Rev. Dr. Chuck Currie

A Lover’s Quarrel With Portland

A Lover's Quarrel With Portland: Rev. Dr. Chuck Currie from The Rev. Chuck Currie on Vimeo.

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Portland homeless sweeps solve nothing

My latest oped in The Oregonian:

"Why do we still have a homelessness crisis after all these years? Part of it is political. Part of it is spiritual. We've never invested the resources needed to build affordable housing. The entire Metro region — Multnomah, Washington and Clackamas counties — needs a permanent source of funding to build affordable housing. The majority of those who are homeless are families with children and the working poor who cannot afford the high cost of housing. We need more drug treatment. We need more mental health counseling. But we need housing first.

We also need to recognize the common humanity we all share. Until then — until we acknowledge that we are our brother's keeper, our sister's keeper — we will never find the political will to end homelessness. We'll simply go on trying to manage and hide it."

Portland homeless sweeps solve nothing

Statement on Homeless Campers at Portland City Hall

Statement on Homeless Campers at Portland City Hall
by Rev. Chuck Currie

July 22, 2013

The homeless campers around Portland City Hall are a minor symptom of a larger problem: our inability to address the crisis of affordable housing plus the growing problems of poverty, unemployment, mental illness, addiction, and the needs of returning veterans and homeless students. The Portland-area needs a permanent source of funding to create affordable housing, either a housing levy or some other funding source, and after that we need a permanent source of funding to beef up the safety net that year after year faces cuts that create a climate of crisis in our social service delivery system. Mayor Hales and the Portland City Council are to be applauded for not cutting safety net programs during a difficult budget year but that isn’t enough. Arresting people and creating new ordinances to criminalize homelessness are short sighted and tired solutions that may answer sometimes valid concerns of downtown and inner-city neighbors who don’t like the crisis of homelessness on their front door or in their back yard but it does nothing to solve the problem and will only continue a pattern of moving people from one neighborhood to another. I would urge Mayor Charlie Hales to bring representatives of the Metro region jurisdictions together with the faith and business communities to consider bolder and more far reaching solutions that create real and lasting change. The moral obligation of any city is to end homelessness, not just manage it. 

Rev. Chuck Currie, Minister, Sunnyside Church and University Park Church, Portland, Ore.

President's budget doesn't reflect our values

Today I've joined Sister Simone Campbell, leader of "Nuns on the Bus," in co-authoring an op-ed published in The Hill critical of the budget choices under consideration in Washington:

"As faith leaders, we have spoken out consistently about the moral bankruptcy of Republican federal budget proposals over the last 2 years, and we have supported President Obama’s commitment to protecting the poorest Americans from cuts to crucial programs like food stamps and Medicaid. The president's just released budget, however, falls short of the moral vision many faith leaders have for this country and the president's own ideals as embodied in his second Inaugural Address. While the Obama administration’s 2014 budget has some admirable measures and is far superior to the House GOP plan, it does not go far enough in promoting the common good and protecting the vulnerable."

President's budget doesn't reflect our values.

Don't Leave Homeless Children Behind

My oped this morning in The Salem Statesman Journal:

"There are at least 90 students experiencing homelessness at North Portland’s Roosevelt High School. That shouldn’t come as a surprise in a state where as many as 20,000 students were homeless at one point during the past school year."

Don't leave homeless children behind.

Help Homeless Families In Portland / Multnomah County

The Common Cup Shelter at Sunnyside Church, one of my two congregations, operates from November 1st to March 31st each year, serving homeless families for periods up to 30 days. The Shelter relies on volunteers and donations for all of its needs. Contact Laurie Abeling  (503-807-9466) or visit http://www.commoncupshelter.org/ for more information. 

You can support the Shelter in a variety of ways:

• Donations of money for supplies for the part time volunteer coordinator.
• In-kind donations: twin sheets, pillowcases, towels, toiletries, cleaning supplies, laundry soap and other needs.
• Volunteer shelter hosts – sleep at the shelter once a month. Training provided.
• Keep Common Cup Shelter, and the families it serves, in your prayers.

Volunteer Training – Second Sunday of each month, October through March, 4:00 p.m. at Sunnyside Centenary UMC or by arrangement. The next volunteer training session is Sunday, October 14th!

Portland can do more to address its homeless problem

In the language of the church, I want to work toward the Beloved Community -- a place where homelessness and poverty are no more. To move us forward, I'd settle for a housing levy that provides a stable source of funding to build affordable housing in Portland. We cannot end homelessness without housing. That's a lesson that was obvious 25 years ago, and it's a crime that we're dealing with the same issues a quarter of a century later.

From my op-ed today in The Oregonian.  Click here to read the full piece.

Open Letter To @CameronWhitten

Dear Cameron:

I deeply appreciate your efforts to draw attention to the issue of homelessness in our community.

We do not know each other and to my knowledge have not had the opportunity to meet.  You might not be aware that I have a long history of working to push our community in the direction of ending homelessness.

You are not the first person to engage in a hunger strike over this issue in Oregon.  Such strikes have never caused long-term change.  

I agree with all of the points you are advocating but perhaps your most ambious goal - to get the city to place a housing levy on the ballot this fall - would be doomed to failure.  Sadly, neither our politicans, homeless advocates or the faith community have done enough to build support for such a levy.  I want one.  I wanted one years ago.  But to put a levy on the ballot now would only set our cause back because the public is not ready to embrace it.  It would be defeated in a fall election.  We need to better educate the community about the rewards such a levy could bring.  

The civil rights issues you have lifted up are serious ones and I agree that no one should be arrested for sleeping outside when we do not provide enough shelter.  That is why we are currently allowing people to sleep at one of my two congregations.  But sadly, our City Council is not ready to address the civil rights issues you raise.  We will need the courts and other vehicles to move them forward.

I hope very much that you will end your hunger strike.  Not because your cause isn't a just one - it is - but because you've done your part for now and voices like yours will be needed tomorrow and in the years to come.

Until now I have remained silent over your fast because you have not asked for my support and no one has requested that I comment.  As a minister, however, I feel I must speak up now and encourage you to end your fast and address your health issues before permanent damage is done to your body.

My prayers are with you this day.

Sincerely,

Rev. Chuck Currie 

How To End Homelessness: Fight Poverty

Our national and local efforts to reduce homelessness are making a difference - for some - but as I told Governing Magazine - we need to be bolder, do more and focus our efforts on fighting poverty:

Ending homelessness, Currie says, will take a massive push on curbing poverty -- including not only creating jobs, but also preparing workers for those jobs -- and on making huge investments in affordable housing and building up programs for in-home support of the elderly, those with physical disabilities and those suffering from other health, mental health and addiction problems.

That's why I support the Half In Ten Campaign, a national effort that is backed by the Center for American Progress and the Justice and Witness Ministries of the United Church of Christ (among many others). The Half in Ten Campaign is advancing progressive economic policies to reduce poverty that stand in stark contrast to the budget proposal put forward by Paul Ryan and adopted this week by the U.S. House that would increase poverty and homelessness, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.

President Obama's budget proposals move us in a much better direction. But even the president will tell you we need to do more. That's why the American people need to be heard.

I remain strongly convinced from the polls and my own experiences that we Americans are a compassionate people who want our government to advance policies that promote the common good over the needs of the special interests or the wealthiest and most powerful among us. We can end homelessness. We simply need to make the moral investment.

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Tell Oregon's Congressional Delegation To Protect Homeless Oregonians Pls RT #p2

Two homeless Portlanders were shot on Ash Wednesday.  What can we do? In case I get hit by a truck you can help me by asking Earl Blumenauer, Suzanne Bonamici, Peter DeFazio, Greg Walden, and Kurt Schrader to co-sponsor H.R. 3528 - The Hate Crimes Against the Homeless Statistics Act of 2011 - and to ask Jeff Merkley to once again introduce similar legislation in the Senate (Ron Wyden should join him). 

The legislation would direct the U.S. Department of Justice to track hate crimes against those who are homeless.  With such information we can better learn about why such crimes occur and how to prevent them.  This is a public safety matter that involves some of our most vulnerable members of society.

How could Oregon's Congressional delegation not act?

All members of the House and Senate can be contacted via their websites or at (202) 224-3121. 

Statement On Ash Wednesday Shootings Of Homeless Portlanders

Ash Wednesday

February 22, 2012 

I urge all Oregonians to pray today for the two men experiencing homelessness who were shot early this morning under Portland, Oregon's Morrison Bridge in what police are calling a random attack.  Violence against those who are homeless is a national epidemic, according to the National Coalition for the Homeless (NCH).  Having served on the NCH board and worked on issues of homelessness and poverty for twenty-five years, I can tell you there are many levels of complexity to the homelessness crisis.  But this is a spiritual crisis as much as a political or economic crisis.  When we allow people living on our streets to become invisible we begin the process of dehumanization and thus we see the increase in hate crimes against the most vulnerable in our society - those Jesus would have called the "least of these."  Ash Wednesday begins the Lenten season of reflection and prayer.  Let our prayers this Lent be with those children, women and men living on our streets in the most prosperous nation on earth.  The attacks today were nothing short of a terrorist attack.  The crisis of homelessness is nothing short of sin.

- Rev. Chuck Currie 

Ending Homelessness

The Oregonian had a good editorial this week on how churches and other faith communities are working to fight homelessness in our community.  I deeply appreciate that the paper's editorial board shared my view in their piece that "this work cannot be outsourced to churches. Far from it. The faith community can only do its share. Every level of government has a role to play. Making the best use of churches and other volunteers requires the city and county to be smart and strategic."  Click here to read the full editorial.  

A Prayer For National Homeless Persons' Memorial Day #homelessmemorial @Ntl_Homeless

Today - December 21st - is National Homeless Persons' Memorial Day:

Each year since 1990, on or near the first day of winter and the longest night of the year, National Coalition for the Homeless (NCH), National Consumer Advisory Board (NCAB), and the National Health Care for the Homeless Council (NHCHC) has co-sponsored National Homeless Persons' Memorial Day to bring attention to the tragedy of homelessness and to remember our homeless friends who have paid the ultimate price for our nation's failure to end homelessness.

A federal resolution (H. Con. Res. 325) has been introduced in the United States House of Representatives supporting the goals and ideals of National Homeless Persons’ Memorial Day. 

The resolution encourages localities and states to issue proclamations designating National Homeless Persons’ Memorial Day.  This resolution was introduced by U.S. Rep. Alcee Hastings and fifteen additional co-sponsors: Representatives Eddie Bernice Johnson, Judy Biggert, Kathy Castor, Steve Cohen, John Conyers, Jr., Elijah E. Cummings, Geoff Davis, Ted Deutch, Barney Frank, Raul M. Grijalva, Luis V. Gutierrez, Eleanor Holmes Norton, Chellie Pingree, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, and Lynn Woolsey.

