. He had a sharp wit, a passion about science and technology, and a love of late night talk radio. Plus, he was an inspired harmonica player, and would share many of the old time classics, as well as some original tunes.

Don had a tough upbringing, and he developed many methods to protect himself. His efforts to hide his vulnerability often resulted in isolation. But during his 3+ years in housing, we became true friends. Granted, I had to be his social worker on occasion to help keep his housing intact, but he'd rather tell me the latest jokes than discuss ways to keep his landlord happy. He always summarized his willingness to abide by the rules: "I'll do anything within reason. My reason."

He loved to self-diagnose his condition, which he labeled CFBS - Chronic Funny Business Syndrome (with an emphasis on the BS). Some of the symptoms of CFBS included an insessent fascination with the trivial, endless tinkering with dead electronic equipment, ruminating over an embellishment of his last joke, and an idolization of both Alfred E Newman and Albert Einstein.

Time went on, and his love of wine and disdain of compliance with mainstream norms of cleanliness began to take their toll. His landlord began issuing the "clean up or pack up" ultimatums, which Don ignored. I knew his time in housing was coming to an end.

After two days of knocking on his door with no response, I pushed it open. He must have been on his floor for a few days. I couldn't get myself to look at his face - death is not something I handle well. The police were the first to arrive. I know their job probably demands the development of a grim sense of humor, but I found their disparaging comments about Don and his situation both insensitive and dehumanizing. I kept quiet. The medical examiner was more compassionate about the situation. He said that it was unlikely that an autopsy would be done, since there was no foul play. Since Don didn't have any extended family, his passing would go unnoticed by society... no death announcement, no burial stone, no recognition of his time with us in this life.

I guess this blog will have to suffice. I think of Don often.

JOIN's Future Home

2009-06-11T15:35:00.000-07:00

We are slowly crafting a shared vision and plan for JOIN's future home at 1435 NE 81st Ave. The design so far has been sculpted from the suggestions and ideas of JOIN's Board of Directors, Staff, and most importantly the people JOIN serves. The ideas are functional in nature in our effort to deliver services. However, like everything that JOIN does, there is a strong set of values behind them with the goal of incorporating practical and sustainability principles. Our architects Doug Circosta and Saj Jivanjee have done a masterful job in hearing and articulating these ideas through drawings. We appreciate their patiences with us.

The implementation of those ideas has begun with some of the same people that created them through dismantling the inside of the building. As one of JOIN's partners said to me, 'This isn't demolition, it's deconstruction.' He was correct. Our demo process is really a deconstruction process. We are recycling or reusing the majority of materials that are coming out of the building. The vast majority of the work is being done by volunteers--105 volunteers' hours so far. We have had employees from Tazo Tea, members from Sunset Presbyterian Church, the JOIN staff, and several of the people JOIN serves.

We have reclaimed roughly:

17 sheets of sheetrock
16 sheets of plywood
280 feet of insulation
11 doors
2 windows
56 metal studs
27 wood studs
47 feet conduit
several pounds of screws

We are recycling the metal and old sheetrock that cannot be used. All the work being done is under the watchful eye of Stewart March, our general contractor. Stewart brings his own experience and passion for sustainable creations. We will keep you updated on our progress as the summer unfolds.

I love the Greeks!

2009-04-15T09:54:00.000-07:00

by Annie Jesperson, Retention Worker

For my first blog entry ever how could I not write about one of my favorite topics of all time: the GREEKS (the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church community)!! A group of about 15 people from Holy Trinity started a Greek cooking class for folks JOIN has helped into housing, as a way to promote health and build community. They initially organized a series of six cooking classes for 12 newly housed individuals, during which Greek restaurant owners would provide the food for hands-on cooking demonstrations. After each class, the participants and the parishioners ate the meal they taught us to cook and sent folks away with supplies to make the meal again at home. It was an incredible time for everyone involved (as demonstrated by almost perfect attendance for all the classes, which is unheard of for the majority of JOIN events, as people's lives are super unpredictable).

It all sounds a bit wild, doesn't it? Folks who had recently moved off the streets teaming up weekly with Greek Orthodox parishioners for Greek cooking and friendship? It was wild brilliance. Pure beautiful brilliance.

Nobody was willing to say goodbye to the relationships that were formed in those six weeks. After that first round of classes, the parishioners hosted four reunion dinners (including a special Christmas party at a Greek restaurant's banquet hall), some of them shared Christmas day with the JOIN folks who didn't have family to be with for the holidays, three of the women from Trinity attended a JOIN woman's child's birthday party, and continue to regularly support her, they provided the whole JOIN crew with free tickets to the hugely popular 3 day Greek festival, and, and, and...there's way too much generosity to report in one blog!

The Greeks have now completed their second six-week set of classes to which they invited ALL the JOIN folks who participated in the first round (AND THEY ALL TOOK THE CLASSES AGAIN)!! They also added slots to the class to bring five new fortunate people into the joy-filled fold. The Holy Trinity group is already planning round three for the fall of 2009, during which they plan on helping participants gain their food handlers card and other special cooking related certifications to help folks in their pursuit to find work. In a recent cooking class feedback meeting, Darius said what he liked most about the class were the people. Mik appreciated how the parishioners treated him like a human being. Theo, a JOIN participant, echoed these sentiments and said he most valued the fellowship that was a part of every night of this experience. Oh, how I love THE GREEKS!

A brief story about a JOIN peep, by Quinn Colling

2009-03-12T08:06:00.000-07:00

I first met Eamon in the fall. I saw him randomly around the west side of town, camped wherever he would be left alone. Eamon really did not want anything to do with me. I offered him a few blankets or whatever I had with me, but he usually responded "thanks, I'm fine".

As an outreach worker, you soon learn that, with a little patient persistence , a relationship of trust will begin to develop. Eamon, after a few months of hellos and goodbye, decided that he would share a bit of his life story. He came from a middle class family and claimed he had a fairly normal upbringing. Some of his family members had a gambling addiction,which made money tight and the tension high as he entered his teenage years. This led to a separate life outside of his house which sometimes clashed with the law. At age 18, Eamon faced some legal difficulties and spent his early 20's incarcerated. After his release, Eamon went to school, worked as a technician, and supported his family. He maintained a stable life until a divorce from his wife caused a severe depression and a manageable drug habit out to grow out of control. Eamon could not kick the depression and found himself without a job or a home.

