Security That Prioritizes Community

 

Are you a Portland business that has supportive ties to the neighborhood? What if I were to tell you that you can protect your assets while offering a service to the public at the same time? Well, look no further. Echelon Security Inc. is the partner you are looking for. 

Our houseless population is very much part of our society, and everyone in it deserves a humble and respectful interaction. Echelon does just that; they have a major relationship to the vulnerable individuals around in Portland. They get to know them by name, and for a good reason. 

Echelon delivers an unparalleled experience in preparation for the necessary duties, offering an understanding and reasonable strategy for our local area, and making respectful de-escalation practice a standard. Echelon brings back humanity to compassionate methods for those on the street, simply surviving. They employ a boots-on-the-ground tactic, establishing relationships and helping those struggling transition to programs that address their requirements: food, clothing, shelter, resources, assistance programs, and any other aspect they require help with. They facilitate connections to support systems that will help them obtain what is necessary, all the way up to getting back into housing and the workforce to repair their lives. 

They go above and beyond the standard expectation of safety services, and one step further, they rewrite the book on what it means to ensure protection for their fellow citizens. Echelon proudly displays how it is not just a win for the clients, but the public, the security firm, and anyone they interact with. For them, the job isn't done until their neighbors are served. If you need to entrust a protective service company that will provide an unparalleled experience and community standards that lift people up, click here for more information  

WALK WITH A PORTLAND SECURITY GUARD: DOWNTOWN POV

They’ve Got the Power!

 

In a houseless community, one of the biggest and most prominent concerns is not what you may think. Imagine not only hitting a point where you are unable to financially hold yourself, but also being unable to communicate to anyone: cannot get a hold of loved ones, cannot receive phone calls, texts, or emails on work opportunities, assistance programs, or medical evaluations. This is the new concern with our generation in a technology boom, everything going digital, and no means to keep a phone simply charged for such avenues that can potentially turn your life around.


This is the reality surrounding most of the houseless community. Stuck in an ocean without a life preserver, in today’s day and age, digital communication is of utmost importance. So what can we do to offset this growing concern? Luckily, there are a couple of resources that will help with this and our community, while we wait for more permanent solutions.


Meet the Power Bank Project. They can accept donations and help the Portland Metro area stay connected during difficult times. They take donations to purchase power banks that then get distributed to the area. The power banks they supply are specific to iPhone or Android models, as they have a fixed cable attached to them.

Secondly, enter Pear Mentor. Pear Mentor is a location on 6th Avenue in Portland, Oregon. They take a large variety of things for those needing assistance, such as clothing, gift cards, toiletries, and in the large list, are also power banks to stay connected. This place will take donations in the physical form, and they have an approved list of items to donate that is a bit more exhaustive.

Looking to help your community? Below are the links for the mentioned groups.

For information on the Power Bank Project, click here. 

For information on Pear Mentor, click here.

Your very livelihood depends on it!

 

When You Don't Have an ID, You Don't Exist

Most of us carry an ID every day without really thinking about it. It is just something in our wallet that we rarely question. But for people experiencing homelessness, losing an ID can create serious problems that most of us never have to deal with. 

A photo ID is needed for many basic things in life. It is required to apply for jobs, open a back account, get housing, accessing healthcare and support services, and even using some food pantries. In some cases, it is also needed to buy certain over-the-counter medicines when some is sick and just trying to take care of their health. Without an ID, even basic needs and opportunities become harder to access. For example, someone might finally get a job interview, but can not finish the hiring process because they don't have identification. 

The problem is that people experiencing homelessness are more likely to lose their ID. When someone is moving around often, carrying all their belongings, or dealing with unsafe situations, important documents can easily get lost, stolen, or damaged. Even if they try to replace it, it is not easy. It can cost money, take time, and require other documents they may not have like SSN, address, etc. This makes it hard to start over.

Another issue is that many systems assume everyone already has an ID and stable housing.When someone doesn't, it can feel like they are being left out or ignored by the system just because they are HOMELESS. It is not just a card, it is something that affects access to opportunities and basic support. 

The next time you use your ID, think about how much it allows you to do without you even noticing. For someone experiencing homelessness, not having one can mean missing out on work, housing, food, healthcare, and even simple things like medicine. Something so small can have a big impact on someone's life.

Resources that can be helpful: the barriers people face when getting identification.

https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-24-105435

https://homelesslaw.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Photo-ID-Barriers-Faced-by-Homeless-Persons-2004.pdf

The Simplicity of a Free Ride

 

Getting from point A to point B is made simply by one thing. The fact that we all have a reliable mode of transportation. I know I would be lost without my car; how does a bus schedule even work, where do we even pay? I don’t even know where the closest bus stop to my house is. We are all much closer to being without a car than we think. Either we forget the car payment and get it repoed, or we get in an accident or need to perform an expensive repair. Not only does not having a car cut into our social lives but it makes it harder for us to go to work, doctors’ appointments, and just important things we have to do in a day. Losing the ability to get around in a timely manner is tuff.

