'World Homeless Day' is this week... do you plan to help in some way?
PORTLAND, Ore. - On Wednesday, people around the world will stop to think about the homeless in their communities and do what they can to help out.
It's all part of World Homeless Day, which is meant to draw attention to the needs of the homeless and get the community involved in making a change in people's lives.
Here in Portland, organizers of Right 2 Dream Too, a homeless camp at Northwest 4th and Burnside in Old Town, will mark the day with a number of events.
World Homeless Day is also the one-year anniversary of the camp (known as a 'rest area' by its organizers because it is a temporary place for the homeless).
First, the group plans to rally at City Hall Wednesday morning in their ongoing effort to get fines for code violations lifted. And those who want to participate are encouraged to wear zombie attire. Why, you ask?
"It's a way of showing solidarity with the sleep-deprived houseless people who lack shelter or affordable housing," organizer Lisa Fay said in a news release.
An open house with lunch and cake is planned at the camp from noon to 2 p.m., followed by a fashion show at 3 p.m. There will also be a sleeping bag and blanket drive. The public is welcome to participate in any of the day's activities.
If You Want to Help
The Portland Rescue Mission has put together some resources to get you thinking about how you can help out the homeless here in our city.
- Visit www.1010pdx.org
And here are some more helpful resources:
Civ that is so low of you. And Im not A bum Thank you I'm homeless with 2kids go to school and work. Its really a Race thing out here. Be careful what you say cause it could be you too.
Wow, why dont we enable more of these bums to do what they do by giving them a holiday week....
Problem: The more we support Portland's homeless (many of which are not Portlanders to start with) the more will migrate here from other places. Â Solution: Create support facilities for those who can show that they have lived here for 10 years and deport all others to from where they came.Â
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@swede999 Who pays to send them back?
"'World Homeless Day' is this week... do you plan to help in some way?"
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Yeah, I plan to help in some way . . . . . . I've decided that I will not contribute to the homeless problem by staying in my own home all day! Well, I might take a walk in the afternoon and head down to the micro-brew place just down the street and hoist a few pints. Yeah, I think I'll do that.
In honor of world homeless day, I plan to fire four members of staff out of the blue, two of which just purchased new homes. I love honoring the holidays.
Man, back in the early 70's I was a tramp (homeless) when I got out of the service. I NEVER just plopped down on the sidewalk like people do now. In fact, most of the time I managed to find a out of the way place to sleep and always managed to clean up. Of course, there was a time they said there was a difference between a tramp and a bum; a tramp moved around looking for (and finding) work while a bum went around bumming. Most of these freaks standing with their sign saying will work for food or whatever are just looking for a handout.Offer them a job cleaning a yard and watch them run! Another thing, when a town dried up for possibilities of work, I moved on to another. It is not rocket science, if there is no work comming to you, go look for it. Be careful, though, you just might find it!
Maybe try volunteering. I know transition projects at the new Bud Clark commons and Night Watch are both vary good organizations. I know Night Watch is always looking for volunteers :)
Mel Gibson is a RAGING OUT-OF-CONTROL ALCOHOLIC...and he's not homeless; Lindsay Lohan is a PILL-POPPING PSYCHOTIC...and she's not homeless; Paris Hilton is a Strung-Out Coke-Head...and she's not homeless....
Shouldn't this coincide with World Mental Health Day too?? There are a lot of mentally ill individuals that are homeless due to their ailment. Granted, that's not ALL the homeless, but it would be a nice addition to the assistance needed by the ones suffering.Â
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Seems a bit ridiculous to have cake, etc . . .  "Let's celebrate the fact that you're homeless!! Come on, have some cake on us!!"  Really ?!?!. . . Â
 @Justanother1 No, it's not all the homeless, but it's a pretty substantial fraction.  Folks would be surprised to learn just how many of the homeless have college degrees.  Mental illness utterly ruins lives.  I've watched it first hand. Â
What state was it that gave them a free bus ticket to somewhere else? Working downtown,I notice that the majority are street kids who I constantly have to step over and endure being harrased on a daily basis.I do see lots of veterans as well.My question is are the services foy our military veterans lacking or are they just refusing services that are out there for them?
 @noneofyourbizzness Services for Vets are Extremely lacking in all areas. We owe them and turn our backs, it is disgraceful.
