Have A Hearth: February Focus On Homelessness

 

One-time Volunteer Opportunities:

Project Homeless Connect - Winter '08

Tuesday, February 26th (FULL)

Project Homeless Connect is part of the city and county's 10-year plan to end homelessness, and is a one-day event that brings many of the services needed by homeless people into one location. Volunteers help with client support and assistance, intake interviews, food preparation and serving, activities and other critical services.
(Multnomah County) Sign up!

 

Play games, serve snacks, be a friend at Operation Nightwatch

Friday, February 15th, 6:30PM - 11:00PM (FULL)

Friday, February 22nd, 6:30PM - 11:00PM (FULL)

Operation Nightwatch is an ecumenical night ministry of friendship and community for the street population of downtown Portland. Their Hospitality Center offers guests a safe, warm place to go when nothing else is open, where they know they can find a welcoming, respectful environment. With the simple mission of reaching out to these populations and nurturing relationships, Operation Nightwatch provides a comfortable atmosphere for guests to socialize, play games, develop friendships, and for volunteers to be able to reach out to people who are disenfranchised from others.

(Multnomah County) Sign up!

 

Serve a meal (and eat one, too!) at Blanchet House

Thursday, February 21st, 4:30PM - 6:30PM

Blanchet House serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner to the hungry, helped by the men who live in Blanchet’s transitional housing and volunteers like you! Come out and help with serving, busing, and the food assembly line for the 700-800 meals we serve each day.

(Multnomah County) Sign up!

 

TEEN Project: Build And Repair At Dignity Village

Saturday, February 23rd, 11:00AM - 2:00PM (FULL)

Do you enjoy building, construction, or finish work? No experience is required, so bring your enthusiasm for this, literally, hands-on project! Join a team of teens to assist on a building or repair task – from constructing a deck, porch or stairs, to interior and exterior painting. Your work will help sustain safe housing options for those transitioning from homelessness.

(Multnomah County) Sign up!

 

Serve A Meal and Play Bingo at Jean's Place

Saturday, February 23rd, 6:30PM - 8:30PM (FULL)

Friday, February 29th, 6:30PM - 8:30PM (FULL)

Saturday, March 29th, 6:30PM - 8:30PM

Jean's Place is a transitional housing program for adult, single homeless women. Volunteers will bring one pre-cooked food item to serve the ladies living there for dinner. Everyone will then help facilitate a game of Bingo, which will include prizes for the winners! Join us for this unique experience!

(Multnomah County) Sign up!

 

Cook It Up: Mealtime at the Clark Center

Tuesday, February 26th, 5:00PM - 7:45PM

Friday, February 29th, 5:00PM - 7:45PM

Tuesday, March 11th, 5:00PM - 7:45PM

Tuesday, March 18th, 5:00PM - 7:45PM (FULL)

Transition Projects has helped thousands of people transcend the streets of Portland. On any given day — today, for example — they’re making the difference in hundreds of lives, providing the tools people need as they transition from homelessness to housing. They offer long-term shelter, for starters, plus a unique mix of valuable services that helps people overcome their own barriers to stable housing and employment. From stock in the Clark Center's Food Closet, we'll prepare tonight's meal and then serve it to the residents.

(Multnomah County) Sign up!

 

Social Cinema: Focus on Homelessness

Thursday, February 28th, 5:30PM - 8:30PM

In honor of Hands On's February Focus on Homelessness, we will be gathering a group of folks interested in watching excerpts from the fascinating documentary “Easy Street” and discussing it in the context of our city, possible solutions, and or own thoughts on the subject. We'll also be talking about ways to get involved in local volunteering impacting the issues of homelessness. All with an interest are encouraged to be a part of the discussion!

(Multnomah County) Sign up!
 

Serve A Meal at Union Gospel Mission

The Union Gospel Mission provides meals and addiction recovery services in a safe environment for its homeless clients. We will serve and clean up after the evening meal to the homeless. This is a great way to get involved.

(Multnomah County) Sign up!

