DECEMBER 2, 2005
JUStpUt 13
DOUGHER
northwest
Jean DeMaster
Working for community
by Sarah Dougher
ean DeMaster was honored Nov. 8 by
Helpline assists more than 3,(XX) callers each year.
Metropolitan Family Services for her
The goal of the organization is to make the busi
extraordinary .30-year support of Portland’s
ness of running a nonprofit trouble-free and less com
low-income families.
plex, so the work can stay focused.
DeMaster is executive director of
Executive director Kay Sohl, who is the other co
Human Solutions, an organization that works with the
founder, remarks: “Jean is an absolutely dynamic
Mid
Community
leader. She brings energy around whatever issue she’s
Development Corporation to help people gain self-
working with and can really express the core essence
sufficiency by providing affordable housing, skill
of what an organization is trying to accomplish. She
development and family support services.
does this in a way so that people are inspired to get
and
East
Multnomah
County
In addition to her work at Human Solutions,
involved in a way that they maybe wouldn't otherwise.
DeMaster has contributed to the social service infra
“Since she left TAGS in 1982, she’s been involved
structure of Portland by running the area’s largest
in the issue of homelessness and has worked with so
YWCA for four years, ending in 2002. She led a $7.9
many parts of the issue. She has a consistent commit
million capital campaign to refurbish the downtown
ment to help people who have resources to share with
YWCA building, and she raised $4.1 million to restore
those who have no resources. This is a great gift."
Jean DeMaster, executive director of Human Solutions, receives an award for her 30-year
commitment to Portland's low-income families.
Mockabee. "It was pretty revolutionary for the time.”
County. It is the major safety net for low-income
When asked how her politics as a lesbian affect
families in this 245-square-mile region. Since 1988,
Sohl also admires DeMaster’s understanding of
her work on homelessness, DeMaster says: “For our
Human Solutions has provided access to emergency
public policy and the way large systems work, noting
whole community to be better, we all need a place to
shelter and affordable transitional and permanent
She worked as program manager for the Adult
that because of this, she is able to be effective in advo
live. Our goal should be to have a community that is
housing paired with a broad range of social services.
Care Home Program of Multnomah County, executive
cating for change on both a state and local level. “She
accepting and caring about everybody in it.... There
The program finds its history from a federal agency
director of Transition Housing Projects and program
is truly tireless and willing to shoulder any burden."
are a number of gay people who become homeless. It
from the mid-1960s called Multnomah County
is important for me in all the shelters I've worked in
Community Action Agency.
that there be no discrimination.”
Human Solutions serves more than 25,000 people
in more than 7,300 families. ©
Camp Westwind, the YWCA’s camp for girls and
women on the Oregon Coast.
manger at Portland Impact.
Jawea
Mockabee,
president
of
On
Target
One of DeMaster’s most important contributions
Fundraising, which has helped Human Solutions with
was as the co-founder and co-director of Technical
events in the past, recalls DeMaster’s founding of the
DeMaster’s current work at Human Solutions
Assistance for Community Services (TAGS). For more
Oregon Feminist Federal Credit Union in the late 1970s.
puts her at the helm of the leading social service
than 25 years, TACS has provided knowledge, skills and
“She thought that women and low-income women in
agency providing anti-poverty programs and services
For more information about H uman S olutions visit
resources to more than 6,0(X) nonprofits. Its Nonprofit
particular should have access to a credit union,” notes
in East Portland and Mid and East Multnomah
the Web site www.humansolutions.org.
including broken racial capillaries
j/llaroder/.-brasio
Call for
December's
Special
Up & racial enhancement
503.597.12
Greenburg Road • Tigard
Come meet our great LGBT-friendly staff.
Conveniently located f
inside the offices of Phyuciarii
Ml