Let us pray:

Holy God, 

In the midst of winter,
In difficult economic times,
We come to you in prayer.

We grieve this day for all those who have died experiencing homelessness,
No one should live a third world life in a first world country,
We ask for your forgiveness.

Be a source of comfort for those of us who struggle,
Be a source of inspiration to those of us who are comfortable,
We seek a "newer world" where homelessness and poverty are ended.

Together we remember your son Jesus, born homeless,
This child brought light to dark places,
We pray for that light now to illuminate our hearts.

In a world of plenty, we invoke the worlds of the Hebrew prophet:
let justice roll down like waters,
and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream (Amos 5:24).

Amen.  

Visit the website of the National Coalition for the Homeless to learn more about homelessness in the United States.

Prayer written by The Rev. Chuck Currie and is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 Unported License.

Winning The Nobel Peace Prize (Close Enough)

I was deeply honored earlier this month to be awarded the Distinguished Service and Leadership Award from the National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth.

Unfortunately, I could not attend the conference in person but I sent the following message to the 800 delegates attending their annual convention:

Please accept my thanks for this wonderful award. As President Obama has rightly noted, the best anti-poverty strategy is a good education. Like you, I see the growing number of homeless children in our nation as a moral crisis. This crisis has economic, political and even spiritual implications. I believe, like Dr. King, that we are called to create the Beloved Community and to do so we must end homelessness - not just manage it. The National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth is one of the great civil rights organizations of our time. Without your advocacy and leadership children across our country who are living in homelessness would have no hope. So for me it is a tremendous honor to receive an award from this organization. It's like winning the Nobel Peace Prize. And if I could, I would present each one of you an award in return for the work you do each day to promote to common good of our nation.

So what does this organization do?

NAEHCY, a national grassroots membership association, connects educators, parents, advocates, researchers, and service providers to ensure school enrollment and attendance and overall success for children and youth whose lives have been disrupted by the lack of safe, permanent, and adequate housing. NAEHCY achieves these goals through advocacy, partnerships, and education.

Each year, approximately 1.5 million children and youth experience homelessness in our nation's towns, cities and counties. These students lack the stability and peace of mind we all hope to be able to give our children. On a regular basis, children and youth report that school is a home to them – a place where they see the same faces, sit in the same seat, and can put their hearts and minds into pursuits that ease their daily troubles. In academic settings, students gain the skills and support needed to avoid poverty and homelessness as adults. Our members work in schools, education, and advocacy agencies across the country, as well as in shelters and community organizations. We are on the front lines identifying, enrolling, and coordinating services for homeless children and youth.

It has been my deep honor to work with the staff and board of NAEHCY over many years to help lift up the needs of students experiencing homelessness in our nation. There might be no more important work as we try and save a generation of Americans who are seeking with their families to escape the cycle of poverty and homelessness that so many are trapped in.

Right now as Congress debates funding for programs that help lift people out of poverty it is critical that all Americans demand that educational opportunities not be denied. Public education is one of America's greatest achievements and students who are homeless need schools and the hope they provide more than most.


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Statement On Growing Student Homelessness In Oregon

Today the Oregon Department of Education announced that last school year over 20,000 children experiencing homelessness attended public school in Oregon.  That any child is homeless is evidence of a moral crisis is our state.  As a long-time advocate on these issues, I commend our state officials and local school districts for working to assist these children.  All the evidence points to the reality that getting kids who are homeless into public schools benefits them in many tangible ways.  Yet at the same time we are failing as a state and nation to deal with the reality of growing homelessness and poverty.  These numbers provide more evidence why Congress needs to pass President Obama's proposed American Jobs Act.  At the same time, Oregon leaders need to take family homelessness more seriously and dedicate additional resources during a difficult economic period to assist children struggling to learn while living in shelters, motels, camps, and cars.  We can do better.        

- Rev. Chuck Currie

 

Ending Homelessness: My op-ed in The Oregonian

I have a new op-ed up on The Oregonian today concerning local efforts to fight homelessness - and why those efforts aren't working.. Take a look and leave a comment there with your thoughts.


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A Prayer For National Homeless Persons' Memorial Day #homelessmemorial @Ntl_Homeless

Today - December 21st - is National Homeless Persons' Memorial Day:

Each year since 1990, on or near the first day of winter and the longest night of the year, National Coalition for the Homeless (NCH), National Consumer Advisory Board (NCAB), and the National Health Care for the Homeless Council (NHCHC) has co-sponsored National Homeless Persons' Memorial Day to bring attention to the tragedy of homelessness and to remember our homeless friends who have paid the ultimate price for our nation's failure to end homelessness.

A federal resolution (H. Con. Res. 325) has been introduced in the United States House of Representatives supporting the goals and ideals of National Homeless Persons’ Memorial Day. 

The resolution encourages localities and states to issue proclamations designating National Homeless Persons’ Memorial Day.  This resolution was introduced by U.S. Rep. Alcee Hastings and fifteen additional co-sponsors: Representatives Eddie Bernice Johnson, Judy Biggert, Kathy Castor, Steve Cohen, John Conyers, Jr., Elijah E. Cummings, Geoff Davis, Ted Deutch, Barney Frank, Raul M. Grijalva, Luis V. Gutierrez, Eleanor Holmes Norton, Chellie Pingree, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, and Lynn Woolsey.

Let us pray:

Holy God, 

In the midst of winter,
In difficult economic times,
We come to you in prayer.

We grieve this day for all those who have died experiencing homelessness,
No one should live a third world life in a first world country,
We ask for your forgiveness.

Be a source of comfort for those of us who struggle,
Be a source of inspiration to those of us who are comfortable,
We seek a "newer world" where homelessness and poverty are ended.

Together we remember your son Jesus, born homeless,
This child brought light to dark places,
We pray for that light now to illuminate our hearts.

In a world of plenty, we invoke the worlds of the Hebrew prophet:
let justice roll down like waters,
and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream (Amos 5:24).

Amen.  

Visit the website of the National Coalition for the Homeless to learn more about homelessness in the United States.

Prayer written by The Rev. Chuck Currie and is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 Unported License.

Article On Homelessness Failed To Tell The Real Story

Dr. Russ Dondero and Eric Cannon, two Washington County homeless advocates, write in The Oregonian:

Whoever wrote the headline "Beaverton distorts homeless roll call" for the Dec. 4 PolitiFact.Oregon column by Janie Har engaged in their own "distortion" of the reality of homelessness.  

Har correctly reported that Beaverton School District's headcount of 1,580 homeless students ranked it as No. 1 of all school districts in 2009-10. Sadly, the headline undercuts the message and facts of the issue.  

A Beaverton City not a Beaverton School District press release erred in claiming that the Beaverton homeless student count was the "highest number ever recorded in Oregon." As Har points out this is not correct.  

Har accurately informs readers that homelessness is a statewide problem in Oregon. The Oregon Department of Education estimates that there are at least 19,000 homeless students in Oregon from Portland to Medford, from Washington County to Klamath County. 

It's too bad the headline is framed in a negative way and the "Truth-o-Meter" rating was a FALSE. This is classic "gotcha" journalism best left to judging election ads or candidate gaffes not serious public policy issues.  

Readers who only notice the headlines might conclude from the title that homeless advocates are "cooking the books." Counting the homeless is very hard to do. The reality is that annual homeless counts are probably much higher. 

Here's a partial quote from the Beaverton School District's response to the PolitiFact article:  

"...We are concerned that people may see that headline and read no further. In the body of the article it is clear that the Beaverton School District's homeless numbers as reported to ODE are completely accurate. Unfortunately a representative from the city misunderstood the ODE data and stated in a press release that our number from last year, 2009-2010 was the highest ever reported in the state of Oregon, rather than in just Beaverton…" 

Full story.

Visit the Interfaith Committee on Homelessness of Washington County for additional information.

Russ and Eric, I should mention, are members of Forest Grove United Church of Christ (where I recently had the opportunity to preach).  Dr. Dondero was also my advisor at Pacific University.  Only grace explains why he still to speaks to me. :)

Gay Coat-Gate: The Portland Rescue Mission Declines Coats; Accepts Offer To Meet With LGBT Leaders

I became aware through a story posted online on The Portland Mercury that the Portland Rescue Mission recently declined to co-sponsor an event put together by a gay Portlander to collect coats for the agency's programs.  Portland Rescue Mission and other homeless service agencies have been requesting assistance from the general public during the last several weeks as the weather has turned cold.

As The Portland Mercury reported, the Rescue Mission declined to co-sponsor the "queer Christmas event" because "there was some concern with how it might come across to some of our donors."

I reached out to the Portland Rescue Mission late this afternoon and offered them an explanation as to why some Portlanders will feel hurt and offended by their decision.  Just today the Portland Police Bureau announced they were investigating yet another hate crime against a gay person.  Hateful religious rhetoric against gays and lesbians can incite violence.  To be clear, the Portland Rescue Mission has made no hateful comments but decisions like the one they undertook help create an atmosphere of intolerance.  I do not believe that was ever the intention of the Portland Rescue Mission. 

So I asked Portland Rescue Mission if they would take a proactive step and reach out to Basic Rights Oregon, our state's leading LGBT civil rights organization, to set-up a meeting to learn more about why declining to participate in this event could be seen as hurtful.  Portland Rescue Mission didn't hesitate in accepting that proposal.  They've promised to make the call tomorrow and I've alerted BRO's executive director Jeana Frazzini that the call will be coming.

I left the following comment on The Portland Mercury's website and repeat it here to conclude this post:

As a minister in the United Church of Christ, I apologize for the bigoted behavior of some Christians. The church universal must repent for the discrimination and hatred fostered against gays and lesbians. Back in 1985 the General Synod of the United Church of Christ declared our denomination to be Open and Affirming of gays and lesbians. Twenty years later - in 2005 - we became the first mainline Christian church to call for full marriage equality. And all the way back in 1972 we ordained the first openly gay man to ministry. All of this is to say, the Holy Spirit is at work moving the church. The United Church of Christ has not been alone in this journey as more denominations have opened their hearts and doors. All of us must keep pushing the envelope in respectful ways that deepen relationships and break down barriers. Still, this story saddens me. I invite people to pray for the people of the Portland Rescue Missions that their hearts be softened by God, for those they serve in the name of Christ who would be cold and hungry without their efforts, and for all of us as well. None of us are completely free from bigotry and hate.         

