Last week our furnace broke, and my community spent two
nights without heat right as severe weather hit the Portland area. The morning
after the first night, Cecelia’s shampoo was frozen. None of us showered that
morning. We all could see our breath. The second night, I slept in long
underwear, a sweatshirt, with my beanie on, in my sleeping bag under another
sleeping bag covered by two blankets. It was cold.
But I was inside. And it was only two nights.
That second night I spent without heat inside, outside it
was 25 degrees with freezing rain and a steady 30 mph making it feel more like
15 degrees out. In the morning the ground and all east facing windows were
covered in a solid sheet of ice.
People slept outside in this weather.
Starting with the evening of the 11th, Portland experienced
seven nights in a row that were officially designated as severe weather. When
this designation is given, emergency efforts kick in to get as many people as
possible who are outside into a warm space. Day shelter hours are extended, the
Red Cross operates an emergency overnight shelter, churches open up, other
overnight shelters add beds, and outreach workers and emergency personnel go
out to connect with people.
Now I am going to return to the merits of this emergency
coordination and response, but I must say it is outrageous that it is not seen
as an emergency that every night, regardless of the weather, thousands of people
are sleeping outside. On any given night in Multnomah County, nearly 2000 people
are sleeping outside, in vehicles, in abandoned buildings or in other places
not meant for human habitation. Including these unsheltered individuals, there
are nearly 16,000 people in Multnomah County who fit the broadest definition of
homelessness which includes those sleeping in emergency shelters, staying in transitional
housing, couch surfing, or doubled up with family or friends1. And
this is just in one county, on one night. The number of people who experience
homelessness throughout the length of the year is far higher. And these numbers
don’t even begin to touch upon the number of people experiencing poverty who
have to put a large share of their income toward housing thus becoming at
greater risk of homelessness. How is it that homelessness has become normalized
and accepted as a fact of life in American society? Why is it that we blame the
most vulnerable and oppressed people of our society for their plight? Why do we
not see the resilience, courage, and strength demonstrated by people who are
facing some of the most difficult circumstances any human could face? Why is our
compassion seasonal? How can we be apathetic when so many of our neighbors are
out on the streets? When so many of our elders and veterans are without housing?
When one in thirty American children are homeless?2 When economic injustice is so prevalent,
warping the humanity of rich and poor alike?
“Overcoming poverty is
not a task of charity, it is an act of justice. Like slavery and apartheid,
poverty is not natural. It is man-made and it can be overcome and eradicated by
the actions of human beings” – Nelson Mandela3
Okay, stepping down off my soapbox. Despite the fact that I
think much more should be done to end the injustice of homelessness in general,
I was inspired by the response in Portland and at JOIN in particular during the
severe weather.
It was all hands on deck at JOIN (where I serve) to do whatever it took to
keep our friends warm and safe. Our day space is normally open 10am-3pm, but
during the severe weather we began opening at 8:30am and closing at 4 or 5pm.
This allowed people to transition between overnight shelters, meal providers
and the day space without having to be outside for any extended period of time.
Our outreach workers went out every night to find people and drive them to
shelters or at least give them blankets, tarps, jackets, food and hand-warmers.
The outreach workers were doing this on top of their day-to-day work connecting
with people living on the streets and supporting their transition into
permanent housing. The night I was sleeping in a cold house, my co-worker Diana
was out in Gresham braving the cold and ice to reach as many people as she
could.
As the severe weather continued, the outreach workers
energies obviously were sapped, so other staff, volunteers and even board
members stepped in to help with outreach. We also opened up as an overnight
shelter last minute when one of the other emergency warming centers was unable
to open Saturday night. I know that our executive director was working Saturday
to get everything together to open overnight, helped out by going on outreach
that night, and was back Sunday morning by 6am to help close the overnight
shelter.
I am thankful for the opportunity to work alongside so many
amazing people and at such a great organization. Compassion is not just 9-5 at
JOIN. While it is imperative to practice self-care and build healthy boundaries
to sustain the work we are doing, it is refreshing and moving to work among
people who build authentic relationships with people, and who are willing to go
give all they can give in support of our friends on the streets.
The last month has been mentally and emotionally exhausting
for me (thus the absence of blog posts), but right now I am feeling re-inspired
to keep serving and learning with my whole heart this year. I have been witness
to much suffering and trauma in the lives of the friends I have made at JOIN
recently. It is hard. But I am trying to intentionally practice self-care and self-compassion
as I am privileged to be in the lives of people on the margins. And I believe
that in going to these places of vulnerability and suffering, I am being made
more human, I am being opened to the tender love of God that is present in all
of life, in each life and especially present where life is most fragile.
--
Here’s a news story which highlighted JOIN during the severe
weather, and that includes interviews with my co-worker Quinn (who served in my
position 7 years ago!) and my friend Pete.
JOIN also has been selected to be a part of Williamette Week’s
Give! Guide. Please consider making a donation to JOIN under the community
section to support our work connecting people on the streets to housing and
providing critical basic services while people are in transition. https://giveguide.org/
--
1 “2013 Point-in-Time: Count of Homelessness in
Portland/Multnomah County, Oregon” https://www.portlandoregon.gov/phb/article/451470
2 “Study: 1 in 30 U.S. Kids Were Homeless During
2013”
3 “Mandela’s Speech”
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The contents of this page, and all links appearing on
this page, do not represent the positions, views, or intents of Jesuit
Volunteers Corps Northwest.
