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December 9, 1992...The Portland Observer ...Page 3
Hope And
Hard Work
The Black United Front began its
Hope and Hard Work Campaign to fo ­
cus attention on community safety and
quality in June of 1992. The campaign to
reclaim our neighborhoods began by
designating abandoned and neglected
properties as “Eyesores of the Week.”
The fourplex located at 4941 -4947 NE
Garfield was targeted due to unsafe and
deteriorating conditions. This property
was owned by Don Robbins and the
Better Housing Trust Corporation.
The Front held its first press confer­
ence in the backyard of the property.
Front co-chair Ron Herndon and Rich­
ard Brown removed the doors of an old
refrigerator which posed a safety threat
to neighborhood children. The garage
was filled with old mattreses and ap­
peared to be structurally unsound. The
Front issued an ultimatum to Robbins,
remove the hazards ahd garbage within
one week or his home would be pick­
eted. Several days later the garage was
demolished and the garbage and refrig­
erator were removed. Over thirty tires
and uncut, littered grass remained. This
prompted Front members to meet with
Robbins at his home to discuss this
property and Better Housing’s other
properties. After review ing B etter
Housing’s agreements with several of
its tenants, the Front concluded that
Robbins’ group was nothing more than
Visibly Committed
a modern day sharecropping arrange­
ment that exploited poor people. The
Front contacted the State Attorney
General’s office and requested an inves­
tigation of Robbins’ Contracts with ten­
ants.
Today’s announcement that Better
Housing Trust is out of business and the
properties will be turned over to the
Portland Development
commission
is a victory for this community. The
Hope and Hard Work Campaign began
with the belief that we could make a
change in our community. The condi­
tions and behavior of landlords and ten­
ants that create a breeding ground for
crime will only exist if we do nothing.
Wc will continue to aggressively target
the individuals who willfully deprive us
of a safe and livable community through
their deliberate neglect of property and
callous disregard for the residents of
Northeast Portland. Through the Hope
and Hard Work Campaign we have
shown that by working together with
residents, police, city agencies and neigh­
borhood groups we can get rid of aban­
doned cars, garbage, deteriorated and
abandoned buildings...and bad landlords.
The Black United Front holds weekly
Hope and Hard Work meetings at 7 p.m.
every Thursday at Vancouver Ave. First
Baptist Church located at 3138 N. Van­
couver Ave.
Safe Child Foundation’s
B.U.K.L. Program Expanded
To Include All Of Oregon
The Safe Child Foundation is ex­ criterion. Health officials distribute the
gift certificates and educate recipients
panding its Buckle Up Kids for Life
in the proper use of the car seats. Hensel
(B.U.K.L.) program statewide.
expects
to provide 600 Oregon families
Successfully launched in Marion
with
gift
certificates this year. He hopes
County last summer, B.U.K.L. provides
low-income,pre-qualifiedOregon fami­ to make another 1,500 car seats avail­
able in 1993.
lies with gift certificates to purchase
“ Nationwide, car crashes are the
new child car safety seats at a significant
leading
cause of death for children un­
discount. The program is a cooperative
der
the
age
of four,” Hensel observed.
effort between the Safe Child Founda­
“This
program
is designed to save lives.”
tion, Fred Meyer, national car seat manu­
B.U.K.L. is supported in 1992 by a
facturer Cosco, and state and local pub­
$10,000 grant from the Colllins Foun­
lic health agencies. Most counties in
Oregon are participating in the pro­ dation and $2,000 from the Blue Cross/
Blue Shield Fund of the Oregon Com­
gram.
munity Foundation. Other financial
“Car safety seats are expensive, and
sponsors include Blue Cross/Blue Shield
as a result, some low-income families
perceive them as optional safety equip­ of Oregon, Capital Health Care System,
Farmers Insurance Group, First Inter­
ment,” said Safe Child Foundation presi­
state Bank C haritable Foundation,
dent James Hensel. “B.U.K.L. eases the
Kiwanis of Oregon and State Farm In­
cost burden, and we get more car seats
surance. Sponsors to date for 1993 in­
into the low income community.”
clude the Carpenter Foundation, the
Through B.U.K.L., qualified low
Jackson Foundation, the Rose E. Tucker
income fam ilies receive gift certificates
Trust and the Portland Group, Inc.
enabling them to purchase $65 Cosco
TheSafeChildFoundation isanon-
car safety seats at Fred Meyer stores for
profit
organization based in Portland,
$20. The Safe Child Foundation pays
established
to provide programs and
the difference. The Oregon Health Divi­
services
geared
at making Oregon a
sion and local health departments qualify
safer place for children.
low income families based on existing
HSCO Responds To
Governor’s Budget(s)
The Human Services Coalition of
Oregon (HSCO), a statewide advocacy
group made up of more than 2000 orga­
nizations and individuals, responded to­
day to Governor Roberts budget propos­
als. According to John Mullin, HSCO
Co-Chair: “the budget clearly demon­
strates the needs for tax reform in O r­
egon. In submitting three separate bud­
gets, the Governor pointed out critical
problem areas. However, even the most
optimistic budget scenario fails to deal
with some of the major issues she has
identified.”
