PAGE A8, KEIZERTIMES, JULY 9, 2021
HEART,
Continued from page A1
It’s been like that for several months.
Clendening, a Keizer resident and
teacher in the Salem-Keizer School
District’s EDGE online program, felt
she had to do something as the num-
bers of visible homeless people in the
area skyrocketed during the past few
years.
She’s been basing the work on a
quote from a prominent social worker,
Brené Brown: “Connection as the
energy that exists between people when
they feel seen, heard, and valued; when
they can give and receive without judg-
ment; and when they derive sustenance
and strength from the relationship.”
Her eff orts have evolved into a web-
site, caring-connections.org where vis-
itors can fi nd out how to get involved
with eff orts to relieve the strain on and
restore dignity to local unsheltered
people, and deeper involvement in a
Salem-approved homeless community
growing on Portland Road North.
“I went out to talk with some of the
people who have moved in and asked
what they needed. They said boredom
was one of the big challenges, so I went
out and collected crossword and word
search books, coloring books, games,
colored pencils, pens and markers,”
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Saluting the people that make
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Clendening said.
Her latest focus is helping devise
some communal activities.
“They had a bingo night that was
really successful, but we could bring
art workshops and other things that
help emotional well-being. My hope is
we could teach in such a way that the
residents begin leading the activities
themselves,” she said.
In some ways, the experience work-
ing more closely with unsheltered peo-
ple has brought her work as a teacher
into sharper focus.
“We are seeing kids coming to
school with bigger traumas in their
background and traumas that result
from not having their basic needs met.
Seeing how not having a place to sleep
or knowing when you’ll have your next
meal is aff ecting some of our neighbors
has been like closing the loop. It’s get-
ting to see what the possible outcome
is if we can’t help our students work
through trauma,” Clendening said.
As much as Clendening wants
to assist those already experiencing
homelessness, she also wants others
to realize how close most of us are to
being in the same situation.
“Most people aren’t that far away
from becoming unsheltered. I’ve had
some real changes in perspective and
the realization that if I didn’t have a
good support system, I could be out
there with them,” she said.
Cat of the Week
Name: PRISCILLA
Age: 7
HISTORY: Priscilla is a domestic medium
hair dilute who was brought in as a stray.
She has previously given birth.
PREFERRED HOME: This cat needs
a quiet home and consistent vet care.
Priscilla will occasionally nip or swat
if she is feeling overwhelmed but she
doesn’t use her claws.
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