For the next seven years, Eamon moved across the continent. (At one point, he was homeless and sleeping outside in the Manitoba provence of Canada). He lived on the streets or with anyone that would let him sleep in their home. He worked odd jobs, barley scraping a living together. Eamon admitted that a few times he tried to get off the streets, but without any success. "Really", he stated, "I gave up on life long ago." Eamon and I spoke for a while longer that night and I told him if he was interested in housing that he should come see me at the office. The day arrived that I was supposed to see Eamon, but he did not show up. I spent the next two weeks looking for Eamon at various camping spots and did not find him. I assumed that he moved to a different town.

I was wrong. One month later, Eamon came to see me at the office. It was a shock to see a healthy, cleanly shaved and smiling Eamon standing in front of me. It turns out that he almost died and had been in the hospital. Some of his organs are failing and he ended up in a coma for over a week. He had been clean for a month and wanted to take me up on my offer.

Eamon moved into housing three weeks later. He has been clean for over five months and housed for three. His health has its up and downs, but that is not stopping him from starting a new life. He is in the process of applying for social security and he volunteers twice a week for various agencies. Eamon has even decided to go back to school. A technical college recently accepted his application and in four years he will receive a bachelors degree. He is currently applying for scholarships and trying to make sense of the student aid process. It will cost quite a bit of money, but he states that it is worth it. He tells me "Quinn, life is worth living and I will make this happen". I believe he will.

Congratulations, Marc!

2009-02-27T15:31:00.000-08:00

JOIN's fearless leader won the Lowenstein Trust Award for his extraordinary contribution to our community. Check it out:

http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2009/02/jolin_wins_lowenstein_award.html

Immersion Retreat- A glimpse into being homeless in Portland

2009-02-10T12:17:00.000-08:00

Immersion Retreat- A glimpse into being homeless in Portland

by Rico Micallef

My son John is being confirmed this year at St. Anthony’s in Tigard. Kathy Fedr is the youth minister in charge of the program. The kids need to perform service hours for confirmation. As part of the service hours, Kathy makes available a variety of programs to give the kids the opportunity to perform these service hours. One of the programs is an “Immersion Retreat” with JOIN. JOIN is a Portland based outreach program whose mission is to make connections with homeless people and help them transition into housing. Kathy told me about the program. I thought it sounded like a great program, and a way to gain insight into a world that I really knew very little about. In fact I thought the program would be a great experience for me and my kids, Maria (13), John (14) and Megan (16); my oldest Amy is away at University of Oregon so she did not participate. My goal was to gain understanding and insight and hopefully through that gain compassion for a lifestyle that I fortunately have never had to experience. So the kids and I, along with Kathy Fedr, Gabe and Katie, (two other confirmation students) headed down to JOIN for the immersion on Friday Jan 16. We arrived at JOIN at about 7:30pm, and were met by Malcolm; a 24 year old man whose enthusiasm to help was quite infectious. Malcolm’s sense of duty and willingness to help is very inspiring, this is a man that clearly feels guilty that he gets to leave the world of the homeless and curl up in his bed each night.

The evening started with a discussion of what our expectations and thoughts about homelessness were. That evening we slept in sleeping bags on the floor. We awoke the next day at 6am, and took the bus to the Blanchet House for breakfast. Blanchet House is in Old Town and serves 3 meals a day, 6 days a week. They serve 41 guests at a time, but still manage to provide an astonishing 26,000 meals a month! We broke up into groups of two, and got in line; once we entered we were given a fork and satdown at table. We were immediately given a plate with 2 pieces of French toast, a ¼ of a grapefruit and half a bagel. In addition there was a thermos of hot chocolate, peanut butter and syrup on the table. This was a perfect way to warm up on what was a beautiful but cold January morning. Maria (my youngest) and I were paired together and we sat down by two gentlemen. The one on my right was a machinist who was out of work; he was well spoken and talked about the difficulty in finding employment. He was inside (i.e. he had a home). The gentleman on my left was difficult to understand, all his belongings were in a large black garbage bag. He took considerable interest in Maria and me and was very concerned for our well-being. Although I told them both that we were here with JOIN, they did not understand that we were in a sense, “visitors”. They did not pass judgment on us, did not look at us and see that our clothes were in better condition then theirs; they simply assumed we were in dire straights and were now in a similar predicament as they were. I am a coffee drinker, and I HAVE to have my morning cup of coffee. I asked about coffee, there was none, that morning they were serving hot chocolate. I poured a cup of hot chocolate. Well, the gentlemen on left got up, went to his bag and returned with a jar of instant coffee, and proceeded to share with me. Once I finished my cup of hot chocolate he called someone over and got me a cup of hot water and made me a cup of instant coffee! I was taken back, this man who had so little would so willingly share with me. After all, he did not know me from Adam, had no idea what my story was, just that I, like him, was at Blanchet House this cold morning for breakfast. Well, his generosity did not stop there. He asked me about various social agencies that I could go to for help. I tried to explain that we were here with JOIN, but he simply said “great”, and sought to further assist us. I did not know what to say, do I say I am not homeless; I am just here to learn? Well, I did not; I did not want to offend him. I accepted his willingness to help and told him that we were working with JOIN today. He asked me if I had food stamps, when I said “no” he offered to meet me later to take me to the food stamp office. Then he opened up his wallet and gave me 7 coupons for meals at the Sisters of the Road Café. The café serves low cost nutritious meals to everyone. The meals can be purchased via cash, food stamps or in exchange for work. He clearly had worked there and had earned a variety of meal tickets. I thanked him and told him that he needed them, so he should keep them. He insisted that he had plenty for himself and for me to take them, so that I could take care of my daughter! I was overwhelmed and accepted his generosity. At the time I really did not know what these coupons were for and what they were worth, so after breakfast we got together to discuss our experience and I told Malcolm about the coupons and offered them to him, asking him to give them to someone who could utilize them. He instead gave each of us one of the coupons and said that if someone asked you for money give them this instead.

