Portland observer., June 23, 2022, Page 10, Image 10

Page 10
CAREERS Special Edition
June 23, 2021
Nonprofit helps
homeless, youth
C ontinued FroM p age 5
nieweather told the Portland
Observer he’d like to develop a
“houseless workforce program” to
help homeless people have a base
of operations to look for jobs.
“We want to be able to employ
them, and put some dignity back
in their lives, for those who de-
sire it,” he said.
Currently, volunteers from
Minnieweather’s
Straightway
Services meet every Friday
morning at homeless camps at
Delta Park and along Interstate
5, bringing food and supplies
to people in need. Much of the
blankets, tents, rain gear and oth-
er items distributed to support
them are received through Mult-
nomah County, he said.
“We also have boots and
clothes and hygiene and medical
kits, a big array of stuff,” he said.
Minnieweather said his group
distributes about 150 bags of
supplies each week.
Covid has also put many peo-
ple into quarantine, adding new
challenges.
“We’re working with Care Or-
egon and Multnomah County on
Covid relief, and have contracts
with those who are quarantined,”
he said. “We help with grocery
shopping and laundry.
Right now his group is helping
out 11 people who are quaran-
tined, he said, and more help is
needed. Donations to Straight-
way Services can be sent to P.O.
Box 11871, Portland, OR 97211.
Minnieweather’s faith guides
his efforts, he said, a faith in-
stilled in him by a strong mother.
“My mama said you may be
crazy enough to lose everything,
but if you lose Jesus, you’ve lost
your mind,” he said, “and you
must seek what you are looking
for.”
That’s why he was motivat-
ed to hold the event in Pioneer
Square, he said.
“I want to get in front of peo-
ple and say I’m not here to raise
issues, but this should be a beau-
tiful place to raise your children,
but I’m scared to see my kids
go out the door. Kids are getting
killed on the streets every day.
This is a bad place to be, but it
shouldn’t be, so let’s reclaim it.”
Smith Announces
Run for Congress
C ontinued FroM p age 3
page.
Smith pointed to her life expe-
rience of fighting for the margin-
alized and said she will take that
same drive to Washington.
“Let’s make history together,”
she said.
Smith worked for Sen. Ron
Wyden out of his Portland office
for more than 20 years before
being elected to the Multnomah
County Commission. She moved
to Oregon where her family had
roots to attend Oregon State Uni-
versity after graduating from high
school in Michigan where she was
raised.
She earned high marks for ad-
vocating for the elderly and for
youth as a commissioner where
she increased funding for local
programs, but then her political
career came up short in running
for the Portland City Council in
2018 against JoAnn Hardesty,
another member of Portland’s
African American community.
Last year, she narrowly lost to
Dan Ryan in a special election
to fill the term of the late Nick
Fish
Oregon will pick up a sixth seat
in the U.S. House of Representa-
tives in the next Congress because
of an increase in population based
on the 2020 Census. While the
boundaries for the new office have
yet to be determined, there is no
residency requirement under the
Constitution for the office holder
other then they live in the state
they represent.
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