Portland's Solution to Homelessness and Hunger

 

     While traveling through areas of Downtown and Northeast Portland, it is evident that the homelessness crisis is an issue that plagues the city. While Portland has less homeless people compared to other major cities, there is a more visible unsheltered population due to the city's large gap in shelter availability. According to Transition Projects, in 2018 Oregon was 1 of only 4 states to have more than half of their homeless population live unsheltered. The demand for real estate in Portland contributes to the affordable housing crisis. On the top of that living in Portland on a full-time minimum wage salary is unaffordable. The gap between rent and income continues to increase with half of Portland residents spending at least a third of their income on rent. 

    With over 4,000 people experiencing homelessness in Portland alone, the city is making efforts to address these issues. Organizations like A Home for Everyone has worked to house 5,130 people and kept 12,240 others from losing their homes in 2020. The year of 2020 seen a lot of progress to help fight the battle of homelessness in Portland. Oregon voters passed the HereTogether-Metro Regional Supportive Housing Measure in an effort to provide funding to transition people from being houseless. That same year, the Portland City Council also approved a budget that would move $15 million from the police bureau to social services. Four new shelters in Portland were used to provide 500 more beds to those in need.

     Other organizations such as the Oregon Food Bank and Blanchet House work to combat hunger in the state of Oregon. These organizations receive food donations such as canned foods and work to prepare meals for those who can't afford it. About half a million of Oregon's population are food insecure, with almost 200,000 being children. Providing nutrition to those who are suffering will help give them the strength to get back on their feet. We can all make a difference by either donating or volunteer to these programs that are helping our community fight homelessness and hunger.

Sources:

https://www.travelportland.com/homelessness-portland/

https://www.tprojects.org/our-impact/about-homelessness

https://www.oregonfoodbank.org/our-work/hunger-in-oregon/

http://ahomeforeveryone.net/