Portland-Metro Area Shelters Need Winter Assistance As Cold, Snow Moves In

Winter weather is coming...

...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 PM PST MONDAY FOR THE LOWER COLUMBIA AND PORTLAND VANCOUVER METRO AREAS...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN PORTLAND HAS ISSUED A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SNOW...WHICH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 PM PST MONDAY.

* TIMING...SNOW SHOWERS WILL BEGIN THIS AFTERNOON INTO THE EVENING HOURS...THEN TEMPORARILY DECREASE LATER TONIGHT. SNOW WILL INCREASE AGAIN MONDAY AFTERNOON BRINGING HEAVIER AMOUNTS.

* ACCUMULATION/SNOW LEVELS...UP TO 1 INCH IS POSSIBLE THIS EVENING AND OVERNIGHT. UP TO 2 INCHES ARE EXPECTED MONDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING.

Agencies that assist people experiencing homelessness in the Portland area need your help.  Clothes.  Blankets.  Food.  Volunteer time.  Just about anything.  Cash is best.  Transition Projects.  Outside In.  Portland Homeless Family Solutions.  Human Solutions.  JOIN.  Family Bridge. These are just a few of the great agencies that could use your help.

The Oregonian's Season Of Sharing Wishbook

The Oregonian has published their annual 2010 Season of Sharing Wishbook.  As always, it is a great guide that lifts up organizations working to make a difference in our community under difficult circumstances.  This economy makes their work all the more difficult and important this year.  I plan to "tweet" one program each day - minus one important example that doesn't belong on the list- and hope that you find ways to support these agencies.  What is the wishbook?

The 2010 Season of Sharing Wishbook, The Oregonian's annual holiday fundraising campaign, seeks help for 20 social service agencies that serve individuals and families in Oregon and southwest Washington. Your generosity will fulfill their wishes, which range from sleeping bags for a summer camp where sexually abused children can start healing, to building materials to make home repairs for low-income homeowners, to hotel vouchers for women who've fled domestic abuse. Last year, readers donated nearly $280,000, fulfilling the wishes of all the agencies featured. Since 1990, readers have given more than $4 million. Thank you for your generosity in these difficult economic times.

The agency I would discourage folks from supporting on this list is the Community Transitional School.  Not every agency is worth supporting and below the fold I offer my reasons for not recommending support for this one program (a position that I've held for some time).  But don't let controversy over this one program stop you from supporting the others.  They fill an important need and help transform lives.  So please give generously and volunteer year-round if possible.     

Homeless Families Warming Center Opens; Donations Needed

This week the Homeless Families Warming Center opened for the winter season and today city of Portland and Multnomah County leaders gathered with people from the faith community to dedicate the space.  Families that moved into this emergency shelter were also on hand to talk with members of this press about their personal experiences with homelessness.

The speakers today included Multnomah County Commissioner Deborah Kafoury, Multnomah County Commissioner Barbara Willer, Human Solutions executive director Jean DeMaster, and The Rev. Brian Heron.   I was honored to be invited to deliver the invocation.  

Here are the basic facts about this mid-county program:

The Homeless Family Warming Center is a 60 bed homeless family shelter operating November 1, 2010 - March 31, 2011 at Eastminster Presbyterian Church. The church is located at 12505 NE Halsey Street in Portland and will be open every night 7am - 7pm. Here, families with children will have a warm, dry, safe and welcoming place to sleep. Shelter families will be able to acces housing, employment and other services designated to quickly end their homelessness.

Human Solutions operates the center.

Right now the Homeless Family Warming Center has a long list of supplies that are needed.  These donations can be dropped off at the church between 7-9 pm each night.  Contact Human Solutions if you can donate but those hours don't work for you.  Volunteers are also needed.

To volunteer or to donate, please contact Amie Diffenauer, at 503-256-2280 or  email [email protected].

Volunteer Needs:

• Recreation Room Attendants: People who want to do evening activities with the families, especially with children early in the evening.
• Food Preparation and Kitchen Helpers: People to pick up from licensed kitchens and bring it to the shelter.
• Mentors: People to read and play with children.
• Donation In-Take Attendants: People to help us recieve donations in the evenings or sort through donations during the daytime.

We especially need non-perishable food and beverage items!

Food Items needed:

Instant and Canned Soups
Microwave Dinners
Powder Baby Formula
Breakfast Cereals
Sweet Rolls or Muffins
Breakfast Bars
Vegetables: potatoes, baby carrots, celery, etc...
Fruit: bananas, grapes, oranges, apples, plums, etc...
Hot Pizzas 
Gift Cards for pizza places
Bread
Cold Cuts for sandwiches
Condiments for sandwiches
Sandwich Bags, Napkins 
Paper Plates & Bowls
Plastic Cups and Eating Utensils

Beverage Items needed:

Coffee Grounds, Sugar, Creamer
Hot Cocoa mix
Tea
Milk
Julices

Household Items needed:

Blankets, Sleeping Bags
Twin Sheets
Pillows, Pillow Cases
Moses Baskets
Winter Coats for all ages
New Scarves, Hats, Mittens, Gloves, and Socks
New Children's Underwear
Hot Plates

Hygiene Items needed:

Paper Towels
New Toothbrushes, Toothpaste
Feminine Hygiene Products
Hand Sanitizer
Disinfectant Wipes
First Aid Supplies
Latex Gloves
Diapers (size 4 & 5)

Invocation At Open of the Homeless Family Warming Center

November 4, 2010 

Gracious and loving God,

We gather in this Holy place as people from diverse traditions united together in the belief that to lift up the common good of our community we must begin by taking care of those who are hurting and experiencing homelessness. 

We gather to lift up to you the needs of families throughout Multnomah County that cannot afford the high costs of housing, the expense of medical care, or even the rising costs of food.  Give all those in anguish comfort and strength, we pray.

We gather to lift up to you the staff of Human Solutions, the people of Eastminster Presbyterian Church, officials from Multnomah County, and all the volunteers who will work here over the winter.  Give all those who make this Homeless Family Warming Center possible your blessings, we pray.

We gather, O God, to ask for forgiveness.  Homelessness and poverty are a sin - a result of bad policies that have created an economy where the "least of these' are left behind.  Help us to build a better community where justice rolls "down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream", we pray.

Soon the warm sun and blue skies will be eclipsed again by the reality of a rainy autumn and a cold winter.  Let this warming center be a place of light in the darkness, more than just a place to get warm, but a place to find hope.

With humbleness, we pray.

Amen.    

- The Rev. Chuck Currie

Remarks At The Portland Homeless Family Solutions Benefit

 

This evening I had the honor of speaking at a benefit for Portland Homeless Family Solutions - the group that operates the Goose Hollow Family Shelter at First United Methodist Church and the 13 Salmon Family Center at First Unitarian Church.  You can download a podcast of my remarks below:

Download Rev C Currie Portland Homeless Family Solutions

(some browsers - like Firefox or Google Chrome - will allow you to simply click on the link and listen...otherwise click with the RIGHT mouse button on the hyperlink and choose “Save Target As” and save to your desktop or other folder – once downloaded click on the file to listen).

Now On ITunes

You can now subscribe to my podcasts on ITunes by clicking here. 

The rough text of my remarks can be found below:

Upcoming Preaching, Teaching & Speaking Engagements

Preaching Sun., Nov. 7th at Forest Grove United Church of Christ

Preaching Sun., Oct. 24th at Bethel Congregational United Church of Christ (Beaverton)

Teaching "Early Edition" Adult Ed Class at Ainsworth UCC on Sun., Oct. 17th at 9am

Speaking at Goose Hollow Family Shelter / 13 Salmon Street Family Center Benefit on Sun., Oct. 3rd

Number Of Homeless Students Up 134% Over 7 Years; Poverty Must Be A Campaign Issue

"This morning the Oregon Department of Education announced that during the last school year (2009-2010) that state public schools served over 19,000 children experiencing homelessness. Those numbers represent a 5.5% increase over the previous year and a 134% increase over the last seven years. That over 19,000 children were homeless in Oregon last year - and we know there were many more who did not enroll in school - shows that our state faces both an economic and a moral crisis.

So I ask: as the 2010 election campaign rages where are the politicians and how will they address growing poverty and homelessness, particularly the needs of homeless students? Where are their plans to substantially reduce poverty in Oregon? As usual, I hear little to nothing from the candidates of either major political party as this moral crisis continues to grow like an Oregon forest fire. How many more of our kids will be forced into poverty and homelessness before the politicians take notice and the public demands economic programs that lift people out of poverty? No one should be forced to live a third world life in a first world country."

For more information visit my post on Blue Oregon:

Poverty Must Be A Campaign Issue

Help Families Experiencing Homelessness In Portland At Oct. 3rd Benefit

The Third Annual Auction benefiting Portland Homeless Family Solutions - which operates the Goose Hollow Family Shelter and the Thirteen Salmon Family Center - is being held on Sunday, October 3rd from 5-8pm. They promise "great food & dessert, wines, and entertainment."  This event has been very successful over the last few years in raising private donations to support two critically important faith-based programs in Portland.  As poverty increases, so do the number of people experiencing homelessness.  That was the topic of a press conference that was held today at Thirteen Salmon Family Center.  Speakers - myself included - called on the federal government to adopt the goals put forth by the Half In Ten Campaign, a national effort endorsed by the Justice & Witness Ministries of the United Church of Christ and the Center for American Progress, among others - to cut the federal poverty level in half over the next ten years.  I'm excited to be the featured speaker for the October 3rd auction.  As the director of community outreach at Portland's First United Methodist Church, I served as the executive director of the Goose Hollow Family Shelter from 1997-2002.  Both the Goose Hollow Family Shelter and the Thirteen Salmon Family Center rely on volunteers and donations.

If you are interested in attending the auction, please send the names and addresses of everyone attending and a check for $35 per person to PHFS, 1838 SW Jefferson, Portland, OR 97201. Or call 503-915-8306 for more information.

You can contact Portland Homeless Family Solutions today via the web through this link.  They'll send you all the information on this event being held at the Multnomah Athletic Club.  Can't be there?  You can still donate or volunteer. 

Change.org Shortchanges Children Experiencing Homelessness #change

"5 Myths About Homeless Schools" Reinforces Real Myths; Ignores Evidence, Studies

The progressive website Change.org - a great site that lifts up important issues - went way off course this week when they published an article entitled "5 Myths About Homeless Schools" that defended separate schools for students experiencing homelessness. 

