Welcome to EcoLife!
This blog, which is hosted by Portland State University students, aims to motivate, inform, and inspire change. We want you to learn about the complicated issues surrounding homelessness, while going beyond the tip of the iceberg. We hope to establish a connection with you through our posts regarding the lives and experiences of homeless individuals, expressed in these numerous stories and articles.
We hope you enjoy our blog!
Do Good Multnomah is a non-profit organization that partners with the community to provide permanent supportive housing and low-barrier emergency shelter to houseless Veterans in Portland, Oregon. They employ relationship-building, one-on-one engagement, supportive services, and direct community participation. They have worked veterans and civilians to help transition people out of houselessness into permanent housing. They are currently working with the City of Portland and Multnomah County Joint Office of Homeless Services to establish a transitional shelter village in the St. Johns neighborhood. The St. Johns Christian Church leased its land to Do Good Multnomah to help. 19 "sleeping pods", simple standalone rooms (a video showing the pods above) are provided with the intention of cycling folks out to permanent housing over the course of a year or sooner. The plans are to have case management, electricity, plumbing, community space and a fully functional kitchen for use in the village as well. There is also a coalition of neighbors in the area that formed to help support the successful implementation of the village and to volunteer their time.
I think this method is a great start to hopefully a trend of these kind of communities and villages popping up. The support system created here is essential to moving folks into more permanent housing. The community involvement is also very exciting to see because far to often do neighbors not know how to help or get involved. Giving those who are experiencing houselessness a sense of community support is very important, showing that there are people there to help. Having an organization like this take the reins and build something that can help right now and in the future seems like a recipe for success. Below are links to the Do Good Multnomah website about us and an overview of the St. Johns Village.
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