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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 22, 1999)
rrTETlneutf W illamette M ortgage S ervices , I nc . G iving B ack A new program is seeking queer adults to provide shelter and stability for sexual minority kids in need by Inga Sorensen reg Berleman calls it the “eco The goal of the campaign is to recruit, certi nomic ghettoization” of queer fy and train shelter parents to work with sexual youth. minority youths. Though not a requirement, the Three years ago Berleman, a program hopes to recruit sexual minority adults counselor at Franklin High to house the minors. School in Portland, founded a support group for “Youths may feel more comfortable [with a sexual minority students, three of whom would sexual minority adult] and have a positive role wind up leaving school after unsupportive par model within the queer community,” Beige explains. “Plus this is an amazing way for sexual ents kicked the kids out of their homes. “They were unable to continue their educa minority adults to give back to the community.” According to Elizabeth Chambers of the tion because they had to find work in order to pay for rent,” he says, adding that such a deci Boys and Girls Aid Society of Oregon, shelter sion, while necessary for their survival, often parents have access to support from counselors lands kids in the depressing world of dead-end 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and are reim bursed for food and other expenses. jobs spawned by a formal education cut short. Not long after the for Typically youths live mation of Berleman’s with shelter parents for a night or two, but visits group, the now-defunct Metropolitan Human may last up 90 days or even longer. Some shelter Rights Commission parents will take kids in released its Report on Sex- | ual Minority Youth, which the middle of the night, included interviews with while other homes require more notice. Some homes an estimated 70 queer shelter youths almost young people from continuously, some only throughout the Portland occasionally. metropolitan area. Shelter homes are cer In a nutshell, the tified by the agency, and report found that gay, les parents receive 20 hours bian, bisexual and trans of training before they youths often experience take children into their harassment, violence and discrimination in their homes. Marjory Hamann, 31, schools, homes, churches, became an official shelter employment and in the parent last May. (At her provision of social ser vices. It also found that Shelter-care provider Marjory Hamann request, Hamann often houses youth between the they often become home less after their sexual orientation is discovered ages of 11 and 13 who have been neglected or abused.) by their families. “I had the energy, the space and I wanted “It was evident that something needed to be kids in my life,” says Hamann, who works full done,” says Berleman. Patience and persistence have paid off in the time out of the home. She estimates she has taken in 20 youngsters, form of a newly-launched campaign to recruit shelter parents to house sexual minority youths. sometimes for a few days, sometimes a few It is a first-time collaboration between two local weeks. “It’s about opening up my home, being clear nonprofit social service and mental health about expectations and also giving up some con resource agencies: the Boys and Girls Aid Soci ety of Oregon, and the Network Behavioral trol,” says Hamann, adding, “It’s not like I’m the adult and they are the child. It’s like we’re room HealthCare program Roots and Branches. The Boys and Girls Aid Society of Oregon is mates and I’m the adult.” Sometimes they go to movies or dinner a private, nonprofit agency that provides short term shelter care for children and kids up to age together, sometimes they eat in and share dish 18. It is the largest private provider of shelter washing responsibilities. Occasionally a youth will act out, hut thus care in Oregon. Network Behavioral HealthCare, a nonprofit far Hamann says she’s been able to work through mental health and addiction treatment agency, each situation with a young person. “Some of the youths are struggling with operates Roots and Branches, a counseling pro gram of comprehensive treatment and case man issues, but what I’d really like people to know is just how wonderful and normal these kids are,” agement services for sexual minority youth. Roots and Branches recently received a grant she says. “It’s been a joy for me to do this.” She also likes introducing a sense of stability from the Equity Foundation to support shelter into often unpredictable lives. care for sexual minority youth and is collaborat Indeed, shelter-care homes are designed to ing with the Boys and Girls Aid Society to cre give youths a nurturing and stable environment ate and maintain culturally-appropriate host while they are in transition. homes. It’s that stability, says Berleman, that may Roots and Branches’ Kathy Beige crafted the grant request, and has worked with Berleman allow sexual minority students to remain in school and finish a semester rather than having and others on this effort. Like Berleman, Beige has watched queer kids to drop out. "This may give them a chance for a brighter strain to stay in school, find shelter and keep future,” he says. their dreams alive. “There has been a need for something like this for a long time,” says Beige, who hopes the ■ For more information on the SHELTER-CARE PRO shelter-care program will provide some badly GRAM, call Elizabeth Chambers at 222 - 9661 . needed relief. • Speed 15-20 day closings • Personal service your home or office • Good or bad credit • Jumbo loans available • Self-employed • 0% down programs 503 - 722-3969 C ory G rau n itz Senior Loan Officer Wishing you Sr yours Peace, Pride Sr Prosperity throughout 1 9 9 9 .. .Sr always! ▼Buying or Gelling...? 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