Writer Natalie Wendt says in the piece that she speaks on "behalf of teachers in low-income public schools everywhere." But that isn't true. The National Education Association has opposed separate schools. That position is shared by the NAACP, the National Coalition for the Homeless, and the National Association for the Education of Homeless Youth and Children. 

In her article, Ms. Wendt ignores the facts, the studies and civil rights law related to education in her piece.  I assume based on her postings that Ms. Wendt is a good person with a big heart.  But she clearly doesn't have a grasp on good practices in education or public policy as it relates to this area.

Why are separate schools bad? The National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty has noted:

"These “schools" are usually located in shelters or churches, and resemble the one-room schoolhouse of early rural America. They typically fail to provide the same curricular and extra-curricular activities as regular public schools; they may not be staffed by certified teachers; they often group children together in multi-age, multi-grade classrooms; they usually fail to provide the same services and resources as regular public schools; and they may violate health and safety codes. Because most separate schools cannot provide the same educational services as are provided in regular public schools, homeless children risk falling behind their peers academically. When these children return to regular public schools, they may not receive credit for their work in a separate school, thus forcing them to repeat a grade or take additional classes in order to graduate."

Barbara Duffield, the policy director of the National Association for the Education of Homeless Youth and Children, has said:

"No separate school is a model for homeless children. In fact, federal law strictly prohibits school segregation by housing status because separate schools are considered a harmful educational practice. Segregation deprives children of the resources, structure, and stability of a mainstream school environment. Furthermore, we have learned over the years that model homeless education programs are those that keep children stable in their schools of origin, remove barriers to enrollment, attendance, and success, and afford homeless children and youth every opportunity to participate in school activities. We also have learned from those communities who had separate programs and then transitioned to an integrated model; these communities report being able to provide more comprehensive services to more children in an integrated setting."

Educators, civil rights organizations and advocates for children experiencing homelessness have all come to the conclusion that separate schools are ineffective based on study after study that show that children in separate schools suffer and don't, well, learn. The most recent studies, conducted on the well-known homeless-only Pappas School in Phoenix, AZ, compared test scores among students there with students who were homeless that had been mainstreamed into Phoenix's public schools. At every grade level and in every subject the students at the Pappas School scored substantially lower than homeless kids in public schools.  In her article, Ms. Wendt seems to minimize the importance of a formal education for children experiencing homelessness.  But as President Obama has noted, a solid education is one of the best anti-poverty tools we have.      

We have one of these separate schools right here in Portland - the Community Transitional School. Multnomah County, ignoring the wisdom of federal law, helps fund the program but the school, since it is private, is not required to meet state standards and Multnomah County, tragically, does not hold the school accountable for how well students are educated. (Unless there have been recent radical changes in their contract with Multnomah County) there are no real measurable goals the school is required to meet. In effect, there is no real accountability for how public dollars are being spent on this program.

These separate schools could play a valuable role if instead of trying to provide the primary education for children - a goal they clearly cannot meet - they instead used their passion, energy and good intentions to provide after school programs and other supportive services that supplement the work being done by public schools.   

In the end, Change.org has done a great disservice by promoting the old failed idea that separate is equal in education.  We've known since before Brown vs. Education that such an argument is morally flawed.     

Rev. Chuck Currie - Oregon Coalition on Housing and Homelessness from The Rev. Chuck Currie on Vimeo.

Oregon Ranks 3rd In The Nation For Violent Attacks / Killings Of People Experiencing Homelessness

Hate Crime Legislation Needed To Protect Oregonians 

The National Coalition for the Homeless (NCH) released a report this week - Hate Crimes Against The Homeless America’s Growing Tide of Violence - showing a troubling increase in hate crimes directed at people experiencing homelessness. Their report (with data from 1999 - 2009) shows that Oregon ranks 3rd in the nation for the number of reported acts of violence. Ten deaths in Oregon were recorded over the period and 27 non-lethal (though violent) attacks were reported. 

The reported brutal deaths included that of Herbert "Pac-Man" Taylor Bishop, 56, who was killed in 2009. Michael Andrew Baughman, 22, and Ryan Eugene Casch, 22, were arrested in the murder. "The men viciously beat Pac-Man to death with blunt objects. According to witness accounts the duo went into the park 'looking for someone to beat up.' Both men testified to attacking the Pac-Man in a drunken rage. Each man received a twenty-five year sentence," states NCH's report. 

This new data argues that Oregon needs a hate crimes provision in state law to further protect those that are homeless. Florida, Rhode Island, Maine and Maryland have such laws and legislation has been introduced in the U.S. Senate that would direct the FBI to track such crimes. The report notes: "Violent, often fatal, attacks on homeless Americans now outnumber all other categories of hate crimes combined." 

Oregon's budget crisis, combined with our national economic crisis, will likely force more people - children, families, women and men - into the streets where they are vulnerable. Every great economic crisis is in reality a great moral crisis, once said William Jennings Bryan. 

As a minister in the United Church of Christ, I remember the words of Jesus: "Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me (Matthew 25:40 NRSV)." How we respond to this report will be a test of our moral character as a state and a test of the strength of our relationship with God.

"Hate Crimes Against the Homeless: America’s Growing Tide of Violence"

From the National Coalition for the Homeless:

Hate Crimes Against the Homeless: America’s Growing Tide of Violence is a shocking report on the growth of biased motivated crimes of hate against America’s homeless. The National Coalition for the Homeless’ report marks the beginning of its second decade tracking, interviewing and classifying thousands of individuals impacted by homeless hate crimes.

This years’ report has the horrifying distinction of being the deadliest, at 43 reported homicides. The research contained in this report chronicles more than a thousand separate attacks across the US, representing a fraction of the total hate crimes that remain drastically underreported.

Individuals who commit homeless hate crimes are motivated primarily by a bias that another individual is or may be homeless. Perpetrators often give account to feelings of hostility and animosity, towards the visibly homeless, so strong they demand action. While others describe a generalized hatred, passed down from one generation to the next, resulting in a growing epidemic of violence across America.

Documented hate crimes in this report involve: dosing with gasoline and setting aflame; rape in exchange for shelter; spay painting and stomping upon while sleeping; and, repeated incidence of gang initiations involving stabbings and beatings. “On behalf of any and every victim of biased motivated crime, we must remain committed to the cause of justice, honest stewards of truth and capable recorders of the endless narrative of hate.” said Neil Donovan, NCH Executive Director.     

Un-housed individuals, as a target of hate, have consistently grown over the past decade. This year’s report draws an especially gruesome and disturbing trend in the frequency and manner of the offenses. Violent, often fatal, attacks on homeless Americans now outnumber all other categories of hate crimes combined.

The National Coalition for the Homeless has successfully advanced its legislative agenda on hate crimes, both at the state and federal levels. Our objective is to place the responsibility of tracking statistics on hate crimes against the homeless into the hands of local and national law enforcement. Our goal is to further legitimate our analysis and quantify the growing epidemic of violence against the homeless, ultimately resulting in sufficient resources to solve the problem and create the solutions.

Click here to download the full report.

Click here to read "Killings of Homeless Rise To Highest Level In Decade" in The New York Times.

"A Critical Moment: Child and Youth Homelessness In Our Nations Schools"

Analysis of recently released federal data shows that the number of homeless children and youth identified in public schools has increased for the second year in a row, and by 41% over the past two school years. - First Focus / NAEHCY

Over two hundred people gathered in Salem, Oregon on June 24th of this year for the Interfaith Summit on Homeless Children, Youth and Families.  The summit was convened to bring together religious leaders, government officials, and educators to talk about ways that together we could address the growing numbers of homeless children experiencing homelessness while attending our public schools.   

Churches and other faith communities present shared information on the enormous faith-based efforts under way currently in Oregon to help homeless families and their children.  It was an opportunity to share information on programs that work and that might be replicated.  There is a general consensus that the faith community must do more in terms of direct service and advocacy.

Everyone present understood, however, that the faith community doesn't have the financial resources to end homelessness in Oregon (or nationwide for that matter).  Homelessness is for the most part a result of people living in poverty - and poverty in America is in large part a result of bad economic policies that benefit the wealthiest Americans while cutting off opportunities for everyone else.  That is why it is essential for Congress to end the tax cuts provided by President Bush and Congress to the wealthiest Americans. 

President Obama has worked hard to change the economic landscape of our country - pushing an aggressive agenda of progressive policies not seen since FDR - but it is vital that religious leaders continue to impress on the president that he must keep his campaign promise to cut poverty by 50% over the course of ten years.  Visit the Half in Ten Campaign and Fighting Poverty With Faith to learn more about these efforts.

In the meantime, it is essential that we provide additional resources to public schools to address the growing crisis of homeless students.

First Focus and the National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth have just released a new issue brief that explains the current crisis we face nationally and steps the federal government must take immediately to make sure that every child who is homeless has the best education possible.  As President Obama has said, a strong public education is the best anti-poverty strategy.  

Download A Critical Moment: Child and Youth Homelessness In Our Nations Schools. 

Please share this information with people in your churches, with your e-mail lists, on Facebook and blogs.

Prayers For Paige Hicks, Her Family & Friends, Brown University & Bike & Build Inc

When you hear those stories that young people don't care about anything tell people about Paige Hicks.

Please keep Paige Hicks, her family and friends, the people of Brown University, all those involved with Bike and Build, and everyone experiencing homelessness in America in your prayers. 

via National Coalition for the Homeless.

Learn more about Bike and Build.

Video & Photos From The Oregon Interfaith Summit on Homeless Children, Youth and Families

The Interfaith Summit on Homeless Children, Youth and Families was held in Salem, Oregon on June 24, 2010 at First United Methodist Church. Well over 200 people from various faith traditions, non-profit agencies, and government at the state and local level participated. 

Our morning began with a welcome from Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon (EMO), the primary sponsor of the day, and interfaith worship. The two videos below show the start of the summit.

Oregon Interfaith Summit on Homeless Children, Youth and Families - Part 1 from The Rev. Chuck Currie on Vimeo.

This video includes: 

• A welcome from David Leslie, executive director of Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon.
• An introduction from The Rev. Rev. Lynne Smouse Lopez, president of EMO and pastor of Ainsworth United Church of Christ
• Opening prayer from Father Paul Schroeder, faith-based service coordinator with JOIN.

Oregon Interfaith Summit on Homeless Children, Youth and Families - Part 2 from The Rev. Chuck Currie on Vimeo.

This second video includes the rest of the opening worship service:  

• Emily Gottfried, executive director of the Oregon Area Jewish Committee offers music and reads Scripture.
• The Rev. Lynne Smouse Lopez, president of Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon and pastor of Ainsworth United Church of Christ, reads Scripture. 
• The Rev. Chuck Currie, a minister in the United Church of Christ, offers a homily.
• The Rev. Gail McDougle, senior pastor of First Congregational United Church of Christ in Salem, offers a closing prayer.