 

Construction Saturday with Habitat for Humanity
Saturday, February 23rd, 8:30AM - 4:30PM (FULL)

Willamette West Habitat for Humanity is currently working to build decent, affordable homes for families in need, making the dream of home ownership a reality. Join Willamette West Habitat for Humanity at their Lawson Place construction site, which will be home to five families. Construction is currently under way on the first two homes.

(Washington County) Sign up!

 

HomePlate Meals With Youth
Thursday, March 6th, 5:30PM - 8:30PM (FULL)

HomePlate is a weekly meal program serving young people who are unstably housed in Washington County.  They offer them a hot meal, a shower, a movie, games, conversation, and other resources. VOLUNTEERS WILL NEED TO BRING A FOOD ITEM (no volunteer will be turned away for lack of resources, however). HomePlate is looking for people who enjoy hanging out with young people, providing a listening ear, and offering positive role-modeling. (Washington County) Sign up!

 

Serve A Meal at Family Bridge

Wednesday, March 19th, 5:30PM - 7:30PM (FULL)

Wednesday, March 26th, 5:30PM - 7:30PM

Interested in interacting with homeless families and children at a day house shelter? Come help Family Bridge prepare and serve dinner for those in need. VOLUNTEERS WILL NEED TO BRING A FOOD ITEM (however, no volunteer will be turned away for lack of resources).  Family Bridge is one of three shelters for homeless families in Washington County.

(Washington County) Sign up!

 

Ongoing Volunteer Opportunities:

Severe Weather Shelter Volunteers

Washington County overnight homeless shelters have a limited amount of space, and the Severe Weather Shelter Response Plan was developed to provide temporary shelter to homeless people when there is a period of prolonged weather severe cold and hot temperatures (life-threatening). Help staff the overnight shelters when the weather drops below freezing.

(Washington County) More . . .

 

Break The Cycle of Homelessness

The Portland Rescue Mission is looking for individuals and groups who want to be a part of bridging the gap from hopelessness to hope. Volunteers are highly valued, and they are essential in our ministry. The fellowship between volunteers, clients and staff has a life-changing impact on all of us.

(Multnomah County) More . . .

 

Family Bridge Day House Volunteers

Do you enjoy children? Would you like to help families in need? Family Bridge, an emergency shelter in Hillsboro for homeless families, needs volunteers to keep the Day House open so families in the program have a home base during the day. Varying shifts, days (including weekends), and time commitments are available, though most shifts are 2 hours. Orientation & training provided.

(Washington County) More . . .

 

Outreach with Yellow Brick Road

Street outreach volunteers hit the streets daily - providing first aid, hygiene supplies, socks, hats, gloves, and most importantly, resource referrals that will help youth move away from being homeless. Community volunteers are trained to take crisis intervention to the streets.

(Clark County) More . . .

 

Computer Center Assistant with Human Solutions

Human Solutions, Inc. works to strengthen homeless and low-income families by providing immediate needs and social services or links to services that help them move beyond survival to stability, independence, and improved lives. This is part-time (10-20 hours/week) employment training opportunity assisting with the coordination of the Computer Center's programs, participants and operations activities.

(Multnomah County) More . . .

 

Computer Resource Volunteer

Transition Projects helps people meet their basic needs as they transition from homelessness to housing. Each year we serve more than 9,000 people. The organization's Computer Resource Room is currently in need of volunteers to assist clients with resumes, basic computer skills, and searching the Internet. It is a wonderful way to empower individuals as they transition from homelessness to housing

(Multnomah County) More . . .

 

On-Call Volunteer for Portland Impact

Portland Impact’s mission is to help people achieve and maintain self-sufficiency and to prevent and alleviate the effects of poverty. We are looking for volunteers to be on-call as clients' needs arise, such as picking up furniture that has been donated to us and even delivering it to a client's home, or helping a family move out of one of out transitional housing facilities into their first stable home. This is an ongoing volunteer opportunity and the times and locations are flexible.

(Multnomah County) More . . .