We then proceeded to walk around Old Town, where various social services, missions, housing, etc. were. In addition we learned the necessity of having the facilities downtown. Interestingly, the bus station is a central part of this. Greyhound is the most likely form of transportation that the homeless use, as a result many arrive in Portland via Greyhound, hence there is a need for these various missions to be near the Greyhound station. In addition since the government social services are downtown, there is a need for affordable housing downtown. This presents a difficult economic dilemma. How do you revitalize downtown neighborhoods but at the same time keep them affordable for low-income individuals? Low-income families typically do not have transportation, and must walk or take the bus to get from place to place. Being a distance outside of the city makes it very difficult to visit social services.

We eventually made our way to Downtown Chapel, where we sat and conversed and Megan and Katie served bagels and soup. We spoke with a variety of people; some of the stories were quite elaborate and hard to follow. One woman who was very friendly and told elaborate stories gave Maria a small toy. Once again the generosity and sense of community among the individuals we met was incredible. It was now around noon, and it was time for our scavenger hunt and lunch. We were each given a $1 for lunch. We could give the dollar away; buy something to eat or something else. In addition we could go back to Blanchet House for lunch. We broke up into two teams, John, Katie and I, and Kathy, Megan, Maria and Gabe. The scavenger hunt consisted of finding various services for the homeless such as where to get a food basket, where to eat lunch, where to go for shelter, where are public bathrooms, where to get socks or blankets as well as learning terminology such as what is the CHIERS van? What is a Burnside Cadillac? Find a copy of Street Roots and find out what the newspaper used to be called. In order to be successful it was necessary to converse with people on the street. This was an excellent way to simulate the day-to-day activities that a person who recently found himself on the street would have to go through. Since we had recently had soup and a bagel we ended up skipping lunch. I used my $1 to buy a copy of Street Roots. The other team had lunch at the Blanchet house- where they enjoyed bratwurst.

At 1PM we met back at the bus stop and took the bus back to JOIN. At JOIN we met Buck, a man who spent several years on the street, but has now been off the street with the help of JOIN for several years. Buck was a small business owner who lost everything after his wife died. He had difficulty coping after the loss of his wife, and eventually found himself on the street after losing his business and his home. Buck was a very pleasant man. He explained why he had chosen to live underneath the Ross Island Bridge rather than in a shelter. In a shelter, you are inches away from the other occupants; illness and disease can spread easily among the occupants. In addition, Buck had a dog. There are no shelters that accept animals. In those situations a person has little choice but to wave a sign and ask strangers for money. To be honest, I have historically never had much sympathy for people hustling money on the street. I always assumed that they chose to be there and there were plenty of places that they could go if they wanted to. I never realized that there were reasons why you would not go to a shelter versus staying on the street.

Our first task was “dumpster diving”, we went to a dumpster that was locked at a local car wash. They permitted us to “look through” the dumpster to find items that a homeless person could use. The kids found a towel, cans, bottles, a sandwich that was still wrapped, and other “useful” items. When we were done we put the items back into the dumpster. We then proceeded to the Ross Island Bridge, where Buck showed us where he once lived. He and seven others lived in tents underneath the bridge. They would carry 4 gallons of water in jugs several times per week from the gas station to their campsite. The water was strictly for drinking and cooking. Buck mentioned that when he was on the street he took a shower once every six months. I use to work on Milwaukie, as a result I drove over the Ross Island Bridge almost everyday for about 3 years; I had no idea that anyone was living underneath the bridge. When we were there, we came across one shelter underneath the bridge made of cardboard. This winter, the idea of living underneath the Ross Island Bridge with only cardboard protecting you from the wind and cold is truly frightening!

We returned to JOIN, where we met Michael, a man that had been on the streets since he was 10 years old. Drugs and an abusive home life had put Michael on the streets. He spent much of his youth in and out of jail involved in drugs and violence. He was now clean and off the street, and wanted to help educate people on the horrors of making the wrong choices.

We then had a simple dinner of pasta with vegetables, sauce and bread. The last thing we did was reflect on the weekend and what we learned.

My children thought I was nuts to “make” them do this. Only my youngest, Maria, thought it would be an interesting exercise. In the end they all came way with something. I know for myself, I achieved what I wanted, which was to gain a better understanding of the issues facing the homeless and more compassion for their plight. Hopefully the lessons we learned will translate into action, making ourselves available to help. I for one plan on doing more to assist people who find themselves homeless through a variety of circumstances.

One last thought…..

I cannot but help think of an encounter I had several years ago with a homeless person. Allegro, my company, was at the time located on Airport Way. There was a green area behind Allegro with trees and a creek running through it. We had two homeless people “camped” behind us. At first I did not think much about it. Unfortunately, they would routinely go through our dumpster and make a mess; this coupled with employees concern for their safety left me little choice but to deal with the situation. I went out to speak with the people in the tent, but they were not there. Their “campsite” was a mess: garbage everywhere, old computers, monitors, open cans of food, trash, etc. I returned to my desk and called the landlord and explained the situation to them. They called the police and the police came out. When I showed them to the campsite, the officer had his gun drawn. I was a bit alarmed and asked why; he explained that you never know what you are going to find. I thought to myself- I naively walked into the camp by myself, maybe that was not such a good idea? The officer left a note advising them that they were trespassing on private property and that they had 24 or 48 hours to clear out or their belongings would be seized and thrown away. I felt awful, and asked if that was truly necessary. After all, how could we throw the few belongings these individuals had? I was told that if we tried to help we simply would never get rid of them and it was best to take this approach. Having had no prior experience with this type of situation, I took the easy path followed the officer’s advice. In the end Allegro was a tenant, it was not my choice to evict them or not. At the same time that this was going on, we had found a cat in the warehouse that had a litter. Before the day was out, several employees had volunteered to take the kittens home, and one employee passed a hat around to raise money to take the cats to the vet to ensure they were fine. There was no hat passed around for the individuals “camped” behind Allegro. No one wanted to know who they were; all they wanted was for them to be gone. I am ashamed that I did not do the Christian thing and help them. Unlike the man at Blanchet House that was so willing to assist me, at that time I was not willing take a chance, I told myself I was too busy, it was not my problem. I took the easy way out, and I closed my eyes. I won’t let that happen again.

