SHARE Vancouver at work

Pop quiz.  What happens to all of the kids who receive free or reduced cost lunch and/or breakfast when school closes up shop for the summer?  The need doesn’t go away.  In fact, it may increase if mom or dad has to stay home from work or pay for a sitter.

Enter SHARE.  This Vancouver group offers help to the homeless year-round.  And when summer vacation hits, they provide free breakfasts, lunches and activities for those kids at local schools. 

While that, in and of itself, is cool.  What if we told you that they are expanding this summer despite a down economy?  Cooler, eh?

It’s true.  Donors stepped up and kicked in enough cash to add a new school and over a hundred new kids to their roster. 

If you want to help or get involved with SHARE click here.

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

It’s the classic “teach a man to fish and you’ll feed him for a lifetime” story.  At the Irvington Covenant CDC, they offer job training for people who need a little boost turning things around (people with low income, those with one run-in with the law).  Patricia Daniels with the group says they’ve seen a dramatic decrease in trade-training as more high schools focus on prepping kids for college, so they’re filling the need.

They offer a pre-apprentice program, but they also know that green industries are gaining ground.  Daniels tells GNPDX they wanted to offer training in the new, growing industry, but needed some help with funding.

Enter the United Way.  The local charity passed on a major grant (exact amount was not available but we know it’s in the 5-6 figure range) which will cover the new classes.

Daniels says it’s a major blessing.  Not only will these classes help get people back to work, but it will put them in jobs that pay well and can provide a way out from barely making ends meet.

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

At age 14, Brook Davis tried her first sip of booze.  The attraction was immediate and eventually led to a relationship with drugs.  Her addiction’s kept her from going to High School, let alone getting a degree.

By age 21, Brook had sobered up from drugs and alcohol, but she transferred her focus to other addictions with which she would wrestle for 20 years.  

“I was really broken inside” explains Davis in an exclusive interview with GNPDX.  At the encouragement of loved ones, she visited the Portland Rescue Mission and immediately found a safe place to heal.

After two years of hard work, Davis finally considered herself recovered and managed to restart her education.  Now working on a double major in Social Work and education, Davis is offering her story as support for others in need.

What started as an occasional volunteer gig has turned into a regular job for Davis.  She’s now on staff at the Mission, helping moms and children transition out of tough situations and regularly turns to her own struggles as an example.  It’s a position she relishes, saying that her faith helped get her through her darkest points … the least she can do is offer the same gift to others.

For more info on the Rescue Mission click here.

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

Make A Wish

Want to go the “extra mile” for a local charity?  Want to get more “mileage” out of your donations this year?  (Sorry, couldn’t resist the puns) well you might consider donating Flier Miles to Make A Wish.

According to Andrew Asato, Oregon’s executive director, the main cost with most wishes is the airfare.  BUT, you can donate frequent flier miles directly to the charity for use right away (he says Alaska Air miles are their favorite because they come with zero blackout dates and can be used immediately).

The cool part?  People are already doing this.  Even though cash donations are down thanks to the economy, they’ve received 8 million miles this year. 

To donate go here.

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

Nolita

There are a lot of local kids who don’t have a single pair of jeans in their closet.  Some may have a pair or two, but they are not in the best shape.  A  local boutique is going to change that.

For the past three years, Nolita has been hosting an annual denim swap.  Customers bring in their gently worn jeans (Nolita tends to attract a lot of designer donations but any brand works) and in exchange, customers get 20% off a brand new pair from the famed Nolita denim bar. (For those who don’t know, Nolita features one of the best jeans-buying experiences in town including a wide selection of brands you can’t find anywhere else and knowledgeable staff who can custom tailor in house).

The donations go to Big Brothers Big Sisters and to date, they’ve brought in around 500 pair.  The goal this year is an even 250.

For more info, and details about the big wrap party click here.

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

The Biggest Day of the Year for the Oregon Food Bank

The Oregon Food Bank sent you something in the mail this week and they’re really hoping to get it back.  It’s a standard size plastic bag, probably looks a lot like the bag you’d get at a grocery store.

If you could, just put the bag on your porch Saturday and they’ll take it back.  Oh, and could you stick a few cans of food in it before stashing it on your stoop?  Thanks.  That’d be great.

