Street Roots • June 12-18, 2015
E d it o r ia l
Proposed county budget makes sm art connections
Page 3
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or many years, the budget process for Multnomah
County was a painful study in having to do more
with less.,
That is not the case for now. This year, Chair Deborah
Kafoury s 2016 proposed budget is $1.7 billion, with more
than $90 million in expected new revenue over the
current budget.
There are lots of places that
money can go wrong. We’re happy
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to see it go right.
"* * * » » »
Kafoury has a well-established
reputation as a put-your-money- .
where-your-mouth-is advocate for
the poor. With the combined initiatives from her fellow
commissioners, this budget is no exception.,
The budget dedicates $2 million in ongoing funds to
place more vulnerable people into housing by leveraging
a combination of approaches. It is expected this funding
will place 125 households into permanent housing, with a
focus on families with children,-veterans, the elderly and
disabled, In addition to housing placement efforts, the
budget has alloted $5 million to one-time only funds to
build new affordable housing units for an additional 125
families.
Housing options for the poor in this city, particularly
people of color, are scarce growing ever scarcer in this
city, with little interest from the private marketplace to
correct the imbalance. It has to be the responsibility of
our government, as the collective arm of the community,
to foster the opportunity of housing for all; and
Multnomah County is doing this in tandem with, the cities,
of Portland and Gresham, nonprofits and other
philanthropic partners.
The more immediate need exists as well, and the
county budget has earmarked $90,000 toward year-round
shelter for families. The city has also expanded its year- ',
round services for homeless individuals. Of the nearly:
4,000 people counted as homeless in Multnomah County
S
in January, nearly half were unsheltered on the streets.
Securing shelter will save lives and provide the essential
first step to stability, services, housing and independence.
This budget connects the dots. In addition to direct
services for people experiencing poverty and
homelessness, it weaves a stronger network around
education, health cafe and public safely.
The county proposes expanding the SUN school
program to Parkrose, Gresham and Reynolds school
districts, with additional funds dedicated to culturally
specific case management services for African American
children in East County.
The budget includes $450,000 of new funding for
culturally specific mental health services in schools to
help kids access care. Currently, of the more than 140
schools in Mutlnomah County, only 1 in 4 have a
dedicated mental health consultant.
Beyond schools, the budget has dedicated more than
$1.5 million toward outpatient mental health services for
underserved communities of color. It’s part of the
county’s ongoing work to partner with communities of
color whose members experience a lower life expectancy
and higher rates of disease and poverty. The county is
also a funding partner in the new Behavioral Health
Center to provide immediate services for people in a
mental health crisis.
The budget includes new investments to improve
school attendance rates, increase the financial literacy
and opportunities for low-income families, and prevent
youth violence. The latter includes a coordinated effort
with the court system, juvenile services, schools and law
enforcement to divert first-time offenders away from the
justice system and back to stability.
Chair Kafoury says the goal of the budget is to equip
county employees with the means to best serve our
community. As people on the front lines know — and this
budget reflects — it’s all connected.
to have
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that you’ve
written published
in our pages, or would
like to get involved as a
member of our reporting staff,
contact Managing Editor Joanne Zuhl at
503-228-5657, joanne@streetroois.org.
We ask that all submissions include the
author’s n.ame and contact information,
if available.
Street Roots
211 NW Davis S t
Portland, OR 97209
503-228-5657
Fax:503-227-3117
www.streetroots.org
www.news.streetroots.org
Hours: 7:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Mon.-Fn., 7:30
a.m.-2 p.m., Sat. and 7:30-11 a.m. Sun.
Advertising
Interested in advertising in Street Roots?
Contact Israel Bayer at israetereetroots.org
Executive Director Israel Bayer
israetereetroots.org
Managing Editor Joanne Zuhl
ioanhetoeefroofrerq^ 2^?