                One of the first questions a job asks is, “do you have a reliable form of transportation”. Relying on someone else to get you around is never reliable, you can miss the bus, or it could be late, there might be a surcharge on the ride share apps making it unreasonable to book a ride. What I am proposing is to have companies or some sort of public funding for people who make minimum wage or less to have a free bus fare or ride share plan in play. I know cities already have a type of discounted faire on buses but sometimes it takes people hours just to take a bus from point A to point B. That is where the ride share comes in. companies should budget for a van to pick up all their carless employees to make sure they get to their shift at a timely manner.

                We have made it almost impossible to get around these cities without a car. With freeways, and unkept sidewalks getting in the way from walking or biking. This has made having a car less of a luxury and more of a necessity. There should be some kind of car insurance discount, and maintenance reimbursement for people who are under a certain tax bracket. A reliable form of transportation is the lifeline to a successful career and a steady flow of income. I have attached 2 websites that may help someone with their car issues.

 

https://freecharitycars.org/

https://www.portland.gov/transportation/wallet/access-all

A Dead Phone Can Change Your Entire Day

Most of us don’t think twice about plugging in our phones before bed. But if you don’t have a stable place to live, keeping a phone charged can become a daily challenge.

When people talk about homelessness, conversations often focus on housing, food, or healthcare. Those things absolutely matter but one issue that gets overlooked is access to something as simple as a charged phone. Today, phones are how we apply for jobs, hear back from employers, check email, access resources, navigate transportation, and stay connected to family and friends. When your phone dies, all of that can disappear in an instant.

While working on our capstone project, I started thinking about how many opportunities can be missed because of a dead battery. A job interview call goes unanswered. An appointment reminder never gets seen. A housing contact can’t get through. These may seem like small inconveniences to most people, but they can have a real impact on someone’s ability to move forward.

What struck me most is how easy this problem is to overlook. Most of us carry portable chargers, have outlets in our homes, or can charge our phones in our cars. For someone experiencing homelessness, finding a safe and reliable place to charge a phone isn’t always guaranteed. Libraries, shelters, and community spaces help, but access can be limited depending on the time of day or available resources.

It’s easy to assume that a phone is a luxury, but for many people it’s one of the most important tools they have. Staying connected can mean staying employed, accessing services, or simply maintaining relationships with people who care about you.

The next time you plug in your phone without thinking about it, consider what it would be like if you couldn’t. Small barriers can create much bigger challenges than we realize. If we’re serious about helping people access opportunities and resources, we should pay attention to the everyday obstacles that stand in the way.

Want to learn more about homelessness and technology access? Click here:
https://www.nationalhomeless.org

Losing Your Smile

It’s easy to take teeth for granted. Every day we chomp through 3 or more meals, consisting of food stuff of various consistency, without ever thinking about if we’re able to. Even those of us who don’t go to the dentist regularly probably wouldn’t hesitate to bite into an apple, a tough piece of jerky, or drink a sugary, carbonated beverage, secure in the knowledge that any problems can be fixed with a quick (albeit potentially costly) trip to the dentist. But what if you didn’t have that fallback? What if the teeth you have now are all you’re going to be able to use for the foreseeable future. And what if something as simple as brushing your teeth was beyond your reach to regularly perform? You might begin to think more carefully about the food you consumed, the things you choose to chew on… and of course you can only do so much.

A significantly high percentage of the unhoused suffer chronic dental problems, exacerbated by a lack of easily available dental care. In a survey, it was found that more than 75% of the surveyed unhoused individuals were suffering from some kind of dental issue, and more than 25% had attempted at some point to remove their own teeth rather than seek medical treatment. That sounds dramatic, but anyone who has experienced chronic tooth pain will tell you it’s not. Anyone waiting on a root canal or filling will tell you of the hell that is waiting for your appointment, but for many unhoused there is no waiting: it is simply a pain they will have to carry with them. When you visualize chronic tooth pain stretching from days to weeks to months, suddenly taking dental matters into your own hands doesn’t seem so sensational of a concept. 

On the sadder side of things, nearly 90% of the survey’s participants admitted to feeling self-conscious about their teeth. Imagine having your smile stolen from you, feeling like you have to keep yourself tight lipped at all times, lest someone see what has happened to the inside of your mouth. It sounds hallmark, but there really is something to be said about a dentist’s ability to return someone’s smile to them. 

When we talk about what medical services should be provided to the unhoused, dental care is often one of the less discussed fields. We use our teeth for so many little things throughout the day, restoring their dependability is as important as any other service the unhoused should have access to. So next time you bite into a piece of food without thinking, take a second to think about those that don’t have that luxury

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More information on this subject can be found at the National Library of Medicine

Medical Teams International is working to Bring Medical Care to the Disadvantaged

NHC offers Affordable Dental Care for those in need