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Street roots
Education ♦ Dialogue * Independence
Street Roots goes online with its Rose City Resource, and opens up
a world o f opportunities fo r people needing information about
social services, nonprofits, employment programs and more
Online, the Rose
City Resource offers
the latest
information on
clothing, counseling
and mediation,
dental, domestic
violence,,
employment and
training, financial
assistance, food
boxes, food stamps,
GLBTQI services,
health care; hospital
emergency rooms,
hotlines, legal
services, leisure and
entertainment,
meals, pet care,
public restrooms,
recovery services,
renters resources,
shelters, syringe
exchanges,
transitional housing,
utility assistance,
veterans and youth
services^
BY ISRAEL BAYER
STREET roots executive director
/""A treet Roots is proud to announce the
next evolution in the Rose City
Resource Guide, a new Web site
meant to revolutionize the way people
experiencing homelessness and poverty and
social workers access services available for
people; in the metro region.
The new Web site —www.
rosecityresource,org — is user-friendly
with the most updated list of Services and
information for people living in crisis in
Multnoniah, Washington and Clackamas
counties.
After clicking on each service you will
find mapping functions, bus lines, hours,
and what specific services are offered from
that specific nonprofit. Each service is
displayed with easy printing functions.
Did I mention that all of this is in Spanish
aswell?
And that’s not all. When Street Roots
began this project we looked at many
different Web sites that offer listings of
services about poverty and homeless in
Portland and across the country. While
many groups offer Specific information
about services, none had developed a
centralized place for education and
empowerment How could we create a Web
site that wasn’t just a hand out, but instead
offered a deeper perspective oh the issues
of homelessness, poverty and civil rights? .
We wanted to dig deeper, so, we did.
4^
You will also find
on the Web site an
area for “Policy” and
“Know Your Rights.”
Under the policy
section, we offer a place for
students, researchers,
journalists, community
organizers and others to access
information about homelessness
and poverty. You will find annual
reports for each year of Portland’s
10-year plan along with reports on
affordable housing, the latest reports locally
and nationally from institutes and think-
tanks on the issue, the latest thinking on
messaging and talking points, and white ,
pages developed on criminalization
alternatives locally. If you cafe aboqt the
homeless and poverty issues, and are a
policy geek, this isth e place for you.
'Under the “Know Your Rights” section
readers and organizers will find the latest
laws affecting homelessness and poverty,
how to appeal those laws and legal services
at people’s disposal. We also have the latest
on tenant and foreclosure rights and
property recovery information. Thé goal of
this section is to be a centralized location
for homeless folks, social services workers,
and community organizers to hâve quick and
easy access to the latest information on laws
commonly directed at people living in
poverty. ITs also a .bonus
'
and students.
For Street Roots,
the Web site serves
functions as a
database to update '
information and .
extract it directly into
our layout programs
for the print guide.
We now have the *
ability to update thé
information in real
time
with
the
help of services
themselves. On the homepage you will
find a link with a form that goes directly to
our resource specialist if updates are
needed.
The popular print guide will continue to
be printed and distributed throughout the
region. In the p ast two years more than
120,000 English and nearly 20,000 Spanish
guides have been distributed to more than
300 pubKe/private and faith-based groups
working with people on the streets. .
The guide has been overwhelmingly
successful, cutting down on staff time for
agencies creating makeshift lists. More
importantly, it’s a tool for relationship
bulling, education and accessing up to date
information on services available to people
in need. It has been referred to locally on
the streets as the “Hobo’s Bible.” The Web
site is now icing on the cake.
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Street Roots held a party, hosted by OpenSourcery in April for everyone involved with the
project. From left: Jonathan Hedstrôm, Ilim a Kennedy, Michael Prasuhn, Sarah Prasuhn
(with Nilit), Sarah Beecroft, Israel Bayer, Melissa Anderson, Michael Halstead, Joanne Zuhl,
Chelsea Clark-James, Molly Vogt, Carla Piluso.
'■ Street Roots partnered with the city of Gresham Maps and Data Services Program, Americorps
NWSA, and a slew of local Web developers and private companies, including Metal Toad, Incite
Development, OpenSourcery, Creative Pickle, and the local Portland Drupal Users Group to
develop the Web site.
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■ Sarah Beecroft, a local Web page designer, should be thanked profusely for driving the entire
project and connecting Street Roots to the many groups that helped make this project possible.
■T he print edition of the Rose City Resource is made possible through the partnership of Street
Roots, the city of Portland, 2111nfo and the United Way of Columbia-Willamette.
■ For more information on how you can help see page 16.
:
Art Show and fund raiser for Street Roots
Featuring the work of
E11Z a D 61 h SChWa r t Z
About the artist:
Elizabeth Schwartz uses fine, color, words and software to portray the human
condition. H er first show honors Transitions, the transition opportunities
provided to thehom eless by the nonprofit newspaper Street Roots, and the
artist’s own transition into early retirem ent and art three years ago.
The Fund Raiser
Art sale: June 5-30
• ■
With Hie generosity of Urban Grind and the artist, part of the proceeds will
be donated to Street Roots
.
Reception: 1-3 p.m., Saturday June 6
Urban Grind Coffeehouse
2214 NE Oregon
503-546-0649
www.urbangrindcoffee.com
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