Vendor Coordinator Cole Merkel
cole@streetroots.org
Operations Director Sarah Beecroft
Program Assistant Grace Radik, Jesuit
Weekly publication strong, getting stronger
or two days this spring, Street Roots vendors, '
volunteers, staff and board met to hash out what
the next three years of the organization might look
like. ,
Understanding that Street Roots
went to a weekly publication
D I R E C T O R S - schedule in January, something the
B E S IK
organization had been working.
toward, it was d ear that the next
By Israel Bayer
three years needed to be about
improving and building on what we
have accomplished. It was also clear
that we needed a strategic plan for
success, but not to grow too fast.
Themes that boiled to the top of the two-day planning
session included better ways to support the vendor
program and offering more opportunities to people
experiencing homelessness and poverty. Finding ways to
give vendors a raise, offering better services and quality
transportation options are all key to supporting the .
people we serve. Elevating vendor and community voices
was equally as important. Of course, improving .the |
newspaper and remaining relevant in an ever-changing
media environment is also critical to the success of the
organization.
Street Roots is about to reach the six-month mark of
weekly publication. It is \a heavy lift in itself. At the h eart
of weekly publication is giving people experiencing 2
homelessness and poverty a more stable income to
: improve their quality of life. That has everything to do
with the relationships built in the community between
readers and vendors.
“Weekly has been working out for the vendors in
greater ways than we could have anticipated,” says Cole
F
Israel Bayer is the
executive director o f .
Street.Roots. § You.can
reach him at
israel@streetroots‘org
or follow .him on
Twitter @israelbayer.
Merkel, Street Roots vendor coordinator. "Readers are
supporting around 120 vendors every week to earn an
income. Sales have gone up 50 percent over the first 5
months of last year, and, overall, the energy has been
really positive in the vendor office. Our vendor team
right now is clearly motivated and driven. We have some
of the hardest workers in Portland, doing everything they
can to improve their quality of life.”
It’s been a truly amazing transition. It’s something
that we are constantly working on and trying to improve.
From working with local businesses and vendors to
providing quality content and journalism, to being a
platform of social justice in our community- Everything
we do at Street Roots is about relationships and lifting
people up, including our collective community.
“Street Roots helps me meet people,” says Jermaine
Johnson, a Street Roots vendor. “It brings the community
together — all the vendors, all the customers — to be able
to go out and do this: to sell the paper and have love for
the people. It’s a constructive job.”
So this summer you can help by spreading the word
about Street Roots. Some of the ways you can do that is
by turning your network onto the newspaper. Pick up an
extra copy of the paper and leave it, out your local haunt
or at work. Have friends or family visiting? Let them
know about the paper when they are out and about. ' :
“Street Roots is a conduit for improving my life,” says
David Walker. “Homelessness doesn’t equate to
hopelessness. Everyone deserves a chance at happiness.
My customers provide me with that opportunity! Thank
you.”
True that. Thank you readers; We couldn’t do it
without you. We appreciate all of your love. More than
you can imagine. Read on.
Volunteer, grace@streetroots.org
Development Director Sarah Cloud
Development Assistant Ann-Derrick
Galliot
Reporters Emily Green, Sue Zalokar,
Christen McCurdy, Sarah Hansell, Sam
Bouman, Jacques Von Lunen, Jared Faben
Photographers Diego Diaz, Joe Giode ■
Canvasser Desmond Hardison
Board o f Directors
Chairman Bruce Anderson
Vice-Chairman Brad Taylor
Treasurer Heather.Stadick ~
Secretary Amber Bielman
Directors Rich Rodgers, Michael Anderson,
Leo Rhodes, Nora Coon, barren Alexander,
Eddie Barbosa, Rachel Langford
Volunteers
Jan Bayer, Rob Shyrock, Stacey Heath, John
Barker, Sarah Hansell,' Aaron Von Reyp, Chere
Cobb,. Audrey Cerchiara, Jade Maniscalco,
Anjaji Rathore, Eliese Baker, DOug Spangle,
Susannah Kamala, Susan Gallagher, Tom Ray,
Lee Ko, Dan Jones, Lisa Waldo, James* Yu, 5am
Bouman, CherieVedal
If you are interested in volunteering w ith
Street Roots, please submit a volunteer
application at streetroots.org/volunteer. Or
call Volunteer Coordinator Grace Badik for
more information at 503-228-5657.