The day was packed with presentations from faith leaders and educators about how communities of faith could provide support for students who are experiencing homelessness.  Non-profits talked about their needs and government officials - including Multnomah County Commissioner Barbara Willer and Rick Crager, deputy director of Oregon's Department of Housing and Community Services - talked about how homelessness and poverty are growing in our state as resources for programs are shrinking.  

Many faith leaders spoke of how they were already providing services - such as shelter and housing - and urged others in the faith community to become more directly involved.

Some photos from the day are below:

Barbara Duffield, policy director for the National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth, gave a keynote presentation that gave participants a clear view of the growing crisis of homelessness among children and how schools are on the front lines providing important services. 

Barbara Duffield www.naehcy.org from The Rev. Chuck Currie on Vimeo.

(Unfortunately, the beginning of Barbara's presentation was interrupted by technical problems.)

A lot of the day was spent talking about how Oregon's state Department of Education will have $1 million less to spend on the education of homeless children and youth this year because of the loss of federal stimulus dollars.  To keep current on ways you can advocate for increased funding for these critical programs please visit http://www.naehcy.org/.   

The Salem Statesmen-Journal was there for a mid-afternoon rally that was part of the summit and had this report.

EMO will be working with faith communities to follow-up on conversations had at the summit and will be working on a federal level with the National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth to advocate for additional funds at the same time we work with state advocates, like Neighborhood Partnerships, on an agenda for the Oregon Legislature to consider in 2011. 

"Obama Administration Unveils National Strategic Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness"

Statement from the National Coalition for the Homeless:

On June 22, 2010, the US Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH) delivered Opening Doors: Federal Strategic Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness 2010, the nation’s first comprehensive strategy to prevent and end homelessness to President Obama and Congress (available at www.usich.gov and www.hud.gov).

The National Coalition for the Homeless (NCH) applauds USICH for producing this groundbreaking strategy and congratulates USICH’s success in securing agreement to the Federal Strategic Plan (FSP) from its 19 member agencies. The Federal Strategic Plan (FSP) is the positive result of Congressional initiative which mandated its production through inclusion in the Homeless Emergency Assistance and Rapid Transition to Housing Act (HEARTH ACT).

NCH fully embraces the Federal Strategic Plan’s vision that no one should experience homelessness and no one should be without a safe place to call home. We are pleased President Obama, in his letter accepting the plan, declared “ending homelessness in America must be a national priority.” The FSP provides a frame of understanding about contemporary domestic homelessness. FSP suggests a direction going forward and a set of general strategies that when put into operation may indeed contribute to preventing and ending homelessness.

The Federal Strategic Plan is undoubtedly groundbreaking. However, some of the strategies outlined are vague and without firm commitment to allocate funds to implement many of the strategies, there will be continued need for further discussion and action to address this national priority. Further, “the Federal Strategic Plan must hold itself to the same standard that it holds local communities: clear numeric goals, timetables, and identify funding and implementing bodies to ensure they move from planning to action” said Neil Donovan, the Executive Director of NCH.

NCH commends USICH for utilizing multiple and innovative tactics for consultation with the public, as it developed the FSP and particularly commends USICH for its active efforts and future commitment to engage all stakeholders during development, dissemination, implementation and monitoring of the plan. USICH afforded people experiencing homelessness and people who recently experienced homelessness substantive roles in the plan’s development and inclusion in the implementation strategy. NCH vigorously encouraged this prioritization and appreciates the plan’s pledge to continue to involve individuals experiencing homelessness in ongoing planning efforts. Neil Donovan stated “USICH should codify its intent by adding as a key principle that future strategic plans continue be first person-driven and first person-responsive.”

NCH applauds the development of a plan and pledges to work with USICH to ensure the strategies are implemented as its works towards the mutual mission of ending homelessness. We welcome the council and its members to embrace and fully support and fund the goal of the president and NCH: Bring America Home.

The full report, titled Opening Doors: Federal Strategic Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness, is available at www.usich.gov and www.hud.gov.

Thursday In Salem: Oregon Interfaith Summit on Homeless Children, Youth and Families

Tomorrow over 200 religious leaders from across our state will join educators, local and state officials at the Oregon Interfaith Summit on homeless Children, Youth and Families to talk about the growing crisis of children entering our public schools while homeless.  Over 18,000 such students attended Oregon schools during the '08-'09 school year.  Numbers are not yet available for this school year but they are expected to be higher based on available data.  The summit will be held at Salem's First United Methodist Church, 600 State Street, from 8:30am-4:30pm.

As a member of the public policy committee for Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon, I brought the idea of this summit to our state's religious leaders to address how the faith community might partner with local schools and how a common public policy agenda might be developed to advocate for additional resources. Tragically, we expect less money to serve these students as stimulus dollars from the federal government expire and as Oregon's budget crisis worsens.       

Among the key speakers will be:

Barbara Duffield, policy director, the National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth; Claas Ehlers, national director, Interfaith Hospitality Networks at 2 the organization Family Promise; Heather Lyons, senior program manager, Corporation for Supportive Housing; Jean Lasater, Homeless and Runaway Youth Initiative coordinator, at the Oregon Commission on Children and Families; Galen Phipps, director, Oregon Network for Youth; the Rev. Paul Schroeder, faith-based service coordinator, JOIN; Rick Crager, deputy director, Oregon Housing and Community Services; Bill Hall, commissioner, Lincoln County; and a host of religious leaders representing a variety of religious traditions. 

I'm looking forward to delivering a short homily during the summit's opening worship service at 9 am that offers participants a hopeful view based on commonly held theological beliefs that together we can provide educational opportunities for children who are homeless so they have every opportunity to succeed in life and working together we can even end homelessness within a generation. 

This will be the largest and most diverse gathering of religious leaders to ever meet in Oregon to discuss homelessness.       

"The faith community and public schools need to partner to help homeless students"

This morning I have an op-ed in The Oregonian concerning the up-coming Oregon Interfaith Summit on Homeless Children and Families.  Check it out. 

Pastor Michael Powell has a similar op-ed in The Salem Statesman Journal.

Portland's Big Moral Failure: The South Waterfront District

This is why politicians should be recalled:

In the heart of the South Waterfront district, a gravel-covered lot is littered with a rusty lawn chair, a dusty 40-ounce Budweiser bottle and broken promises. 

Nearby, a tram car glides up the hill. The streetcar whirs past a new park. Thirty stories of luxury condos jut skyward. The only thing missing is what was supposed to be on the lot: an apartment building for the poor. 

Seven years ago, Portland city leaders pledged that South Waterfront would include 430 apartments or condos for low-income residents. But the city has failed to deliver a single one. 

South Waterfront remains a neighborhood exclusively for the affluent despite more than $125 million in taxpayer support. 

The Portland Development Commission, the city's urban renewal agency, has spent $13 million buying South Waterfront land, among other things, for affordable apartments. Most of that money has gone to South Waterfront's lead developers. 

What happened? The city's ever-changing plans and the recession made financing difficult. And in spending taxpayers' money, city executives failed to follow their own policies and didn't flex powers they fought for in talks with developers. 

PDC leaders say they did their best while pressured by City Hall and developers to get other South Waterfront projects built. "Had this been a normal transaction, our policies would have been followed to a T," said Bruce Warner, executive director. 

But housing advocates remain frustrated with the city's empty lots and empty promises. More than 6,000 households are seeking low-income housing in the region, according to the Housing Authority of Portland. 

"The people in charge of this should be ashamed," said Susan Emmons, executive director of the Northwest Pilot Project, a Portland nonprofit that helps low-income seniors find housing. "We're turning people away from shelters." 

Full story.

Oregon Interfaith Summit on Homeless Children and Families Set For June 24th

 

Dear Friends and Colleagues,

Oregon faces a grave moral crisis: the exploding number of homeless children in our public schools.  Last year Oregon’s public schools served over 18,000 children experiencing homelessness and that number is expected to grow this year.  Tragically, we expect less money to serve these students as the stimulus dollars from the federal government expire and as Oregon’s budget crisis worsens. 

I am writing to inform you of the Thursday, June 24th Oregon Interfaith Summit on Homeless Children and Families at First United Methodist Church in Salem (click the link for the registration form) and to invite your participation. 

The fiscal reality of our situation provides evidence that children and their families will suffer greatly but: “It is hope that helps us keep the faith, despite the evidence, knowing that only in doing so has the evidence any chance of changing,” once said William Sloane Coffin.  Acting on our faith in such a moment has the power to change the evidence.

This event has been in the planning stages since last fall.  Finally, we are calling people of faith from across Oregon to help bring lasting change that provides meaningful opportunities for children who are homeless.  We can make a powerful difference. 

Speakers and workshop leaders will address the varied causes of childhood, youth and family homelessness; discuss the continuum of solutions; and present best practices for congregational shelters, hospitality networks, family mentoring and food programs. You can network with homeless liaisons for the public schools, non-profit providers, government officials, and other people of faith. We will focus on homeless education programs and build an interfaith advocacy agenda for homeless children, youth and families.

Please share this information with your congregation, interfaith contracts, denominational bodies, and plan on attending yourself. If you have questions you can always contact me directly or Kevin Finney, public policy director for Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon, at 503-221-1054 or [email protected].

See you in Salem!

Sincerely,

Rev. Chuck Currie

PS.  Below is a video of the remarks I made in April before the Oregon Coalition on Housing and Homelessness on how the faith community can work with schools and other public agencies to help end homelessness.  

Rev. Chuck Currie - Oregon Coalition on Housing and Homelessness from The Rev. Chuck Currie on Vimeo.

Faith, Oregon and the Crisis Of Homelessness and Public Education

Rev. Chuck Currie - Oregon Coalition on Housing and Homelessness from Chuck Currie on Vimeo.

I was invited this year to provide one of the keynote addresses this April before the annual conference of the Oregon Coalition on Housing and Homelessness. My topic was how the faith community can work with non-profits, schools and government agencies to lift up the common good of our state by working to end homelessness and provide educational opportunities to children experiencing homelessness.

Novick-Currie 2010

Ok, that headline should really look more like Novick-Currie 2010 but the fact remains that Steve Novick and I will be among the keynote speakers at the Oregon Coalition on Homelessness and Housing 22nd Annual Conference this April in Hood River.  As homelessness and poverty continue to grow in Oregon and the United States it is critical that advocates gather to advance advocacy goals and learn best practices from one another.  This is the conference to attend if you care about these issues.  I'm excited to be speaking at the conference this year with one of Oregon's real treasures. I was proud to stand with Steve in 2008 and look forward to joining him in Hood River.    

