Street roots., September 12, 2014, Page 6, Image 6

Street roots
6
S ep t 12, 2014
A spiritual
awakening
BY SARAH HANSELL
C O N T R IB U T IN G W R ITE R -~
e 2013 salary of Oregon Labor
Commissioner Brad Avakian: $72,000
• 2013 average salary of principal
executive officials in the Bureau of Labor
and Industries: $94,685
• Percent of Oregon wage and salary
workers with union membership in 2012:
• Percent of Oregon wage and salary
workers with union membership in 2013:
he first thing I notice about Betty Jo
Griffiths is more than just her
immediate smiling personality or her
kindness.
•It’s the joyful calm of her spirit So much
so that I forget what questions I have
planned to ask that day.
Betty Jo’s youngest child had just moved
out when she was laid off from her job as a
certified nursing assistant of about 30 years.
The collapse of the housing market and
recession left her unable to pay her
mortgage and, she lost her house, forcing
her and her husband into a motor home for
three years. Then she found that she had
been living with a tumor for a year. She had
a routine hysterectomy and died on the
table for two minutes. If that wasn’t
traumatic enough, her motor home caught.
a
__________
• Average percent of union membership
among Oregon wage and salary workers,
2004-2013:15.43
• Oregon workers represented by unions
but not members of unions in 2013:
'
• Average amount more that skilled union
workers earn per week than non-union
workers: $200
• Oregon Nationai Guardsmen deployed
to Afghanistan in August 2014: about 900
• Number ot new grants awarded by the
Department of Housing and Urban
her and her husband living in a
tent in Roseburg.
“That was the beginning of my spiritual
awakening,” she said. It was these
tragedies, she said, that began to bring her
to her current state of empathy, love and
acceptance.
Shé’s worked as a nursing assistant since
she was 16, and she said she never felt the
love from her family that she believes is the
most important thing parents can give to
- ih e ir.c h ü d c e iiwhat she. wi§hes_shç had,
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assistance: 18
w ere growing up.
“What’s; more important, buying your kids
• Amount those HUD homeless
assistance grants are equivalent to:
$2,400,180
• Estimated number of people
experiencing homelessness from the
point in time count in Oregon for January
2013:13,822
Sources: Oregon.gov Open Data Portal,
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Oregon
National Guard; Department o f Housing
and Urban Development; HUD 2013
Annual Homeless Report to Congress,
Point in Time Estimates
Answers to.puzzles on page 15
everything they want, or actually spending
time and teaching them stuff? That’s what’s
more important;” she said.
She used to make assumptions abo u t. ,
people who were in similar situations to the
orte she has experienced.
“I used to judge them,” she said. “They
must be. homeless because they’re on drugs
or they just don’t care.”
Through her own personal tragedies and
through her own spiritual growth with her
husband, who is a minister, she has come to
P H O T O B Y C O L E M ER K EL
for their future plans of having a farm that
would be a safe place for families struggling
with addiction, and she is selling Street
Roots to meet daily needs.
than others. And I understand addiction t o '' ?
“Jtjs thg Jhest thing I’ye everf done,”
said. “I didn’t th in k ! was going to be that
a lot of it.”
good at it. But I’m pretty darn good at it.
She and her husband love to do as much
And I love what I do. I love being a vendor.”
as they can to help others who are
struggling with homelessness, hopelessness
Betty Jo’s joy is infectious. As she stands
and addiction. She says it’s not uncommon
up as our interview ends, she gives me a
for people struggling with addiction and
hug.
hopelessness to come to the door of her
“And how lucky am I? Truly blessed!” she
and her husband’s new motor home. Her
said.
husband will pray with them.
Before she left, she encouraged me to
“They just need love,” she says* “You
come see where she sells her- papers, at the
don’t have to give them everything, just let
Alberta Co-op Grocery.
them know that they’re worthy.” ,
Now, Betty Jo’.s husband is working in
“Most beautiful people in the world are
demolition, giving them money to save up
there,” she said.
not just accept others, but also empathize
with them.
“I have learned that everybody has a
story,” she said. “And some are more tragic
John Fluevog Shoes is donating 50 percent of sales to Street Roots!
When: Friday, September 19th, 4-9:00P.M.
Where: 1224 SW Stark St, Portland, Oregon
Indulge in the best shoes fashion has to offer & meet the Street Roots team ...
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