Snow Days

2008-12-22T21:38:00.001-08:00

When I was first considering this blog entry, I was planning to describe a day that had gone quite well.

I had arrived at the JOIN office early and was happy to see that the box truck which I had signed out was there and ready to roll. I had an easy drive to a SE apartment complex where I met with a man that I met doing outreach and the manager of the complex.

He was receiving his keys to his new apartment and spirits were high. We had been searching for a place that would approve his application in spite of his two felony drug convictions one and two years before. Although I am confident that he will be a great tenant, finding a landlord who was willing to offer him a chance was not easy.

After touring his new place and exchanging happy words, I was back on the road and headed for the Community Warehouse.

JOIN helps folks find housing. The Community Warehouse helps folks create homes. The staff there are amazing and patient and helpful.

The man that I was meeting was waiting for me and we quickly went to work finding a fold out couch and two chairs and a table that would fill his small studio apartment. His experience finding a place was also challenging. He has an eviction within the last year along with significant time sleeping outdoors.

We unloaded the furniture into his apartment and I sat down to take in the warmth. We had worked hard and together to find a good place.

The rest of my day was spent stopping by the apartment of a guy that JOIN had helped move in to an apartment about a year ago, and visiting a man that I recently helped to move into the Clark Center Men's shelter, and a few campers out in the eastern part of my Southeast outreach area.

I remember driving home feeling that things had unfolded nicely.

And then the weather threatend.

Before the first of the frost hit, JOIN had issued a press release asking for donations of blankets and our office filled up quickly. Every outreach worker and several other staff loaded vehicles and hit the streets with blankets, coats, socks, hats, scarves and gloves. The once over-filled office emptied within a couple of days as we worked day and night checking in on folks.

Now the weather seems so familiar and the snow quite beautiful.

Donations are continuing to pour in and we are continuing to get them out to folks who are choosing to stay outside instead of seeking shelter in one of the warming centers.

I am so very impressed by the way that our community is looking at this extreme weather as an opportunity to look out for one another. I wish I could pass along the thanks I hear from people to those in the community who are donating clothes, money and time to help out folks who need it.

Warming Center Opens in JOIN's New Building

2008-12-16T12:34:00.000-08:00

Left: Marc Jolin and Nick Fish at the Warming Center Press Conference

Right: The new warming center

November 18th, 2008, by Mike O'Malley

2008-11-24T14:02:00.000-08:00

Staff Meeting
The Join staff, just like any community, can be grouped along many different fault lines: meat-eaters and vegetarians; right-handed folks and lefty southpaws; coffee drinkers and tea sippers; loyal true-blue Democrats and ornery Nader-supporters; those who appreciate the work of Bruce Springsteen and those who feel that Bon Jovi is actually the best thing to ever come out of Jersey. To this list must be added: those who love meetings and those that tolerate them. I tend to fall into the latter of these categories, but, since I am lucky enough to work with some of the coolest, most extraordinary and talented people on the face of the earth, I don’t mind spending an hour every Tuesday morning in staff meeting. Sometimes we pick up some donuts to make the meetings more palatable—nothing like fried dough to take the edge off the morning. The donuts are noticeably lacking at this morning’s meeting, but there is a new staff member—her name’s MC, she’s a JV, and she’s AOK by me. We spend the hour discussing some of the pressing issues facing our agency right now and sharing stories with each other. Since I spend a great deal of time working on my own, I really appreciate this chance to check in with my co-workers and bask in the warmth of their company and their wit.

Moving Furniture
When the meeting adjourns, I head out in Join's furniture-moving vehicle, a giant white box truck that is the vehicular equivalent of Moby Dick. Today, I am bringing furniture to two people who Join helped move off the streets and into apartments. I am assisted in my efforts by Amit, a generous friend with a strong back and a work schedule that is flexible enough to allow him to volunteer a few hours for Join every once in a while. Together, we drive to the Oregon Community Warehouse and sift through their aisles and aisles of donated furniture and household items, the blessed detritus of our society ("We are totally dependent on America's habit of upgrading its home furnishings," one Warehouse employee reflects). Amit and I cram the great white whale with some nice pieces of furniture and head first to Sally's apartment.

I met Sally in 2001, camping near a freeway off-ramp in the Hollywood district with her longtime boyfriend, Ted. We've stayed in close contact over these past seven years as she struggled to survive on the streets while battling her addiction, eventually kicking heroin a couple of years ago with the help of the methadone program. It was a happy, joyous day last April when Sally finally moved off the streets and into her own one bedroom apartment, a beautiful place in Southeast Portland. I'm thinking about that April day as Amit and I pull up to her place and unload the furniture. Sally is there waiting for us and is extremely grateful for the recliner and queen-sized mattress, though I catch the emotional exhaustion in her voice. Last week, Sally came home to find Ted lying dead on her mattress in a pool of blood and bile, a victim of liver failure. On the same day, Sally was informed that her best friend in Portland had also died. Amit and I spend a while hanging out with Sally in her apartment and offer what emotional support we can, but this is a woman who has experienced the kind of bad day that few of us can imagine. Considering the hard rain of events that this last week has brought her, though, she actually seems like she is doing fairly well. "I just have to keep moving forward," she says. "It's what I've always done." I leave the apartment in awe at the strength and resilience of her spirit, with a promise to visit her again soon.

Our second furniture delivery is also in Southeast Portland, just down the road from Sally. Roger is another long time camper, someone that I have known since 2000. He moved off the streets a few days ago and has been sleeping on the floor of his empty apartment in a nest of gray disaster blankets ever since. Amit and I bring him a veritable IKEA's worth of household furnishings: bed, couch, coffee table, end tables, lamps, armchair, artwork, and various kitchen sundries. I can tell that Roger is very pleased with all that we have brought him, though he is not one to gush. To be blunt, he is a cranky, cantankerous, crotchety old-timer, but I am actually very, very fond of this weathered survivor and extremely happy to seem him safely inside before the winter cold descends on Portland. As we sit and chat in Roger's now furnished apartment, the subject of a telephone comes up. "I don't want one," Roger says emphatically. " People don't want to talk to me, and I don't want to talk to them!" Present company excluded, he assures me. I thank him for that honor and tell him that I'll come back and visit soon. Amit and I return to the box truck and head back to Join.

