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CEX4EKRJ&TX19G A D B C A 9E
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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
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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.