Opportunity Details
TeamWorks: Discover North Portland! (age 18+) *Hands On*
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.
This September, get to know Portland's 5th Quadrant! This unique volunteer team will focus its attention on North Portland to better understand this part of our city through the eyes of the nonprofits that serve its communities.
We’ll kick things off by making a meal and take a tour of Ronald McDonald House, followed by an exploration of the area’s history with NPMTC's Vanport Multimedia Project. We'll sort food for hungry families at the Oregon Food Bank (tecnically in NE, but serving North Portland communities) and get crafty making cards for North Portland seniors served by Meals on Wheels' Two Rivers Center. And we'll wrap our team up by getting our hands dirty at Pier Park with Portland Community Gardens, and helping to salvage building materials at the Our United Village's ReBuilding Center in the Mississippi district.
Whether you live in NoPo and want to delve into your neighborhood, or live in another area and hope to learn more about the fifth quadrant, please join us! It's a great mix of projects and should be a lot of fun.
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 Amy Frey, TeamWorks Leader, by using the "Email Opportunity Leader" link in the grey box at the end of the page.
Team Schedule:
Session One: Friday, September 5, 5:00pm - 8:30pm
Prepare Dinner at Ronald McDonald House & TeamWorks Kick-off!
Ronald McDonald House Charities, Inner N Portland
Ronald McDonald House provides a “home away from home” for families whose kids are being treated in area hospitals. We’ll get a tour of their East House and then do some work preparing dinner and cleaning up the common areas to help ensure the families have a comfortable stay. Afterwards we’ll head over to Widmer Brothers Brewing Co.to get to know one another and discuss the awesome slate of projects we'll be doing throughout the teamworks.
Session Two: Tuesday, September 9, 6:00pm - 8:30pm
Collecting Oral Histories with NPMTC's Vanport Multimedia Project
TBD -- inner N Portland
In 1948, Vanport, once Oregon’s second largest town and America’s largest public housing project, was wiped out by a massive flood. The Vanport Multimedia Project, sponsored by the North Portland Multimedia Training Center, is trying to bring light to this little-known chapter of Portland’ past through the voices of those who witnessed it. We’ll be hearing about their efforts to collect stories from the area’s former residents, and learning about ways we can get involved.
Session Three: Monday, September 15, 6:00pm - 8:30pm
Stock the Pantry with Oregon Food Bank
NE Portland (yes, we're cheating a bit with this one!)
Help Oregon Food Bank in their mission to eliminate hunger and its root causes. We’ll unpack and sort donated food destined for agencies that directly serve low income people in North Portland, and learn more about food scarcity in the area. Your presence makes a huge difference, and, it's a lot of fun!
Session Four: Tuesday, September 23, 6:00pm - 8:00pm
Make Cards for Seniors with Meals on Wheels & NoPo History Discussion
Cathedral Coffee - St. Johns Neighborhood
Our group will spend a crafty evening creating greeting cards to be given to seniors who receive Meals On Wheels through local Meals On Wheels centers. We'll use markers, construction paper, glue, stickers, and other crafty supplies to create cards that’ll brighten a local senior’s day. This will also give the team a chance to share an interesting article, fact, or historical story to share based on themes handed out the week before over optional coffee and baked goods.
Session Five: Saturday, September 27, 9:30am - 12:00pm/1:00pm
Dig in the Dirt at Pier Community Garden
Pier Community Garden, St. Johns Neighborhood
Get ready to put on some gloves and get dirty at Pier Community Garden, one of the 47 gardens run by Portland Community Gardens helping community members grow their own vegetables within individual plots. Our group will dive into an outdoor work party, providing a little loving care to keep the garden looking good by weeding, mulching, removing invasive species, cleaning up paths, and more, depending on the seasonal needs.
For those who are interested, after the work party, we'll head over to the St. John's Farmers Market to grab a tasty lunch together!
Session Six: Tuesday, September 30th, 6:00pm - 9:00pm
Salvage Building Materials at the ReBuilding Center
ReBuilding Center of Our United Villages, Mississippi District
Reduce, recycle, reuse! Help reduce the flow of useable building materials into the waste stream by volunteering at the Rebuilding Center's non-profit store for used building materials. We'll be doing a hands-on project, so come ready to work and have fun! Closed toe shoes required and bring work gloves if you have them. Wear warm clothes as the building is chilly. Some tasks may involve medium to heavy lifting.
After we finish up, we'll head to a nearby restaurant or pub to celebrate our final project, enjoy a beverage together, and debrief the TeamWorks experience.
Click "Sign Up" below to reserve your spot on the team! Need help signing up? Call 503-200-3355.
Age Minimum (with Adult): 18+, Minimum Age:18+
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