Weekly Outreach Reports – Summer 2024
Weekly Outreach Report – September 27, 2024
We welcomed new volunteer Carty, and his warm smile fit right in. Most of the team arrived at the shelter in Squad 2, and we enjoyed a morning of connection over hot chocolate, breakfast sandwiches, and bingo. I bonded with a resident, and others had equally meaningful exchanges. We served over 100!
After lunch, we served about 80 unsheltered friends. Sadly, many familiar faces weren’t there, likely due to being moved by police. The need is vast, but we showed up with love and compassion.
Weekly Outreach Report – September 20, 2024
Today, we served 180 unhoused friends—96 at the HSC shelter, and 84 on the streets. The shelter is at capacity most nights, and we’re concerned about the coming winter months. We call on the City of Portland to help locate and staff a warming center. We had meaningful conversations, shared warm meals, and made resource referrals to those in need. Grateful for Josh joining us on his first outreach, and to all our volunteers and supporters!
Weekly Outreach Report – September 13, 2024
by Nancy Brown, Co-founder
Today felt a little quieter on the streets, but we were still able to connect with many in need. With a smaller team of just 6, we made our way through the shelter and streets, serving 93 people at the shelter and 82 on the streets. Many were very hungry, and many needed help finding local resources—we made 11 referrals today.
At the shelter, we saw many new faces, but also some familiar ones who seemed to be struggling more than usual. It’s heartbreaking to see how many people are in need of someone to talk to or simply don’t know about the medical care available in the same building. We’re grateful we could be there to offer support and help make those connections.
We were able to share sandwiches, snacks, farm-fresh eggs, and treats thanks to the generosity of Wayside & the community. Having the ambulance made distributing blankets and clothing a lot smoother too!
We were also happy to welcome Kathleen Dobson, a long-time supporter, who joined us on the streets for the first time. Her presence was a bright spot in the day.
Thank you to everyone in the community who has donated and made today’s outreach possible. Your kindness allows us to continue this work.
Weekly Outreach Report – September 6, 2024
by Matt Brown, Founder
• Total Friends Served: 166
• HSC: 91
• Street: 75
• Referrals: 3
We had an amazing volunteer crew for our first outreach with Hope Squad 2! 🚑 Spirits were high as we welcomed our “new” ambulance, a 2016 Ford F450 crew cab. The new cab allows us to chat between stops and will provide warmth for many in the winter months ahead.
Grateful for the incredible support that made this possible!
Special thanks to Lisa for the bologna sandwiches and @waysidefoodprograms for the treats. A lively day with great conversations and hope in the air!
Thank you for your love and support!
Weekly Outreach Report – August 23, 2024
by Matt Brown, Founder
Total served: 172
HSC: 95
Street: 77
This week, we welcomed new volunteer Jill! Thanks to Northgate Starbucks, we surprised our friends at the Homeless Services Center with breakfast sandwiches, alongside our usual food, drinks, and supplies. Many residents expressed concerns about shelter conditions and safety, and we listened with love and concern.
The street was quieter, with the unhoused now more dispersed. We’re worried about what winter might bring, but we’re grateful for the deep connections we’ve built over the past 2 years.
Thank you to everyone who supports our mission.
Weekly Outreach Report – August 16, 2024
by Matt Brown, Founder
Friends served:
HSC: 74
Street Outreach: 81
Total: 155
It was a quieter day, with fewer people at HSC and on the streets, likely due to increased policing in Bayside.
We welcomed our new volunteer, Meg, who joined us at HSC for the first time. However, it was bittersweet as we also said goodbye to Lucy, one of our longest-serving volunteers. Lucy has been with us from the beginning, bringing calm, compassion, and fierce advocacy to our outreach. Her ability to connect and earn trust has touched countless lives. Lucy, we’ll miss you deeply, but we know you’ll be with us whenever you can. Thank you for everything!
Weekly Outreach Report – August 9, 2024
by Christina Leddy, Outreach Volunteer
Despite the ambulance still being out, our team hit the streets this rainy Friday morning, mourning the loss of two beloved community members, Brett and J.D.
Fresh fruit was a hit at the shelter, but it’s clear the residents deserve more than cold cereal every morning. The shelter mood is tense, and the streets are no better—constant rain and police crackdowns make survival harder than ever.