Faith Leaders Gather In Salem To Talk About Family & Childhood Homelessness

People of faith from across Oregon gathered on the steps of the Oregon State Capitol in a driving rain storm at Noon today to pray for families experiencing homelessness and for students who are homeless while attending public schools.  Last year over 18,000 homeless students were enrolled in Oregon schools.

The morning began with a briefing for clergy and lay leaders about the issues involved with family and childhood homelessness.  Nearly 60 people attended.  The events today are in preparation for a state-wide summit on homelessness among families and children that is being scheduled for early June. 

We began the morning with a welcome from David Leslie, executive director of Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon, and a prayer from Father Paul Schroeder, director of faith-based services for JOIN.

Dona Bolt, who directs the Education for Homeless Children and Youth Program at the Oregon Department of Education, opened the formal presentation by talking about ways that communities of faith can directly link up with schools serving homeless students.  For example, she urged churches and other religious communities to offer mentoring programs and to help collect school supplies.  I joined Dona during this part of the briefing and shared information related to funding issues and stressed the importance of education in the lives of homeless children.

Kevin Finney (Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon), Roberto Franco (Oregon Department of Housing and Community Services), Janet Byrd (Neighborhood Partnerships), and Lincoln County Commissioner Bill Hall talked to the group about policy and funding issues.  Commissioner Hall noted, for example, that nearly 10% of students in his county are homeless.

Oregon's efforts to educate students who are homeless in public schools is entirely funded by federal dollars (along with some local funding and community contributions).  No state funding is allocated in this area and the federal contribution will substantially decrease after President Obama's stimulus package expires.

Religious leaders in Oregon have been working with U.S. Senator Ron Wyden and U.S. Jeff Merkley to increase federal support.  Both senators are now co-sponsoring legislation that would do just that.

While we work to increase the involvement of faith communities with public schools it is also likely we will go to the Legislature in 2011 with a request that the state fill any holes left by cuts in federal funding.  There has been a 122% increase in the number of homeless students in less than a decade in Oregon and a dramatic climb in the poverty rate since 2001.

At the Noon prayer vigil, David Leslie offered an opening prayer and  we shared in reading this litany (that was slightly adapted for our occasion).  The Rev. David Akers, interim minister of Smyrna United Church of Christ, led the litany and The Rev. Gail McDougle, senior minster at Salem's First Congregational United Church of Christ, offered the benediction.

For more information on how to become involved with this issue please either e-mail myself at [email protected] or Kevin Finney at [email protected].  

 

President Obama's Budget: Poverty, Housing, Deficits, & Military Spending

Last week the president offered up his new budget.  Budgets are moral documents, as Jim Wallis likes to say, and I agree with that.  How we spend our money - how we act as stewards - reflects our values.  

President Obama has offered up a budget that will help to decrease poverty (at least modestly), offer historic levels of funding to schools, and will over the long run reduce the deficit.  The Bush-era tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans will expire under the president's plan and thus revenue will increase.

America's reckless spending on the military, however, will continue to increase (military spending will not be part of the president's call for a 3-year spending freeze).

There are other issues - some of them quite small in comparison to larger budget concerns - but nonetheless important that have been overlooked.  

Let's start with some of the brighter spots.

The Half in 10 Campaign: The Campaign To Cut Poverty In Half In Ten Years likes the general philosophy that guides the president's budget:  

The Half in Ten Campaign believes that any strategy to cut the U.S. poverty rate in half over the next 10 years must be based on four fundamental principles: promoting decent work, ensuring economic security, providing opportunity for all, and helping people build wealth. The president’s budget released earlier this week reflects those same principles by laying out an agenda for job creation, investing in income and work supports even in the context of a discretionary spending freeze, offering an education and workforce agenda that promotes opportunity, and championing policies that will allow Americans to save and build for the future. Half in Ten urges Congress to pass a budget resolution that adopts and builds on these investments with special emphasis on job creation for low-income and minority communities.

As Congress debates a jobs package, the Half In 10 campaign notes that the faith community is calling for specific proposals:

Target job creation programs to low-income communities and vulnerable population groups. Targeted programs are needed in order to reach every sector of the population that is suffering from unemployment, especially the most distressed communities. Certain groups with disproportionately high unemployment or low earnings need special efforts to guarantee they are not left out of an economic recovery. Job creation initiatives should target those groups experiencing especially high unemployment, including minorities, workers without a high school degree, and single parents. Legislation must also consider populations with unique needs, such as people of color, displaced workers, workers with disabilities, seniors, low-income youth, and people with limited-English proficiency, by providing worker retraining, education assistance, and other job-related services. In addition, appropriate programs should be targeted to geographic areas with significantly higher-than-average levels of unemployment. National unemployment rates can obscure large regional disparities. In areas around Detroit, Cleveland, and the Central Valley of California, which have experienced the greatest job loss, and regions like the Gulf Coast and the Textile Belt, which were already suffering from elevated unemployment, additional efforts are needed to overcome the job loss crisis.

New jobs that are created should generate sustainable employment and a long-term pathway to economic security. By targeting high growth and priority industries (for example renewable energy, health care, education, infrastructure, and child care),in both the public and private sectors, newly created jobs can provide a pathway out of poverty if they pay a livable wage and include comprehensive benefits.  While many of these jobs may be temporary in the beginning, if on-the-job training and proper work experience is provided, they can turn into longer-term careers for those most in need of employment. Job creation efforts should promote economic security, not stand in the way of it.

Assistance should be provided to help vulnerable families impacted hardest by job loss and the recession. Low-income and asset-poor families are hit hardest during a recession because they lack the resources to weather the storm. In addition to creating jobs, legislation must ensure that workers do not lose essential services during their period of unemployment. When workers lose their job, they are supported by safety net programs that ensure access to food, shelter, healthcare, and other critical needs. As unemployment has climbed, so too has the demand for these programs. Congress should ensure that both the programs that serve jobless and low-income people and the states that administer them are adequately resourced.

Our common scriptures present a vision of shared responsibility that endows the notion of work with an inherent dignity yet also commands that we care for the vulnerable among us. Right now, it is imperative that our nation’s leaders turn the economy around and put the country on the pathway to a healthy recovery. Job creation is a top priority for the President and Members of Congress. They must not lose sight of those communities that need the most help. There is a place in this emerging economy for all of us, and properly-drafted legislation will create a workforce that is better trained, stronger, competitive, inclusive, and more viable in the future.

The Center for Budget and Policy Priorities has also called for any new jobs bill to include increased funding related to homelessness:

As part of the economic recovery act signed into law in February, Congress approved $1.5 billion in temporary housing assistance for families that are homeless or at risk of losing their homes due to job loss or other financial hardship. These resources, which the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) distributed to local agencies through the Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing Program (HPRP), are now being used to help hard-pressed families pay rent and other housing costs, and to provide them with housing-related services such as landlord-tenant mediation. The HPRP funding allocated thus far will enable local agencies to protect approximately 300,000 vulnerable families from the harshest consequences of the economic downturn.

Unfortunately, the employment outlook has worsened considerably since February, and the number of people falling into poverty appears to be rising sharply, based on enrollment data from the food stamp program. Concurrently, reports from various agencies administering HPRP assistance indicate that requests for housing aid are far exceeding the available resources. In Winston-Salem, North Carolina, for example, city officials project that they will be able to assist less than half of the families that need help, while officials in Memphis, Tennessee report that their HPRP budget enabled them to provide financial assistance to only a small fraction of the 880 eligible families that sought aid during the program’s first two months. Similar reports have come from California, Michigan, Nebraska, Florida, Massachusetts, New York, Utah, and South Carolina.

To address this unmet need, Congress should consider providing an additional $1 billion in funding for HPRP as part of a forthcoming “jobs bill.” These funds would enable local agencies to help 200,000 families experiencing financial hardship to avert the loss of their homes or to move out of homeless shelters and into stable housing.A further infusion of funds into HPRP would also contribute a modest boost to the economy. During an economic downturn, one of the most effective ways to help the economy — and thereby to create and preserve jobs — is to target financial assistance on low- and moderate-income households, since they are more likely to spend rather than save any increase in income. This is why numerous experts, including economists Peter Orszag (when he was director of CBO) and Mark Zandi of Moody’s Economy.com, have argued that expanding food stamp and unemployment benefits provides a lot of “bang for the buck” in stimulating economic growth. The same point holds true for expansions of rental assistance that relieves the financial stress on very poor families that are having severe difficulty making ends meet.

In addition, HPRP assistance would help to strengthen the rental housing market, the continuing weakness of which threatens the nascent economic recovery. Many owners of residential rental property — large numbers of whom are individuals with low or moderate incomes themselves who operate on very thin margins — are under unprecedented financial stress due to record high vacancy rates, falling property values, and tightening credit markets. In recent months, the number of foreclosures of rental properties has risen sharply, increasing financial risks for banks and other lenders, including Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

Because HPRP provides rental assistance to families that are not currently occupying housing of their own (because they are homeless) or that are at risk of losing their housing due to a decline in their income or other financial hardship, it is one of the few policy measures that actually increases net demand for rental housing and reduces vacancies. Indeed, a rough estimate suggests that for every additional 200,000 families that use rental assistance to secure (or avoid eviction from) rental housing, the national rental vacancy rate could fall by up to 0.5 percent, a significant improvement. And by helping to reduce vacancies, HPRP assistance also helps small property owners maintain their properties in decent condition and remain current on their mortgages.

So far neither the House nor the Senate has included additional funding for HPRP in a discussion of a jobs bill and I know of no advocacy on this from the White House.

The National Low Income Housing Coalition has taken a close look at the budget and offers both praise and concern:

...the Obama Administration (has) released its budget outline for fiscal year 2011. We are pleased that President Obama’s budget for the Department of Housing and Urban Development includes innovative proposals that are steps toward achieving a just and balanced housing policy for the country. However, as millions of families across the country struggle during this devastating economic climate to find and keep housing they can afford, we urge the President and Congress to take further action to address the housing needs of our lowest income neighbors.

Positive and forward-thinking components of the Administration’s HUD budget include:

• $1 billion in funding for the National Housing Trust Fund. The NHTF was established in 2008 and, once funded, will provide communities with funds to build, rehabilitate and preserve housing for people with the lowest incomes (www.nhtf.org). The Administration’s budget documents note that funding the National Housing Trust Fund “will help address the growing shortage of affordable housing, which is one of the most serious and economic problems facing the country” by providing funds to produce 29,000 homes for renters and 7,000 homes for homebuyers. The NHTF was included in President Obama’s first budget request, but Congress has yet to provide funding for the NHTF. It is critical that the President and Congress take active steps to capitalize the NHTF as requested in the FY11 budget.

