northwest
One Umbrella
Friends of People with AIDS merges with Our House
by Malka Geffen
or the past 17 years, the Friends of People I sionate and generous our community is and how
with AIDS Foundation provided for essen easy they made my job.”
tial needs of clients living with HIV/AIDS.
Allen Brady, Friends of People with AIDS treas
One of its programs, Tod’s Comer, avails
urer and co-founder and director of administrative
clients to free food, clothing, household
services at Our House, said, “The board kxiked at
goods, cleaning supplies, personal care items, pet food
options for a replacement chair, but the more we
and more. Esthers Pantry, a vital community program
looked, we realized it would be virtually impossible
that has provided thousands of people with food and
to find someone.” He said that Friends was also the
personal care items, was taken over by the foundation
de facto executive director and that the task of
in 2006. Our House of Portland, a nonprofit organi finding someone willing to volunteer more than 30
zation that has provided health and housing services
hours a week in this role would be monumental.
for people with HIV/AIDS since 1998, assumes oper
Our House executive director Wayne Miya
ational control of the foundation’s programs June 15.
echoed amazement at Friends’ hard work. “Over
In April, the foundation’s board chairman, Kevin
the last year, instead of just Tod’s Comer, [the
Friends, announced his plans to retire at the end of foundation] took over Esther’s Pantry, increasing
June. He said he got involved with Friends of People
the workload and growing its client base,” he said.
with AIDS eight years ago as a weekly Tods Comer
“I don’t see how anyone can manage the programs
volunteer. He later spent two years on the board
effectively on a volunteer basis, in addition to rais
before serving as board chairman for the past five
ing money, keeping records, etc.”
years. In addition to running the board and oversee
According to Brady, the Friends of People with
ing daily operation of the foundation’s programs,
AIDS board decided to lixik around for another
Friends spent many unpaid hours writing grants,
organization in Portland to take over its programs.
attending fund-raisers, coordinating volunteers,
“Our House has a proven track record in financial
looking for new sources of financing and picking up
stability and strong leadership and has adequate staff
donations. He said his work with the foundation has
to assume administrative and other tasks,” he said.
helped him grow immensely as a person.
Miya added: “Since {Friends of People with
“To sum it up, it’s been one of the best things
AIDS] has an all-volunteer board and organization,
that’s ever happened in my life,” he said. “One
Our House can give infrastructure and stability. If
thing that stands out in my mind is how compas
Kevin were to not be around or go on vacation or be
ill, it would leave the old organiza
tion without leadership. At Our
House, we have a mature organiza
tion with a paid staff that can handle
any issues that may come up.”
Kevin Friends (right), board chairman of the Friends of People
Donald Kahapea, the founda
with AIDS Foundation, hands operational control to Our House
tion’s one paid staff person, will
executive director Wayne Miya.
continue as the community services
coordinator for Tod’s Comer and Esther’s Pantry,
of other area AIDS organizations who are support
althixigh the Friends of People with AIDS name will
ive of the merger. In terms of continued financing,
no longer exist.
Friends said he hopes that all of the foundation’s
“The programs fit very well in our continuum of past funders and donors will continue to support
care," said Miya. “When we established our neigh-
the programs through Our House.
borhixxl housing and care program, we did so to try
While he looks forward to spending more time
to help people maintain their independence and
with his husband, David Connor, and their three
become more independent. This is another area
adopted greyhounds, he’s not getting off the hook
where we can help, by providing the essentials of that easily. Friends was unanimously elected
living, like fixxl and clothing. A fun piece is
May 31 to join the Our House board of directors.
providing pet care and dog fixxl. Animals are such
He was also elected to the Oregon Bears’ board of
an important part of recovery?’’
directors June 6.
According to Brady, Our House will also take
“I’m looking forward to a new chapter and new
over operations of the annual toy drive and holiday
challenge in my life,” said Friends. “Our House was
party, as well as cremation services.
the very first place 1 volunteered in Portland over
“We were very thorough in what the merger
10 years ago as a breakfast cook and receptionist.
1
guess I’ve come full circle.” ©
meant to both {Our House and Friends of People
with AIDS], and we tried to cover every base,” said
Miya. “The clientele don’t haye to worry that their
For more information about E sther ’ s P antry and
next source of fixxl won’t be there next month.”
T od ’ s C orner contact Donald Kahapea at
503-349-4699.
Miya also said he spoke with executive directors
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