The Impact of the Raising Cost of Living and Where You can Seek Help

We cannot ignore the fact that homelessness is a huge problem in our current society, the recent pandemic devastated many Oregonians financially and that really hits home for me. As a Portland resident, I have many relatives that are being affected by the high cost of living in Portland. It's impossible to ignore the growing number of people sleeping on street corners struggling to get by. 

It's saddening to see people living in these conditions, especially when we know that so many of them are just like us - regular people who have fallen on hard times. And most of the time their circumstance is no a result of their own actions but are influenced by events outside of their control. Many homeless individuals I have talked to mentioned that they were evicted from their homes because the increase in rent. This makes many of them feel helpless because they have so little power to do anything, once an individual becomes homeless, it is very hard to get out of that because it eliminates/reduces many opportunities. 

There are existing local organizations in Portland that are trying their best to help the struggling population, organizations such as the Portland Rescue Mission, they are a community funded organization focused on helping the struggling population. They offer various recovery programs for everyone that needs guidance and shelter. Their direct phone number is (503) 906-7650, if anyone reading this blog needs assistance, feel free to give them a call to request assistance.

This image is a picture from downtown Portland and it just shows how severe this homelessness problem has become, no human being should have to live in these conditions, especially when they have control over it. In the end, addressing homelessness in Portland requires a collective effort from all members of our community. It's not something with a simple solution, but by being compassionate and by working together, we can make a huge difference in the lives of those struggling.