Some startling examples include:
• Within Children Services Divi­
sion, 2,769 teenagers with behavior prob­
lems or who have been neglected will
not be served
• 210 State Mental Health hospital
beds will be eliminated. 128 of those
beds will be transferred to community
services programs, where existing ser­
vices will becut for 832 individuals now
served
• Over 3,000 seniors and younger
disabled persons will lose long term care
or cash assistance; in some cases they
will lose medical care as well
• 575 physically and dcvclopmcn-
tally disabled people will lose their em ­
ployment
The most optimistic budget sce­
nario is based on the legislature adopt­
ing increases in specific taxes-beer,
wine, and cigarettes-initiatives which,
according to HSCO, the Legislature
has heretofore been unwilling to con­
sider. And while the coalition is will­
ing to support increases, they note that
these increases are inadequate in the
face of a huge revenue gap. In addi­
tion, the final piece of the “recom­
mended” budget would be legislative
and voter approval o f a tax package to
offset proposed cuts in education.
According to Mullin, the man­
dated budget-the budget based on
available resources with no revenue
increases, “ Magnifies the stress and
disorder in the social service system.
Under this scenario thousands of Or­
egonians will be cut off from essential
services in human resource, educa­
tion and other vital areas.”
Co-Chair Sandra J. Millius adds:
“The Governor has laid the case be­
fore the citizens of Oregon and their
legislative representatives. She has
plainly outlined the problems and
choices. It is now up to the legisla­
ture.”
The work ot the National Association lor
the Advancement o f Colored People ( NA AC P)
the O pportunities Industrialization Centers
(O IC ) o f Am erica, the National Urban
League, and the United Negro College Fund
(U N C F ) is essential to the communities they
serve. That's why R.J Reynolds Tobacco
Company is com mitted to their continued
growth. No where is this support more v is i­
ble than in the R.J. Reynolds Public Sei vice
Billboard Program.
This program makes available to these
organizations hundreds ot high visibility
locations in dozens ot cities coast to coast.
New Alliance
Party To Hold
Statewide
Convention
The New Alliance party received
over 92,000 voles in Oregon for its
candidates-Dr. Lenora Fulani (Presi­
dent), Sarah Lyons (Secretary of Stale)
and Rose Marie Borchers (Treasurer).
With these results, the party exceeded
the requirements to qualify for perma­
nent ballot status and is now the only
progressive independent party on
Oregon’s ballot.
The New Alliance Party invites
everyone to come to its convention and
learn more about “the ballot” that Mal­
colm X spoke of and to help build
progressive independent politics in this
state and country.The statewide con­
vention will be held on Saturday, De­
cember 12, from 11:30 am to 1:30 pm
ath the North Portland Library, 512 N.
Killingsworth
As a result, more awareness is focused on
the vital community development work they
carry out.
This is ¡list one o f the many ways R.J.
Reynolds, in cooperation with numerous
billboard companies, is demonstrating its
longstanding commitment to African-
American progress.
A working commitment that is working
for all o f us.
—Cs*
‘
y r
Tobacco Company
ANNOUNCING-
A FREE
2 CHRISTMAS HAIRCUT
for Boys & Girls!
s
Professional
Haircuts!
Monday, DEC. 21st
10:00am-3:00pm
* F irs t come,
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/zZZZ/X d / / Y d ’ZzWAi’
&
(affi m o w
mw/ts to aavertt&e
* Ages 16 & u n d e r
at
The Salvation A rm y
Moore St. Corps
Community Center
5430 N. Moore
call 282-2571
for information
f
Creed Of The Black Press
The Black Press believes that America can best lead the world away from racial
and national antagonisms when it accords to every person, regardless of race,
color or creed, full human and legal rights. Hating no person, fearing no person,
the Black Press strives to help every person in the firm belief that all are hurt
The Portland Observer encourages our readers to write
letters to the editor in response to any articles we publish.
as long as anyone is held back.
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