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About Street roots. (Portland, OR) 1998-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 2, 2009)
w CEX4EKRJ&TX19G A D B C A 9E 13 Street roots Education * Dialogue * Independence News of recovery doesn’t mean we’re breathing any easier Sally M artin Sally Martin is a student at Portland State University, and a former pastoral assistant for The Downtown Chapel of St. Vincent DePaul Catholic Parish “Hello, I saw your ad in the paper, I was callingto inquire about the open position... OK, thank you...:Hi, I saw your ad on craigslist, I was calling to see., oh, OK, well thank you for your time... Good morning, I was calling to see if your company was currently hiring...”: I so admired Keith. My last month or so working at The Downtown Chapel, he would get on the phone each and every morning and make calls like these. I was often downstairs doing office work, right next to the public phone where Keith would set up base each day. His quiet persistence on the phone with countless potential employers soon became the soundtrack for our mornings together. If he ever got discouraged, he rarely showedit. After pulling for him from a , distance for several weeks, I finally worked up the coufage to talk to him about his job ■ search. One morning, as he was refilling his coffee, our eyes m et I took the opportunity to encourage him, “You know, Keith, I couldn’t help but overhearyou making some inquiries about jobs last week; I just want you to know that I’m rooting for you.” As I watched him turn my words over in his mind, he smiled so quickly, if I had blinked, I would have missed i t He quietly thanked me, sat to finish his coffee, and then left A few weeks ago, I ran into Keith on thè bus. He was on his way to the library to look online for work. It has become my habit to try to remember where Iliave seen “help wanted” signs around town, or to try to remember places that I’ve heard are hiring, so that when I encounter someone looking for work, I can offer a bit of encouragement and a new place to look. It became apparent to both of us just how bad the job market is right now when the only place I had noticed in weeks, he had already checked out, and they had apparently received about 85 applications for one on-call position. They had stopped taking applications and had not gotten around to removing the sign from their window when h e stopped in earlier in the week. Today I do not know how Keith is doing, yet I cannqt help but picture his face each time I hear about the unemployment rate Street Roots T-shirts are here! Repairs, Renovations & Sacred Spaces Invest in the infrastructure of your home! ♦ Older homes ♦ Weatherization ♦ Energy conversion ♦ Pre-sell/purchase upgrades t Raised garden beds & cloches ♦ Sacred spaces ♦ 2MY consultation for your projects ♦ Kitchen, Living & Bath $15 '4;in-lioiise Office ™ Oecfe ♦ C ustom Work ♦ Garden plus $4 x Allow 2 to 4 weeks Sport grey with black lettering Please send this order form along with a check or money order to: I Name Address Street Roots Attn: T-Shirts 211 NW Davis St. Portland, OR 97209 The Institute for Progressive Spirituality I falling, of how the economy is slowly improving. We hear on the news and read in the paper that our recession is turning around, that we are moving out of the woods: Just a few days ago, I listened to a report saying th at “first-timer” filings for unemployment compensation have decreased. As I heard this, I thought of friends recently laid off, and of friends who had been looking for work for months. As if he had heard my thoughts, the reporter then noted that it may be some time before companies start hiring again. But that was just the end of the story, a brief mention before moving on to the next headline. I am still waiting to hear the story about the new jobs that will be created, or about companies lifting their hiring freezes. It may be a while before I see the impact of these economic changes in the lives of those around me. Until then, I wait in hope with friends searching for work, and when they begin to breathe a little easier, so will I. Presents Global Spirituality: The Emerging Heart of Faith in a Multi-Religious World By Dr. Beverly Lanzetta. Sunday, Oct. 11, at 2:30 PM. Suggested donation: $15.00, ($10.00 for students) Multnomah friends Meeting House, 4312 SE Stark Lanzetta, a mystic in the f Teresa of Avila, Hildegard of d John of the Cross, will appear t h X T e n t rtate of spiritual belonging, the emergence of new spiritual eas and the importance of spiritual wisdom in the global community. Please buy Street Roots only from vendors wearing Street Roots badges. Your vendor will thank you! am a licensed & bonded general contractor offering a fu ll range of services from simple repairs to artful renovations.“ ~ Michael D'Angelo, GC www.Repairs-Renovations.com 503.869.7505 www.rosecityresonrce.org If you've ever found yourself in need of social services, you know how confusing it can all be. Long lines, limited hours, seemingly arbitrary eligibility criteria, going from place to place to connect the dots in hopes of getting the help you need. . The Rose City Resource makes it. all just a little bit easier. The 100- page booklet records the.hours and locations of basic services ' including shelters, meals, and health clinics, as well as advocacy and long-term solutions such as recovery programs, legal aid, and transitional housing. The guide Includes more than 35Q listings in Multnomah, Clackamas, and , . r Washington counties arid is now available in"both English and on the Web. Every year, the pocket-size guide helps thousands of individuals and families independently access the services they need. The Rose City Resource is partially funded through partnerships with the City of Portland and 2Î1 Info. But to keep updating and publishing this all-in-one resource, Street Roots needs community support. The guides are more important than ever. While programs are shifting and shrinking, marly people are finding themselves in need of services for the first time. Your support will keep the Rose City Resource 'in the hands of the people who need them. • Donations of any size are welcome! We are also looking for Rose City Sponsorships of $1000 - $5,000. For more Information, call Israel Bayer at 503-228-5657.