A Day at the JOIN "House"

2008-10-08T09:55:00.000-07:00

JOIN always inspires such a mix of emotions for me. I can feel sorrow, peace, frustration, anxiety and joy on any given day as I interact with our community. Human emotions are often laid bare here.

I help run JOIN’s basic services in our day space, “The House,” and I am continually reminded of how physically and emotionally taxing homelessness and poverty can be. The House can often be chaotic. New people looking for housing, regulars waiting for a shower, and people just looking for a safe place to rest all crowd into our small space. I’ve learned to focus on the person in front of me with single-minded intensity.

My friend Hank is facing the reality the he will go blind shortly unless he gets surgery on his corneas. Hank has no insurance. He doesn’t qualify for Oregon Health Plan. He is already $35,000 in debt. He spoke very casually about his predicament, perhaps because he has so many other health problems. He told me, “If it’s not one thing, it’s another.” I wonder if he will be able to navigate the lengthy appeals process for Social Security Disability in time to apply for OHP. We shall see. Despite the challenges his health poses, Hank is always eager to chat with me and often offers to help clean up our day space at the end of the day.

I’ve seen a spike in the number of families with children seeking housing services. It is so heartbreaking to see little kids who are worried about where they will sleep for the night. At the same time, small acts of kindness and beauty punctuate the community landscape here. One camper offers another a bus ticket after we have run out. People exchange tips on the best places to get meals. Morris, a JOIN regular, is so proud of the macramé bracelets he has been creating. A tiny kitten was recently a temporary resident of JOIN during the day. Scott and Angie’s cat had kittens, and we are helping to find a home for one of them. I make a point to wander upstairs periodically to join the crowd of admirers clustered around her. Scott and Angie have inquired about pet services, which can be difficult for low-income folks to get on a consistent basis. We are lucky to have a partnership with Pet Samaritan for our campers and their pets.

Jillian, House Coordinator

She found a job. Now, how can she get to it?

2008-07-24T08:02:00.000-07:00

JOIN has been supporting Josie Del Gato for a number of years. At 21 years old, she has regularly impressed us with her resourcefulness and incredible capacity to navigate the bizarre world of social service resources. Despite these gifts, Josie and her two year old son Franklin continued to struggle financially. She had been tied to the state welfare system and all its mandates, and didn't have much work experience to refer to with other employers. Josie and I spent alot of time filling out online applications and looking at craigslists for various jobs. Nothing materialized.

Then, one day Josie calls me about a job at the airport. She found an ad in the newspaper for baggage handler. I bring her and Franklin to PDX, and Josie fills out the application paperwork while Franklin and I run around the food court, greeting all the FTA staff. Two days later, Josie calls me thrilled that she was hired! While the pay rate was surprisingly low for such an important job, Josie's excitement was overwhelming. She arranges childcare and I make sure she has enough bus tickets to get to the airport, and she begins her training period.

The weeklong training flies by, and she gets her regular schedule for the remainder of her 90 day probationary period - Wednesday through Sunday 5am to 1:30pm.

5:00 am? Ouch!! Despite the wonderful transportation resources to and from PDX, there is no reliable or affordable way to get to the airport at that time of day, especially from her home in east Gresham.

The practical solution would be for Josie to have her own transportation... a car. Not only would this help her get to and from work, but it would provide greater independence in running errands, getting Franklin to day care or preschool, and so on. While I hate to admit it, a car is vital to the lives of many families (including my own).

I broach the idea of buying Josie a car with my coworkers. It seems like I'm the only one holding any hesitation. Can I justify investing that much in someone? What happens if Josie loses the job? What if she can't afford to keep the car up? What if other of JOIN's friends need a car... will we be setting a precident?

In the end, these concerns do not outweigh the fact that Josie is finding her own path to housing stability, and JOIN should do what we can to support her efforts. And, while I am procrastinating in my decision, Josie is sleeping overnight at the airport in order to make sure she can get to work on time. That's enough to get me out of the navelgazing and onto the car lot.

With some quick searching, Josie and I find a mid-90s Buick that appears in reasonable shape. The dealer seems willing to cut us a deal given her situation, and in a matter of three days, Josie owns her own car. She drives to work for the first time the next day.

Of course, owning a car is not the solution to all of Josie's struggles. She must now calculate gas and insurance into her limited budget. Franklin's child care expenses will increase as she further separates herself from the welfare entitlements she has received. And, unfortunately, she has already had to invest in some car repairs. Despite these continued challenges, Josie's optimism continues to carry her towards the long path out of poverty, and JOIN will continue to be there for her when we're needed.

Bill

Retention Event!!

