November 11, 2015
VETERAN’S DAY
Special Edition
A veteran-focused shelter will open on Wednesday, Veterans Day,
at First Congregational Church, downtown, providing emergency
shelter for up to 13 homeless veterans and seven companion
animals.
Veterans Focused
Shelter Opening
Low barrier
model addresses
housing crisis
A Portland-based non-profit
will provide emergency shelter
services for up to 13 homeless
Veterans and seven companion
animals starting on Veterans’
Day.
Do
Good
Multnomah,
in partnership with several
community organizations, has
developed a model that creates
synergy between neighborhood
groups, faith communities, and
the business sector to address
Portland’s homelessness crisis in
an immediate and focused way.
The Do Good Veterans Shelter,
located at First Congregational
Church, 1126 S.W. Park Ave.,
will be the only low-barrier,
Veteran-exclusive shelter for
men in the city, and one of only
a few Portland shelters to allow
companion animals.
Shelter staff will help the
veterans
navigate
through
the available housing and
employment resources offered
by other service providers. The
shelter will be free of charge.
Church members will
coordinate volunteer efforts,
but religious belief or church
affiliation is not a requirement
to participate. In addition to the
support received from the city
of Portland and Multnomah
County, initial funding for the
shelter’s Veterans’ Day launch
was provided by US Bank.
“This kind of shelter depends
on the support and good will of
many people,” said UCC Senior
Minister, Michael Ellick. “Each
of us has different gifts to bring
to the table. We are honored to
work with Do Good Multnomah
and to open our building to our
neighbors who sleep outside.”
Mayor Charlie Hales said
providing shelter for Veterans and
their companion animals provides
compassionate
transitional
shelter as the city works to get
all of our homeless Veterans into
housing.
“Thank
you
Do
Good
Multnomah, First Congregational,
and US Bank for partnering with
government to benefit some of
our most vulnerable neighbors,”
Hales said.
Veterans in need of housing
assistance or emergency shelter
are also encouraged to call 2-1-1.
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