PORTLAND, Ore. - On this day when so many give thanks, local elected leaders say the homeless problem is worse right now than it has ever been - with more families and more young children living on the streets.

With tough economic times still hitting Oregon hard, it could be a tough winter for the homeless in Portland. Now, city and county leaders in the metropolitan area are calling on more local churches to step up.

Commissioners from Portland and Multnomah County sent a joint letter Nov. 19 to 240 local congregations. The letter asks church leaders to open their doors to a homeless family or - if they can't do that - to support another church that can.

"We expect a lot of our faith community," said Multnomah County Commissioner Deborah Kafoury. "We're trying to offer them a tangible thing they can do. "

Nine local churches are already part of a network that provides shelter to homeless families, but local leaders said they need double that amount. Network organizers said the churches are seeing, on average, 15 more people per night than were there last year. 

At First Unitarian Church in downtown Portland, "families in our own congregation are becoming homeless," said Reverand Kate Lore. "These are people who never ever thought they'd be homeless, and they're losing their homes."

Reverend Lore said in her two decades of working with homeless families she has never seen it this bad.

The city and county leaders are saying they have people to help churches with related administrative needs, such as setting up overnight shelters.

Related links:

• Read the letter sent out by the commissioners (.pdf file)
• List of churches and shelters in Portland (.pdf file)
• Springfield, Ore., considers homeless RV camps in church parking lots