2008-06-27T14:00:00.000-07:00

At one point at a retention team meeting, we decided it would be a super great idea to try to organize a fishing trip as a retention activity- we all work with folks who love to fish but have no equipment, or any way to get to a lake or river.
After some negotiating with Lio and Quinn (two of our outreach workers and our resident fishermen), we scheduled the date. We had about 16 people who wanted to come, and I was super excited about it.
The morning of the trip, Quinn and I took one of our trusty vans to go pick up some folks who were unable to meet us at JOIN. We had planned to pick up 4 people, but as sometimes happens with events we plan, especially in the morning, three of them cancelled in the moments before we were to pick them up. Fortunately we were able to pick up another friend who had not made it to the bus in time to meet us at JOIN, so Quinn and I and our two friends headed back to JOIN to meet Lio and the rest.
Back at JOIN a few more people who had planned to meet us did not show up, so we invited a few folks who were at JOIN at the time, and headed west to Henry Hagg Lake with two vans and seven friends. We stopped at Fred Meyer on the way to pick up day fishing licenses and some food for a barbeque, as well as some last minute bait and other fishing supplies.
It was SUCH a beautiful day! In the seventies, sunny with no clouds in the sky, the perfect day to spend at the lake- we even had a few sunburns! Retention events are so much fun because so many of the folks we work with do not have the resources to enjoy our beautiful Pacific Northwest, and it's so amazing to get to take people out to enjoy nature- most of the folks who came with us hadn't been fishing in 20 years or longer!
Everyone seemed to have a really great time- it was so fun to see folks who had been friends on the street but hadn't seen one another in quite some time reconnect, to see friends who didn't know one another laughing, joking, and helping one another out- I am consistently awed by the sense of community we are able to create and maintain with our friends. We had a great barbeque, but the animal kingdom was not on our side- some birds opened and ate almost all our chips, and with nine poles in the water, we only caught three fish! The first one caught was the only one big enough to keep, and after Lio cleaned it we threw it straight on the grill- my friend L who caught it had a huge grin on his face as he took it around to everyone to share a taste- I didn't have any, but I hear it was delicious! Once everyone had a taste, the birds finished the fish off as well- I don't think there's any danger of the birds at Hagg Lake starving to death.
So after some fun in the sun, we packed up the vans and headed back to Portland. Lio, three friend and I were in our large, blue, 15-passenger van. Lio had a friend he was moving into an apartment in Cornelius, and we had taken some of his belongings with us, so we could drop them off at his place while we were out in that direction. After some trouble finding his place, we parked the van in the driveway, turned it off, and unloaded all his belongings. We all piled back in the van to leave, and much to our surprise, the van wouldn't start. Lio had just spent time fixing some electrical problems on this particular van last week, so we were fairly disappointed that we were unable to get it started. Immediately the three friends we had with us jumped out and huddled into a panel of expertise under the hood, trying different tricks and shouting instructions to Lio behind the wheel. We called Quinn, who by now was back in the city with the other vanload of friends, who agreed to drop our friends off at the MAX station and come back to Cornelius to get us. Finally one of our friends got a neighbor to give us a jump start, and we were on our way, calling Quinn to tell him nevermind.
Apparently that call was preemptive. We made it to just before the Zoo exit on Eastbound 26, when Lio slowed down for the rush hour traffic and the van died. In the middle lane of the highway. While moving. During rush hour. Thankfully we were on a bit of a downhill slope, and Lio was able to maneuver the van over into the right lane and coast down to the Zoo exit, where we parked in some gravel on the side of the exit just in front of the No Parking Zone (though I suspect that we weren't meant to park there either!) As Lio coasted up the exit ramp, I called Quinn back to tell him that we needed him afterall, and not a moment too soon- he was in the act of handing the van keys off to another co-worker when he answered the phone! Quinn came to get us, we loaded everything and everyone into the working van, and headed back to JOIN.
Despite our fishing and vehicular challenges, everyone had a great time. Lio and Quinn were able to get the van back to JOIN that evening, where it is currently parked awaiting either rescue or towing to an unknown future. We hope to be able to do another fishing trip with folks who were unable to make it to this one, though I'm fairly sure the blue van is not invited.

June 9, 2008 Outreach by Jarvis Allen

2008-06-11T21:36:00.000-07:00

I had this absurd plan that I would move in ten people (three households) yesterday. The first move, for a family of five living in outer southeast, went smoothly enough. I picked up furniture from our darling friends at the Community Warehouse and had it all unloaded at their new apartment by noon. I drove from there to move #2, for a family of four also in outer southeast. They piled into their van and followed behind me as I drove in the rusty trusty JOIN van. And here my grand plan for three moves unraveled, as their van broke down on the freeway. They were able to repair it quickly, and we continued on to the warehouse, but the breakdown was just enough to derail move #3. We loaded their furniture, amidst much good natured bickering, and drove back to their apartment. By the time we got everything unloaded and set in their apartment, it was 5:30, the warehouse was closed, I rescheduled my last move, and my day was done.

Or so I thought. I went home, ate dinner, and tried to relax, but I couldn't stop thinking about my friend Mr. S. I have been working with Mr. S for a year, and after a rocky start we have established an excellent rapport and fine working relationship. He is living in an SRO downtown, but has a section 8 voucher and has found a wonderful apartment in a very respectable building. It is a great opportunity, but there is some snafu in his application that is delaying his move, causing him quite a bit of anxiety. Anyhow, I couldn't stop thinking about him, so at 9 pm I went to his apartment to talk over the situation.

After an hour or so with Mr. S I went home, reflecting on the events of the day and my strange job. There is so much work to do, stopping work often seems arbitrary. We are never done. Even successes, like helping folks move indoors, are easily forgotten in the constant rush of new and ongoing work.

5/2/08 Outreach by Liz Weber

2008-05-05T13:00:00.000-07:00

I meet Mike, my outreach partner in North/Northeast Portland, at 7 am. Earlier in the week we got an email message from a Crime Prevention Coordinator we partner with about some campers near Marine Drive and at Delta Park so we head out to North Portland in a light drizzle. There are no campers at either spot, but by 9 am, I have managed to get stuck on a fence, have completely wet feet, and am very much looking forward to a cup of coffee.

Mike and I then drive to St. Johns to visit our friends Sarah and Joe. The couple has been outside for about three years but Sarah just got her first SSI check so they are now looking for apartments. Joe is optimistic about a duplex they visited and we agree that if they are accepted, JOIN will pay the deposit and Joe and Sarah will pay the first month rent with her first check.

After coffee and some breakfast, Mike and I part ways and I pick up my friend, Linda, in North Portland.

The day before, we got the very good news that Linda's application for an apartment was accepted, so we go to her new residence to fill out paperwork for the Shelter Plus Care voucher that will be paying her rent. On the drive back to North Portland, Linda talks about all the things she is looking forward to doing in her new place. She says that since she has been outside, her daughter hasn't let her visit her grandchildren and now that she has a place, she is going to be able to reconnect with them.

I head back to the office, check my email and voice mail and pick up a JOIN van to help another friend move.

I arrive at 1:30. No one is there and the door is locked. Bad sign. My friend was supposed to be out of her apartment a couple days ago and the landlord is going to meet us at 3:00. I call my friend and she says she will be here soon. While I wait, I visit another friend who lives in the same apartment building.

At 2:30 my friend arrives but she doesn't have the key either. We have to wait for the landlord.

When he arrives and opens her door, it is obvious that she isn't even close to being done. We work for a couple hours but it is clear that we won't finish today. By 5:30, the landlord is annoyed, I am hot and tired, and my friend is very stressed out. The landlord agrees to give my friend the rest of the weekend to complete the move and we take the van load of stuff to her new apartment.