@noneofyourbizzness My sisterinlaw has a brother who is a veteran, and luckily he had family that was able to get him in touch with the appropriate resources to utilize all of his benefits. However, even with huge amounts of family support, his struggles with PTSD cause him to quite often go off his medications, have poor financial judgement, have anger management issues, and I could go on. I wish that all veterans that have served our country could have similar family support to utilize their veteran benefits, sadly many veterans don't get the same support from their families, and don't pursue their benefits and wind up on a downward spiral to what is commonly seen downtown. My heart breaks for them. Regarding street kids, I think it's a mixed bag, I think there are those that want to just bum through life and then I think there are those who either were kicked out or fled home to escape abuse. I think that with most of the homeless population, there's potential. If the veterans could get their needed benefits & resources, I think they could be productive members of our society, and I think that if the street kids were able to work a trade, I think they could also be contributing members of our society.
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@August100 That's unfortunate but not surprising.
I'm sure a few members of this board are generous enough to offer their couches for a few nights;)
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What kind of real training do we owe these bums? I grew up learning skills so that I could step up my employment oppurtunities. I started in the fast food industry at 16 and made it to were I am now. I pay for my education, well short of what is subsidized. Â
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I encounter these street urchins weekly and most of them are able bodies young men and woman who choose to take drugs and live on teh street because they dont want to confrom to society. Aside from them are those who talk to themselves and despite all the training in the world would never be able to take care of themselves.  We should start by seperating those who cant and those who won't. The difference between the two is night and day.
From my viewpoint, a sizeable percentage (about 40%) are long term homeless that want to be that way and can and are able to be productive members of society. Another 20% are covicted felons of all stripes who have given up on society and vice versa. Another 10% are short term homeless for various reasons. The remaining 30% should not be classified as homeless based upon some bogus gov't definition that only makes the numbers look good so they (the gov't) can get more federal dollars. So quit asking for people to help those that don't want the help or need it that badley, and you might get a better response. Ask those that are homeless, short term homeless and near homeless to help themselves also. Some of those that are in those categories can and do help all they can. Some don't care due to menatl ilness - you always help them as they know not what they say most times. I help when I can and encourage people to do what they can - for those who need it most.
 @wvboy "based upon some bogus gov't definition" which is very much like your bogus percentages.
Never said they were anything but my stats. You got something better? When the "gov't" defines a segment of the homeless as couch surfers or allows people to define themselves as homeless when in fact they have a home they just don't want to stay in, then that is just inflating the numbers to get money. Start by identifying the truely needy - and direct the limited funds and personnel towards them first - then the others. We as a society cannot continue to support those who will not attempt to help themselves. When we do, the costs go so high that you get the politicians and others that say lets just can the whole program(s) as a waste. You see that now in the apathy from politicians and the public in general to some extent - all they (the public) hear is waste, waste, waste - and how freeloaders are getting the help that should go for those that need the help. I help when and where I can by donating to charities and causes, and also volunteering my time. What these organizations do is great, and they do not enrich themselves in doing these deeds. They can be more selective in who they help however, in my opinion.
I know two people (both 22 year olds) who refuse to work or look for work and stay at different friends houses - basically mooching off all of them. The gov't defines them as homeless. I know of high school kids that don't want to live at home under the parents rules so they couch surf. The gov't defines them as homeless. The problem is the gov't could care less about the underlying reason or address that. There are people (school kids who justifyably don't want to be at home for various reasons) - most likely abusive households. Those people have no home through no fault of thier own - they left to survive and could in my opinion be considered homeless. There are multitudes of examples, and many scenarios that are involved.
@wvboy Can you give me an example of these non-homeless people who actually have a home, but just don't want to stay there?
Give them obamaphones... They'll know who to vote for...
@!!! Well we could give them Romneyjobs by sending them to Chinese sweatshops.
@Ramsesthegreat You mean like a job with Nike, or Columbia, or Adidas, or Motorala, or Nokia, or Sony, or who do you work for?
Odd you make a China refrence since thats where most our money is being borrowed from right now by this admin.Â
Headline: "'World Homeless Day' is this week... do you plan to help in some way?" Yes, I do. I will go to work and earn a wage from which taxes will be extracted and used to fund various social programs.
"An open house with lunch and cake..."
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Let them eat cake!
Most of the homeless on Portlands streets are their by choice.
I would have to agree. There are so many possibilities for help in today's day & age, from our governmental welfare system to the pleothora of churches & charities willing to give hand outs. In today's day and age, I'm guessing that most homeless in Portland are due to (1) them not really wanting help, (2) a specific intent to not live by societal rules, or (3) ignorance of your many options. Yes, there are certainly those with mental incapacities, but for most others, help is out there if they are really wanting it.
 @sortbait Not True...
very much true, these street youth are very physical capable of working but choose to do drugs instead.  There is only a small portion of those who cant do for themselves and no level of training or meds will change that.Â
Hmm I guess I could hand out some Febreze.
that's only covering up the symptom, not curing the cause