• $85 million in funding to provide approximately 10,000 new housing vouchers for people who are homeless or at-risk of becoming homeless. While funding these additional vouchers is an important step forward, we know that in this recession we must do more. NLIHC has called on the Administration and Congress to provided 250,000 new vouchers in the current fiscal year to help low and extremely low income people who are otherwise unable to access affordable housing during the economic downturn.

• A proposal for a new Transforming Rental Assistance (TRA) initiative that would begin to combine funding streams for 13 HUD programs into one flexible and streamlined source of funding. The President requested $350 million in funding for this initiative that would, according to the budget request, “preserve approximately 300,000 new units of public assisted housing, increase administrative efficiency…and enhance housing choice for residents.” NLIHC looks forward to working with the HUD Secretary and staff on this new initiative.

We must object to proposed cuts to programs that produce housing for very low income seniors and people with disabilities (the Section 202 and 811 programs). We support bills currently in Congress to modernize these programs and urge Congress to pass this legislation and fully fund these essential programs that serve some of the poorest and most vulnerable citizens.

The inclusion of 100% of funds needed to cover public housing operating costs, a positive increase from previous budget requests, as well as the renewal of existing housing choice vouchers and project-based contracts.

We are grateful that the HUD budget was spared the cuts to domestic discretionary programs that are included in the overall budget. Nonetheless, essentially flat funding for HUD this year is insufficient given the high demand for housing assistance as a result of the recession.

As I've already written, there are also budget concerns related to the funding of programs that assist homeless youth in public school settings.

All Americans understand that the deficit is one of the most critical issues we face.  As the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities notes, for people living in poverty the deficit could be crushing.  In mid-January the Center released a report that noted:

Deficits and debt will rise to unprecedented levels in coming decades without major changes in federal budget policies, so policymakers should set a goal of stabilizing the debt as a share of gross domestic product (GDP) over the next decade, the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities reported today.

In its analysis, “The Right Target: Stabilize the Federal Debt,” the Center said that, to reach that goal, policymakers would have to trim projected deficits by more than half— to about 3 percent of GDP — by no later than 2019.

That would be no small achievement. To halve the deficit by 2019, policymakers would need to produce savings that are nearly twice as large as that of any prior deficit-reduction effort. And they would have to do so just as the baby boomers are retiring in large numbers (swelling the ranks of Social Security and Medicare beneficiaries) and health care costs are continuing to grow faster than the economy (driving up per-person costs for Medicare and Medicaid).

While policymakers should focus their attention as soon as possible on reducing the deficit, the report advises against actually having any large deficit-reduction measures take effect until the economy has sufficiently recovered from the recession and is strong enough to absorb them.

A budget reform commission funded by the Pew Charitable Trust and the Peter G. Peterson Foundation recently called for policymakers to stabilize the debt-to-GDP ratio at 60 percent by 2018. While noting agreement with many of that commission’s conclusions about the long-term problem, the Center’s report characterized that particular goal as overly ambitious and unnecessary.

Reaching that target would require policymakers to cut deficits over the 2013-2018 period by almost $825 billion a year, on average. Setting such an ambitious target could actually impede progress.

“Trying to reduce the debt too much too soon could actually make it harder to enact important deficit reduction legislation,” said James Horney, the Center’s director of federal fiscal policy. “If the standard for success requires budget cuts and tax increases that are so big that they’re politically unacceptable, Congress is less likely to take serious action.”

Moreover, there is no evidence that a debt-to-GDP ratio of 60 percent represents a threshold above which the potential harm to the economy rises to an unacceptable level. The 60 percent target is an arbitrary one, the CBPP report noted.

Reducing the budget deficit is important, but how we do it is just as important. We cannot afford to simply cut or eliminate important domestic programs without causing great suffering and more turmoil.

The health care reform bills passed by the House and the Senate - both now seemingly dead - would have helped to reduce the deficit.

Where can we turn to cut the deficit?  We must make cuts in military spending.  Yes, we need a strong defense to protect the country but what we actually have is a strong offense the funding of which could help collaspe our economy the same way military spending did to the USSR.  Jim Wallis writes:

In a preliminary analysis of this budget, Lawrence Korb, former assistant secretary of defense under Ronald Reagan, and other defense experts said that:

A close analysis of the FY 2011 defense budget reveals that it does not go far enough to impose real fiscal discipline on our defense spending … There are a number of reasonable cuts that could be made to this portion of the budget without sacrificing national security or undermining our troops.

Congressman Barney Frank was also at Davos and told me that he is proposing a 25 percent cut in the military budget. He said he will need help from the faith community. I support his effort, and we will saying more about it as details emerge.

The wars we have been fighting are a huge part of the massive deficit we now face, wars that I have also challenged on many other grounds. It’s time to stop subsidizing the shameful profits of the “military industrial complex” that former President Eisenhower warned us about long ago. I personally would favor spending more on the returning veterans who are too often abandoned when their service is over. But cut the defense contractors who serve their own profits much more than any true idea of national security. Protect the veterans, cut the contractors. Now there is one way to attack the deficit.

We in the faith community say we subscribe to the biblical injunction to “beat our swords into plowshares.” So let’s be in the middle of the budget deficit debate and push hard for the right priorities. 

Click here to tell the president to cut military spending.

Overall, the president's budget sets the right tone and direction but there is plenty of room for improvement as Congress considers how to best play their role in getting the United State out of the economic crisis handed to us by the Bush Administration.

Remarks At The Family Bridge Homeless Shelter Benefit

Liz and I returned a short time ago from a benefit dinner for the Family Bridge Homeless Shelter in Hillsboro, Oregon.  The organizers had kindly invited me to be the guest speaker.  There was a good crowd at the dinner (which included an auction) and the hope was the event would raise $10,000 or more.  The faith community in Washington County are the primary supporters of this critical program.

You can download an audio podcast of my remarks here:  

Download Family Bride Homeless Shelter Benefit Remarks

(some browsers - like Firefox or Google Chrome - will allow you to simply click on the link and listen...otherwise click with the RIGHT mouse button on the hyperlink and choose “Save Target As” and save to your desktop or other folder – once downloaded click on the file to listen).

Now On ITunes

You can now subscribe to my podcasts on ITunes by clicking here. 

Pray & Rally In Salem Fri., Feb. 12th For Homeless Families & Homeless Students

Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon and the Interfaith Project on Homeless Children and Families invite you to a day of activities on Feb. 12 at the Oregon State Capitol to help draw attention to the growing number of homeless families statewide and the growing number of homeless children in our public schools.  Below you can download a flyer with all the information.

Recently the Oregon Dept. of Education announced there were 18,059 homeless children enrolled in Oregon's public schools last year (2008/09). That number was up 14% from the previous year, and it represents an increase of 122% since 2003/04.

The day begins at 10 am with an Interfaith leadership briefing on opportunities to provide service to homeless children and families — both directly, and through policy advocacy.   Speakers include representatives from key state agencies, non-profit providers, and clergy. 

At noon we gather on the capitol steps for a rally and prayer vigil in support of homeless children and families.  Please join us in making a difference for some of our state’s must vulnerable people during the worst economic crisis of our generation.

Please forward this information to your contacts.  As we search for ways to address the growing crisis of homelessness and homeless students, we need to have a visible presence at the Capitol as the Legislature meets in special session.

So please attend this event and invite your faith community, friends, co-workers, and families to join you by sending out this flyer to your e-mail contacts.

Download UPDATED Feb 12 Interfaith Prayer Vigil Rally Flyer

President's Budget Will Leave Homeless Children Behind In Public Schools

During his State of the Union address the president said:

“In the 21st century, one of the best anti-poverty programs is a world-class education.”

His budget, however, doesn't match his rhetoric as far as homeless students are concerned.

The National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth reports:

BACKGROUND: On Monday, February 1st, President Obama unveiled his FY2011 budget proposal. The President’s request includes $65 million for the McKinney-Vento Act’s Education for Homeless Children and Youth (EHCY) program, which is the same funding level as the past two fiscal years. In light of the recent stimulus dollars, the President’s proposed $65 million represents a cut to the current funding that is available for homeless education. The proposed funding level of $65 million is particularly inadequate in light of the recent surge in family and youth homelessness, and the EHCY program’s unique ability to assist homeless children and youth. The President has requested a historic investment in education - a $3.5 billion increase in funding for the U.S. Department of Education’s discretionary programs. Yet without specific, targeted assistance, homeless children and youth are unlikely to benefit from these reforms. The most promising instructional strategy or academic program will be of little benefit to children and youth who cannot get to school, or who are constantly changing schools due to the instability of their homeless situation. In these times of unprecedented homelessness and limited resources, failure to target federal education dollars to the poorest children and youth is fiscally irresponsible, and sets these students on a path for academic and economic failure. 

NEXT STEPS: The President’s budget request marks only the beginning of the process for determining FY2011 funding; Congress ultimately makes the final budget decisions. There are many opportunities to influence the funding level for the EHCY program, but the best way is for Members of Congress to hear from you. The Congressional appropriations process takes many months to complete. However, many of the most important decisions occur in early spring. Therefore, it is imperative to communicate with Congressional offices soon, and often, throughout the entire process. 

FUNDING LEVEL REQUESTED: Congress should appropriate at least $140 million in EHCY funding for FY2011. A funding level of $140 million would include the program’s fully authorized amount of $70 million, plus the ARRA homeless education funding of $70 million. The need for this funding level is more than justified given the increases in homelessness due the recession, and pre-recession needs. 

ACTION NEEDED: 

1. Please write and/or visit your U.S. Senators and ask them to urge Senate Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman Tom Harkin (D-IA) to include at least $140 million for the McKinney-Vento homeless education program in the FY2011 education appropriations bill. Contact information for U.S. Senators may be found at http://www.senate.gov. A sample letter is attached.

Download Fy2011alert0202

2. Please write and/or visit your U.S. Representative and ask him or her to urge Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman David Obey (D-7th/WI) to include at least $140 million for the McKinney-Vento homeless education program in the FY2011 education appropriations bill. Contact information for U.S. Representatives may be found at http://www.house.gov. A sample letter is attached.

Download Fy2011alert0202

3. Please distribute this alert to as many partner organizations as possible, and urge them to join this effort 

4. If you are a school district homeless liaison, please fill out NAEHCY’s online survey about funding needs at: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/Jan2010LocalLiaisonARRA This information will help us make the case for more funding for FY2011. 