4/23/08 by Courtenay Shinn

2008-04-24T16:37:00.000-07:00

8:20am Drop-off a check (to cover a fee for late paid rent) to Caroline at 174th and Burnside. Husband Vincent invites me in for coffee but I am running late. After thanking me profusely for the rent assistance, he encourages me to come by again soon to visit.

8:30am Walter calls to say he's not coming on the Oaks Bottom trip and also can't make it to our afternoon appointment. We tentatively reschedule for Friday. Another fellow, Colin, also calls to say that I shouldn't pick him up for the trip.

8:35am Pick-up Ronald at 148th and Stark. He is disappointed to hear that Walter isn't coming. Ronald insists we listen to the CD that he gifted me yesterday; we rock out to rap tunes for the rest of the carride. We pick up Morgan at Motel 6 just before arriving at JOIN. Morgan has not been to the doctor about his infected surgical incision, but it is looking much, much better. He promises to go to the doctor tomorrow.

9:15am Field trip! Annie (HILLTOP award-winning retention worker) has organized a medicinal/edible plant walking tour of Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge. A decent crowd of 20ish folks are gathered at JOIN for the outting. Coffee and donuts are shared. It looks like Annie and Steve can fit everyone in 2 vans, so I decide to stay behind and get some computer work done.

11:00am Make calls to a dozen folks that I haven't seen or heard from recently. Nobody answers, but I leave messages inviting everyone on our trip to the gorge next week. Talk to Christy Sue who was recently evicted from her trailer park and had settled at a new one. She says the new place was a week-to-week trailer park, and she exhausted the maximum allowable time there. She and her partner still have their mobile home, but they haven't had any luck finding a new trailer park. I encourage her to come in and see Mike (her outreach worker) at the office next week on Tuesday.

12:30pm Lunch with Lio (outreach worker) at a cafe close to JOIN. We take the opportunity to discuss some of the folks that we both work with, but mostly we just catch up on each other's lives. Since much of our time at JOIN as retention/outreach workers is spent out of the office working one-on-one with folks, any time spent in the company of co-workers is a real treat!

1:30pm I really need to get out of the office and go visit a few folks at home, but Lio and I are waiting on Sherry to come in and meet with us. In the past 9 months Lio and I have put more time into supporting Sherry than almost any of our other households, as she battled DHS for custody of her kids, attended in-patient drug treatment, enrolled in JOIN's "Mothers Helping Mothers" mentorship program, and got her first job EVER. We are both incredibly proud of what she has done to turn her own life around, but recently she has not been in very good contact with us. We want to meet and make sure that things are still going well for her; we also need to discuss her housing voucher that will time-out next month.

2:30pm Still waiting on Sherry; Lio calls her to find out that she is running late and the kids are throwing tantrums on the bus. Sherry and Lio decide to meet tomorrow without me (and without the kids).

2:45pm I receive a call with some terrible news. One of my households had applied to live at a site-based Section 8 apartment, and while Doris had been approved, Ted had been denied based on his criminal record. The manager of the apartment is calling to inform me that Ted's appeal of his denial has been reviewed and again denied. I am devasted for Doris and Ted - they're an incredible couple that has been working very hard to find jobs and develop an income to afford their current apartment. Since they've had little luck finding work, moving into Section 8 housing when their voucher ends next month would have been a fantastic solution. The job search will continue, but I worry that we don't have enough time to resolve the situation.

3:00pm Janet appears at JOIN; she is hoping I can give her a ride over to the Pregnancy Resource Center to pick up a highchair and babygate that they have given to her. I definitely hadn't planned on running this errand today, but I know how much Janet has been wanting a high chair, and her home isn't too far out of the way of where I am going to visit someone else. We hop in the car and head out.

3:45pm I drop Janet at home; somehow the day has escaped me and I don't have enough time for both my remaining appointments. I call Allison to reschedule our visit. Allison recently had a baby and is a full-time student at Portland Community College. She's doing a fantastic job as a first-time mom, and I am excited to see how much baby Ethan has grown in the 2 weeks since I last saw him!

4:15pm I have a long phone conversation with the representative that made the decision to deny Ted's appeal. I share glowing reviews of my experiences with Ted since he moved into housing last June, but the representative remains firm by her decision. Ted needs to establish a few more months of clean record before they can feel comfortable renting to him. She encourages me to have Ted reapply the next time there is a vacancy. Who knows when that could be???

4:35pm I pick-up Roger at home to take him grocery shopping. Roger is feeling grumpy about his broken leg, the discomfort of wearing a cast, and the limitations of hobbling around on crutches. The prescription pain medicine isn't helping as much as he hoped it would, and his foot is starting to swell, turn purple, and lose circulation. I can't convince him to go back to the hospital tonight, but he agrees to let me take him first thing tomorrow morning. I drive Roger to the grocery store, help him get his groceries, take him home, and call it a day!

4/22/08 by Courtenay Shinn

2008-04-23T10:14:00.000-07:00

8:00am Pick-up Janet at home (SE Pardee and 104th) and take her to apply for a job at the Doubletree Laundry. JOIN has been supporting Janet, her husband, and her 6 month old baby with a housing voucher that will soon timeout. Janet and her husband are both looking for work so that they can begin paying their own rent and utilities. Janet was interviewed for two other jobs last week; we are hopeful that one of the three will work out.

9:00am Weekly staff meeting at JOIN. Vy Swiftcloud from Central City Concern stops in to discuss the 45 of our folks for whom she administers housing vouchers.

10:00am Do a little office business at JOIN: Make a to-do list for the day. Call some folks to remind them about the Oaks Bottom field trip tomorrow. Call a landlord to check on the status of one of my folks' application for tenancy. Respond to an e-mail from Michael, a potential new volunteer at JOIN. Michael wants to do some friendly visiting to folks that we’ve recently housed; he and I are trying to coordinate schedules so that he can shadow me for a day. Just before heading out, chat with Margaret, president of JOIN’s board, who is stopping by to see Marc, our Executive Director.

