Image for spinner

Opportunity Details

TeamWorks: Helping the Homeless: Resources for Aid in Portland (age 18+)

 

THIS TEAMWORKS TOOK PLACE IN 2013


Join a TeamWorks team of volunteers for a series of done-in-a-day projects led by a Hands On Greater Portland TeamWorks Leader. TeamWorks offers volunteers the opportunity to make a slightly longer-term commitment to volunteering, delve into a topic or issue-area, and get to know other volunteers in the process.

Seeing the homeless population of Portland is part of walking through the city. But the individuals you actually see on the streets are only part of the story. According to a recent article, the number of those without housing in our city is likely to get worse, particularly among veterans, families, women, and adults with disabilities. 

Have you ever wondered who these individuals are, what resources are available to assist those without shelter, or what you might be able to do to help? This TeamWorks aims to explore these issues and take a closer look at the non-profits in the city who support the more than 5,000 homeless (according to One Night Homelessness Counts, 2011). Fortunately, those agencies are numerous and dedicated. 

During this TeamWorks we will visit Blanchet House to serve a nutritious meal and we will interact face-to-face with individuals experiencing homelessness at Operation Nightwatch. Have you ever walked by someone who has tried to sell you a newspaper you may not recognize? That came from Street Roots. We will be visiting their facility to hear more about how they empower homeless individuals to learn new skills. Then we will join in the wonderful craziness that is Potluck in the Park, an organization that has served hot meals to over 800 people, no questions asked. Finally, we will wrap up by making Ugly Quilts, sleeping bags made of used or no-cost fabricswhich will then be distributed to those in need. Scattered throughout our projects, we will have discussions and reflections to make sure we are getting at the heart of this topic. 

Please note: All TeamWorks members are asked to pay an administrative fee of $10 at the first project to confirm your participation on the team and help keep the TeamWorks program running. Scholarships are available upon request.

What is TeamWorks? TeamWorks teams consist of approximately 10-15 individuals, led by a Hands On trained volunteer leader, who commit to volunteering for every project in the series, so please carefully check the schedule below before signing up! Signing up for the FIRST session will sign you up for the entire TeamWorks. If you know in advance you'd have to miss one of the projects, let us know and you might still be eligible to join the team. Questions can be directed to Katie Colleran, TeamWorks Leader, by using the "Email Opportunity Leader" link in the grey box at the end of the page. 

Team Schedule:

Session One:  Serve Lunch at Blanchet House
Saturday, July 13, 10:30am-1pm, Downtown Portland
For our kick-off session, we’ll be meeting at Blanchet House of Hospitality, which offers free meals, beds, and jobs to the poor. In recent years it has been joined by two more properties to become a multi-unit complex of charitable endeavors, including the Blanchet Farm in Carlton, OR, which serves as a working farm and recovery site for men. For all 56 years of its existence, the Blanchet programs have been managed by the men who originally came for a meal and a place to stay. They live in the House and perform all of the daily tasks involved in its operation, thus contributing to their own self-esteem and developing a community spirit. Since its inception, the House has served over 17 million hot meals, provided over 1 million night's lodging, distributed over 800,000 items of clothing, and filled over 120,000 temporary jobs. We will help with serving, busing, and working the food assembly line for the 700-800 meals Blanchet House serves each day. During introductions, we’ll discuss upcoming projects and some myths surrounding homelessness in Portland.

Session Two: Volunteer Your Hospitality at Operation Nightwatch
Friday July 19, 6:30pm-11pm, Downtown Portland
For our second session we will serve coffee, lemonade and sandwiches to up to 150 guests at Operation Nightwatch, an ecumenical night ministry of friendship and community for the lonely, mentally ill, homeless and impoverished street population of downtown Portland. We will provide a comfortable atmosphere for guests to socialize, play games, and develop friendships. The Hospitality Center offers its guests a safe, warm place to go when nothing else is open, and guests know they can find a welcoming, respectful environment. Whereas other agencies exist to provide services such as housing, food, and clothing to the homeless, low-income, and mentally ill, ONW’s unique vision is that these populations also suffer from simple social isolation.

Session Three: Take a Tour with the Executive Director of Street Roots
Tuesday July 23, 5-8pm, Downtown Portland
For our third session we have the amazing opportunity to be given a tour of Street Roots by the paper’s Executive Director. Street Roots creates income opportunities for people experiencing homelessness and poverty by producing a newspaper and other media that are catalysts for individual and social change. It is an award-winning newspaper, publishing more than 10,000 papers every two weeks, and it is sold on the streets by people experiencing homelessness and poverty. Afterwards, we will walk by Dignity Village to see where some of Portland’s homeless have set up a permanent place to live and then convene for a dinner and discussion nearby.

Session Four: Volunteer with Potluck in the Park
Sunday July 28, 2pm-5pm, NW Portland
Our fourth session will find us working with dozens of other volunteers to serve a hot meal for Potluck in the Park, a Portland nonprofit that operates every Sunday, rain or shine, 52 weeks a year. They serve 400-800 homeless individuals every Sunday. Food is donated by individuals, businesses, organizations and religious institutions of all faiths and supplemental donations are gleaned on a weekly basis from area grocers, bakers, wholesalers, hotels, restaurant owners and caterers. They even provide limited cat and dog food for companion animals.

Session Five: Wrap-Up, Food Cart, and Ugly Quilt Making Party
Monday August 12 6-8:30pm, Downtown Portland
During our final session, we will grab some food cart food downtown and come together for one final discussion. As we talk about the issues of homelessness we’ve explored we will help to make “Ugly Quilts,” sleeping bags comprising of used or no-cost fabrics. These sleeping bags will then be delivered to HandsOn partners, Operation Nightwatch and the Union Gospel Mission, who in turn will see that they are distributed to people spending the night outside this coming winter. We will also have time to focus our discussion on some of the populations we missed during this TeamWorks, such as homeless youth.

Project Requirements:

  •  Volunteers must be 18 years of age or older to attend this project.

Click "Sign Up" below to reserve your spot on the team! Need help signing up? Call 503-200-3355. 

The opportunity date and time you are looking for is no longer available.
Hunger & Homelessness, Civic & Community
Homeless
Food Preparation & Meal Services,Caring for People

Age Minimum (with Adult): 18+, Minimum Age:18+

Please wait... Image for spinner

Log in or Register

In order to register for this opportunity you must log in to an existing account or register to create a new account.

Register

Sign up with a team

This link allows you to participate in this opportunity with a team. A team can be a family team, corporate team, or any kind of organized group. When you click on the link you will have the option to:

  • Choose an existing team you're already a member or captain of, or
  • Create a new team to sign up.

Signup Questions

Please respond to the following questions in order to signup for this opportunity:

Common Messages