Every year, the Postal Carriers pitch in and schlept (haul)  the goods in May.  In just one day, they brought in 1.65 million pounds of food last year.  This year, they want an even 1.75 million (the higher donations are particularly important this year because of higher demand).

Anything non perishable works, but they really like tuna, canned meats, mac and cheese and fruits / fruit juices.  Try to avoid glass jars when you can (they’re heavier and break).  For more info click here.

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

The Lions Club

When 2008 began, life was going downhill fast for Terry.  Cataracts were slowly robbing her of her sight.  Because of her bad vision, she lost her job.  She and her husband lost their home.  Bad.

But then the Oregon Lion’s Club stepped in.  They have a program called Mission Cataract where people in need can get free cataract surgery.  Terry’s name made the list.  With her vision restored last spring, she got a part time job, got training and she and her husband are in their own apartment, back on their own two feet.

The Lion’s will be giving six people free surgeries today, all of whom are “head’s of household” (read: moms, dads or other adults with other people depending on them for support) and without any other means of fixing their eyes (no insurance, no Oregon Medical plan).  Hopefully, we’ll have six more amazing stories to share with you in a few months.

You can learn more about the program by going here.

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

A Local ReStore location

For 25 years, Joe Connell built and renovated homes and he was always stunned by the amount of waste generated by construction sites.  Perfectly good materials and tools, chucked to the wayside at the end of the day because, frankly, there wasn’t anywhere else to send the stuff.

He clarifies to Good News PDX that he’s not trying to throw stones or point fingers.  He himself pitched plenty over the years.  But recently, he found a better outlet for all that extra stuff left over after a project was complete.

Like a Goodwill for power tools he says.

ReStore started 15 years ago in Texas.  Today, there are over 600 nationwide including about 15 in Oregon and Washington, one of which opened this weekend.  The concept is identical to any thrift store . . . people (mostly contractors with amterials left over from a job) donate the hardware, supplies and tools to the store.  Volunteers then sell the materials at a reduced rate to local do-it-yourselfers.  All the proceeds are then kicked to Habitat for Humanity.

And Connell, who now has a hand in running all the Portland / Vancouver locations, says they show no signs of stopping.  Matter of fact, he expects ReStore will be a household name in the next few years.

You can check out a nearby location here.

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

Kurt Patterson trains for Summit for Someone

Patterson, who has NEVER climbed a mountain before in his life, says he’ll get to the top of Mount Hood in one day . . .  that is IF his friends, family and co-workers will pony up $3,400 for the local chapter of the Boys and Girls Club (kidding aside, Patterson assures us he’ll make the climb regardless of whether he comes in over or under his goal).

It’s called the Summit for Someone program.  Climbers all over the country volunteer for massive climbs and get sponsors to kick in for a local charity in exchange. 

“To be honest, I’m not too concerned about the climb itself,” jokes Patterson in an exclusive interview with GNPDX.  “They have this training program you’re supposed to start about eight weeks before the climb.  I’m not sure how I’m going to get excited about crawling out of a warm bed at 3 AM to go climb a mountain.” 

Interestingly enough, Patterson hasn’t worked with the charity before.

“I have some relatives who are involved,” he explains.  “They really take the role of being a big brother or big sister to those kids.  They call during the week to check in, answer any questions about homework and stuff.  Then, they hang out with them on the weekends, doing activities they both really enjoy.”

Patterson won’t be going for the climb until June and is still accepting backers.  To donate or learn more about the program, click here.  In the mean time, Kurt Patterson, we salute you!

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

Oregonlive

You can almost visualize it.  Hundreds of families lining up to get into the Portland Art Museum, the first few pressing against the glass at the ticket counter.  When from the back of the room strides a local couple . . . they wave everyone inside, crack open their wallet and say “We got it.”

OK, maybe it didn’t happen quite like that, but a $1 Million donation by Robert and Sharon Miller will cover admission for every family at the museum four Sundays a year.  

This isn’t the first donation made by the couple but certainly the largest.  Word is some kids questioned why they couldn’t donate the million to Chuk E Cheese or Oaks Park.

Bookmark It

Hide Sites