11:15 am Stop by Motel 6 on SE Powell and 31st to visit Morgan. He is working with Quinn (an outreach worker), and they are in the final steps of moving Morgan into his own apartment. Since Morgan just had a hernia operation 10 days ago, we have put him up in a hotel while he waits for the final approval from the Housing Authority. Morgan says he slept terribly last night. He shows me his surgical incision, which is totally infected. I encourage him to return to the hospital today to have it checked out. Otherwise, he is excited about moving inside next week!

12: 05pm Stop by Walter’s house on SE Division and 117th. He isn’t home. Just as I am writing a note to leave on his door, my phone rings. It’s Walter! He has gotten some temporary, part-time work and is calling me from the job site. I remind him that JOIN is taking an outing to Oaks Bottom tomorrow, and he decides to come along. We also make plans to stop by the financial aid office at the hospital tomorrow. Walter spent 3 weeks there in December and is still fighting for assistance in paying the bills. Since he is zero income and has no insurance, I don't quite understand why it is taking so long for him to get approved for financial aid. I hope we can sort it out tomorrow. One of Walter's neighbors also works with JOIN, but I have no time to visit him today. Moving on!

12:17pm Head over to an apartment complex on SE Stark and 148th where five JOIN households reside. Visit Darren and Linda first. Linda just had elective bypass surgery on a blocked artery in her leg, but is recovering fairly well. I help her fill out a 1040 form for the IRS. Since she receives Social Security Disability, she is eligible for the $300 Economic Stimulus Reimbursement. Next, visit Andrew downstairs. His application for Social Security Disability was recently denied, so we call his lawyer to hear about the appeals process. He asks me to bring him a mop and some cleaning supplies the next time that I visit. I am happy to do that; these items can't be purchased with food stamps. A few doors down, I visit Ronald. One of his neighbors had thrown out a fish tank, and he has set it up nicely. I brought him a couple fish a few weeks ago, and they are looking very happy. Ronald is really proud of his fishtank, so we make plans to get some plants to add to it. As I am getting ready to leave, Ronald presents me with a belated b-day gift; 2 CDs of rap music that he bought at the 7-11. I promise to listen to them as soon as I get back in the car. Last visit at the apartment, Craig. Craig is in an extremely bad mood -- he has a really high utility bill that will cost him half of his SSD check, and then he worries he won't have enough left for his portion of his monthly rent, his groceries, and food for his cat. Craig was in this same situation back in February, thus the terrible mood. He is hoping I can help him get a pair of reading glasses; I will contact the Lyons Club Gift of Sight program.

3:00pm Visit Caroline and her son Vincent. JOIN is helping them pay a late fee on their rent, so I am just dropping off the check. Caroline needs diapers for Vincent, so I make her a list of agencies that might provide them. She also asks if I can get her 4 kitchen chairs and a couch. We make plans to visit the Community Warehouse next Thursday.

4:15pm Last stop of the day, Foster and 122nd. Roger was hit by a car last week and is recovering from a broken leg. His neighbor Jack, who was also helped by JOIN, is visiting him when I stop by. Roger's leg has a giant cast and he says he is in a lot of pain. He asks if I can take him to a pharmacy to fill his prescription for pain medication. I had some other plans for the rest of the afternoon, but this seems much more important. First we have to drive across town to a friend's house where he has stowed his knapsack and the prescription from the hospital. We swing by the accident site to see if his bike is still there (it couldn't be brought in the ambulance with him), but it is gone. We hit a pharmacy, I bring him home, and at around 6:30pm the day is finally done!

4/4/08 by Steve Gevurtz

2008-04-07T14:00:00.000-07:00

I woke up early to get a jumpstart on my case-notes, and then headed out to an apartment building in inner northeast Portland to remind folks about the dinner tonight at JOIN hosted by our friends at the Sunset Presbyterian Church.

In particular I wanted to see Stephanie, who hadn’t been to one of our community events in a while, to check in about the dinner. Stephanie can be a little reserved and wary of large social gatherings. I let her know that other JOIN workers would be there and the dinner was going to be a yummy taco salad. Stephanie agreed to let me pick her up for the dinner in the early evening.

After leaving the apartment building, I headed out to Birch, one of JOIN’s community partners that helps provide emergency food-boxes for our recently housed folks. Along with boxes of canned vegetables and loaves of bread, I also picked up a box of Danner boots to bring to a few of our folks who have recently started doing landscaping work.

After a quick lunch, I stopped by the hospital to see my friend Jason. Jason had two heart attacks in the last month and soon will be transitioning into an assisted living center. It is still hard for Jason to stand and get out of bed. We sat for a while and reminisced about some of Jason’s friends on the street.

Jason asked for me to play a few riffs on his acoustic guitar. Jason seemed to light up watching me stumble my way through, “Stairway to Heaven.” He showed me an easier way to play it. Jason asked me to say hello to some of his friends at the dinner and asked me to raise a toast to his recovery at exactly 7 pm. He wants to raise a toast at the same time.

Went to pick Stephanie up and she was there waiting outside for me ready for the dinner. Twenty-five or so folks end up showing up at JOIN for the feast. Church members and JOIN folks alike helped set up chairs and tables as folks got settled and begin chattering with each other.

Children from the congregation delivered plates of delicious taco salad for dinner and topped it off with chocolate cake for dessert. At 7 pm we all raise our glasses of juice and cups of coffee for Jason, hoping he is doing the same thing.

Welcome to "A day in the life of JOIN"

2008-03-18T10:41:00.001-07:00

There's a lot to learn about JOIN from the statistics you find on our home page. It matters a great deal how many people we are able to help into housing, how long they remain housed, and what it costs to achieve these successes.

But very often supporters tell us they get more insight into JOIN's work from the stories of staff people and the individuals who they work with. So we're using this blog to report, in virtually real-time, the often chaotic, sometimes happy, and sometimes tragic details of the day-to-day activities of JOIN staff.

We've asked our outreach and retention team members to each spend a week posting brief updates on how they spent their days. We will, of course, protect the privacy of the individuals who we are working with by avoiding or changing details that might reveal their identities. But our goal is to provide unfiltered and very concrete reports on what we do.

Please feel free to share your thoughts or questions in response to the posts.

Thank you for your interest!

Marc Jolin