FOR MORE INFORMATION: Contact Barbara Duffield, 202.364.7392, [email protected] 

Here in Oregon, for example, our public school system saw over 18,000 homeless children last year.  That is a 122% from the 2003/04 school year.

The president committed during the 2008 campaign to cutting poverty in half within 10 years.  Shortchanging programs for homeless kids won't help to achieve that goal.

As the faith community in Oregon and nationally tries to respond to this growing crisis, we need the president and Congress to be allies in the fight.

Thankfully, some other homeless-related programs will be receiving budget increases.  Tomorrow the National Coalition for the Homeless will have updated information on that and I'll be sure to share it here.

Jeff Merkley Joins Efforts To Help Homeless Students

Yesterday a group of Oregon religious leaders met in Wilsonville to continue planning for the upcoming Oregon Interfaith Summit on Homeless Children and Families.

The summit is being designed to help the faith community respond to the growing number of homeless children in public schools and the increase in family homelessness.

One part of our advocacy campaign is to promote federal legislation that would help local school districts better provide educational opportunities for homeless students and foster kids.

Religious leaders reached out to U.S. Ron Wyden and  U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley.  We asked them to co-sponsor two pieces of related legislation:   

The "Educational Success for Children and Youth Without Homes Act of 2009," S. 2800, amends the McKinney-Vento Act's Education for Homeless Children and Youth program, Title I, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), and other related titles of the ESEA. S. 2800 makes a strong law even stronger by reinforcing and expanding its key provisions, including school stability, enrollment, and support for academic achievement. S. 2800 also expands authorized funding to meet transportation needs. 

The "Fostering Success in Education Act of 2009," S. 2801, establishes a new education program to ensure that all children and youth in foster care have school stability, immediate school access, and support for academic success. S. 2801 encourages collaboration across education and child welfare agencies to cover the cost of transportation to enable foster youth to continue in their school of origin when it is in their best interest, with ultimate responsibility for the cost of transportation on child welfare agencies when necessary. S. 2801 requires school districts to collaborate with child welfare agencies to facilitate transportation in a cost-effective manner.

During our meeting on Friday we received a call from Senator Merkley's office letting us know that he has agreed to co-sponsor the legislation.  Senator Wyden had already committed to doing the same.

I know I speak for many when I say how proud leaders of Oregon's faith community are that Oregon's two senators are co-sponsoring these critical pieces of legislation.  

Announcing Oregon Interfaith Summit on Homeless Children and Families

Recently the Oregon Dept. of Education announced there were 18,059 homeless children enrolled in Oregon's public schools last year (2008/09).   

That number was up 14% from the previous year, and it represents an increase of 122% since 2003/04.  It is only one of many indicators that childhood and family homelessness are increasing in Oregon and nationwide.  

In response to the rapid rise in childhood and family homelessness, Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon is convening a new interfaith project on childhood homelessness.  Planning is underway for a statewide Interfaith Summit on Homeless Children, Youth and Families, to be held in May or June of this year, and there will be other activities before and after the Summit. 

At the summit we plan to bring together people of many faiths with representatives of non-profit and government agencies who have expertise on childhood and family homelessenss.  Our primary goal is to focus attention on this problem and generate a new level of action and advocacy in response to it. 

Many of Oregon's congregations and people of faith are already deeply involved in responding to homelessness.  Our aims are to spread that involvement more broadly and to provide an opportunity for coordinated statewide advocacy on behalf of homeless children and families. 

More details follow below.  Here are some ways to become involved:  

• Might your congregation or other organization be willing to co-sponsor theInterfaith Summit on Homeless Children, Youth and Families?  If so, let us know and we'll send you a sponsorship form and informational flyer.  (Though we are encouraging sponsors to make a donation in support of this effort, no donation is required -- what we really want is your good name and your participation in helping to get the word out about this project and the Summit.)  

• Do you want to be kept informed of other upcoming meetings and events related to this project?  Again, just let us know in an email at [email protected] or give Kevin Finney a call at 503-221-1054.   

• Is your congregation or organization already providing services or engaged in advocacy for homeless families?  Please tell us what you are doing -- We are beginning to put together a statewide directory of what churches, synagogues, temples and mosques are already doing to help homeless individuals and families.    

• Do you have comments on what is most needed, in your community, or statewide, to help homeless children and families, or suggestions for what a legisative agenda should focus on -- please send those as well, along with any other comments you think may be helpful. 

• Do you know individuals or organizations that we should be in touch with?  Please send those names! 

Project Focus

We are focusing on three goals:

• Prevention of childhood, youth, and family homelessness. 

• Rapid Re-housing, shelter, and services - Getting currently homeless families off the streets and into housing with the supportive services they need to stay housed, and providing them with food, shelter and other basic services while they remain homeless.  

• Education of homeless children and youth - Improving the education of homeless children and youth, by making sure public schools have adequate funding for outreach programs and supportive services.  

Project Scope

This project and the planned Summit are designed to:

• increase public awareness and concern about homeless children and families, 

• deepen the engagement of Oregon's religious communitiesin providing services and in advocacy for homeless children and families, and provide members of the faith community with the knowledge and tools they need to be effective in this work,and, 

• develop and support a legislative agenda for homeless children and families for the 2011 session of the Oregon legislature (as well as support efforts in Congress to increase funding and improve policies related to homeless families and children). 

We hope you will join us in this work, and that you will feel free to call or email with any questions or suggestions you may have.

(Note: As a member of the public policy committee for Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon, I am happy to answer any questions about this project and to help you connect with staff.  I can be reached [email protected] or 971-322-7920. - Rev. Chuck Currie)

Sunday at Ainsworth United Church of Christ

The next two Sunday mornings (Jan. 24 and Jan. 31) I'll be speaking at Ainsworth United Church of Christ's adult education class about homelessness in our community.  The programs begin at 9 am.  Click here for more.  If you've never been come to the class and stay for worship.  This is one of Portland's best churches.

Senator Wyden Stands Up For Homeless Students And Foster Kids

Back in December a large group of Oregon religious leaders wrote Senator Ron Wyden and Senator Jeff Merkley a letter asking that they co-sponsor two critical pieces of legislation that would help provide better educational opportunities for homeless students and foster kids.

Late this afternoon Senator Wyden's office called me from Washington, D.C. to announce that the senator has signed on as a co-sponsor of both bills. 

The "Educational Success for Children and Youth Without Homes Act of 2009," S. 2800, amends the McKinney-Vento Act's Education for Homeless Children and Youth program, Title I, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), and other related titles of the ESEA. S. 2800 makes a strong law even stronger by reinforcing and expanding its key provisions, including school stability, enrollment, and support for academic achievement. S. 2800 also expands authorized funding to meet transportation needs. 

The "Fostering Success in Education Act of 2009," S. 2801, establishes a new education program to ensure that all children and youth in foster care have school stability, immediate school access, and support for academic success. S. 2801 encourages collaboration across education and child welfare agencies to cover the cost of transportation to enable foster youth to continue in their school of origin when it is in their best interest, with ultimate responsibility for the cost of transportation on child welfare agencies when necessary. S. 2801 requires school districts to collaborate with child welfare agencies to facilitate transportation in a cost-effective manner.

I know that religious leaders and homeless advocates across Oregon will join me in applauding Senator Wyden's leadership on this issue.

Senator Wyden's staff in Oregon has also extended an invitation for a sit-down meeting with the senator and faith leaders and we will be following up on that soon.

We'll continue to press Senator Merkley for his support as well.

Let's Help Hillsboro's Family Bridge Homeless Shelter

As The Hillsboro Argus reported today, the Family Bridge Homeless Shelter is holding their annual fund raiser on Saturday, Feb. 6th.  I'm excited to be the guest speaker for the event. "Family Bridge serves homeless families with children by providing them shelter, meals, help and hope so that they may achieve stability and self-sufficiency," and is a key resource in Washington County.  Check out their website for more information (you can even purchase tickets for the event which will include music by Patrick Lamb and dinner from Pasta Veloce' Italian Restaurant).  RSVP and invite your friends and family in the Washington County and metro-area to join you. 

The Sunday Oregonian: "Portland area churches pull together to provide shelter for homeless families"

The Sunday Oregonian - in an article written by Nancy Haught - focuses attention this week on how churches are responding to the growing crisis of homelessness:

Families with children account for 56 percent of Multnomah County's homeless population, says Jean DeMaster, executive director of Human Solutions, a nonprofit focusing on housing issues. The county's most recent homeless statistics -- the annual One Night Shelter Count -- found 4,187 individuals in shelters on Jan. 28, 2009. The total included 2,333 members of one- or two-parent families. On that particular night, 388 people from families were turned away. 

Homeless families present special challenges for those trying to help. Multnomah County Commissioner Deborah Kafoury calls them a "silent population." Single- and two-parent families may stay with relatives or friends, she says, maybe separating children if no one can keep them all. Also, many parents are reluctant to admit they're homeless for fear that authorities will take away their children. And traditional shelters often aren't equipped to take in families. 

You'll also find a few quotes from me in the article:

THE REV. CHUCK CURRIE, a United Church of Christ minister who works on behalf of the homeless, believes that while churches can do more, many are already pitching in -- despite struggles with declining attendance, shrinking budgets or the needs of their members. 

Religious communities have helped organize long-standing programs focused on the homeless, he said, naming just a few: Transition Projects Inc., JOIN, SnowCap Community Charities and the Interfaith Committee on Homelessness in Washington County. 

"It isn't the job of the faith community to take care of all those who are homeless," Currie says. "Churches, just like nonprofits and social service agencies, are subject to the downward spiral of the economy." 

Currie is working with Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon to convene congregations, educators, elected officials and business leaders for a February summit to look at homelessness. 

In the meantime, churches are helping. Ten downtown congregations support Portland Homeless Family Solutions, the nonprofit that operates the overnight Goose Hollow Family Shelter and Thirteen Salmon Family Center, a daytime shelter that opened in November.

Click here for the full story.

In the coming weeks, I'll write more about the plans underway by Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon to host an event in February - during the state Legislative session - that will be part of a year-long effort to draw attention to the needs of homeless families and homeless youth attending public schools.

Let me also note one correction to the story published by The Oregonian.  JOIN was not started by the faith community.  However, JOIN has developed successful partnerships with local faith communities that I know impact that organization's terrific work assisting those who live on our streets.

And if you are looking for just one step to take to help those who are homeless in Oregon today - just one small but important step - fill out your ballot and vote Yes on Measures 66 and 67.