But a smile, a hug, and a slice of cake can change someone’s day. We set up a dining table on the sidewalk today, offering more than food—offering solidarity. We stand with our friends, rain or shine. Your support means the world.
Weekly Outreach Report – August 2, 2024
by Matt Brown, Founder
We said our final goodbyes to our ambulance yesterday, which was a heart breaker. Despite this setback, we continued our mission, thanks to so many.
We served about 100 people at the shelter and 80+ on the streets. The cold drinks with electrolyte packets and food were very appreciated in the humid heat.
Our amazing volunteers go above and beyond every week. Today, they stayed with an individual experiencing domestic violence, providing resources and ensuring their safety. It’s vital to know that almost 57% of homeless women report domestic violence as the immediate cause of their homelessness, and over 90% have experienced severe physical or sexual abuse. We are always ready to support anyone in need.
Everyone loved the Preble Street meal of cold pasta salad with chicken, and the bagels with cream cheese were very popular. The dehydration on the streets was severe, so we were happy to help. We made 9 referrals to local resources, including crisis services, case management, and medical detox. The wonderful conversations we had throughout the afternoon remind us of what it’s all about – treasuring these relationships.
Thanks to all the community support that makes this possible. Much of the food, including fresh fruit, was provided by wayside food programs and preble street. The 100+ sandwiches were assembled by our wonderful volunteer, Lisa!
This week, we were reminded how blessed we are to have a devoted volunteer crew. Despite losing our ambulance, our team filled their own vehicles with essential supplies to ensure our friends received everything they needed. We were also joined by our eldest daughter Liz and her husband Dave, visiting from Australia.
At the shelter, we encountered a long line of residents seeking food, drinks, and resources. Our volunteers provided crisis services, supported a resident through detox, and made meaningful connections.
On the street, Preble Street’s meal, cold drinks, sandwiches, fresh fruit, and sweet treats were appreciated. Many smiles, hugs, and conversations were shared.
The deep connections and trust built over the past 18 months are evident. This consistency is only possible because of our incredible outreach team and your support. We are immensely grateful to be out here every week, loving and caring for our unhoused friends. Thank you for your financial, physical, and emotional support. Together, we carry on and have faith another ambulance will come our way.
Weekly Outreach Report – July 19, 2024
Despite a tough week and a possible ambulance failure, our team adapted quickly. Thanks to Kristen Tyson and Karen Packhem, we continued our outreach using a van.
At the shelter, volunteers spent over an hour helping a young woman in crisis. On the streets, many are struggling with isolation and illness due to frequent police relocations.
We provided much-needed food, drinks, and care to those in need. Our hearts break seeing people suffer, but we strive to bring hope and love to everyone we meet.
Weekly Outreach Report – July 12, 2024
Today was HOT🥵, but that just means our friends need us even more, so our crew of volunteers headed out (with every cooler we collectively own). Matt and Nancy had the day off, which means that our supplies were ferried around in a small army of hatchbacks. Remembering who has what, and where, can get crazy so we definitely appreciate the ambulance on days like this, but we’re always determined to make this work happen!
At the HSC the mood seemed lighter than in recent weeks. A few of us got a tour of the incredible flower and vegetable garden that residents planned, planted, and have been tending. I snacked on string beans, sampled the sweetest carrot ever, and taught my friends that nasturtiums are delicious as well as beautiful! 😋
After our supply pick up at Preble St. we put on our sunblock and set up for our unsheltered folks. It was quieter than usual on the street, no doubt due to the dangerous heat, but we still greeted lots of familiar faces and every cooler was filled with ice cold drinks for them.
There were laughs, hugs, and pleasant chatter going on everywhere I turned, but I couldn’t stop thinking about the people who we *hadn’t* seen. Some of our friends are very ill. Others are facing impossibly heartbreaking ordeals. When we don’t see them, it’s honestly so much harder than sitting with them in their pain. I hope they know they’re always welcome, no matter what burden they’re carrying.
Our team reflected this week on some of the challenges that *we* face during Outreach, and realized that for most of us the hardest part of the day is the end. It’s so hard to walk away…to go home and shower, put on fresh clothes, maybe have a rest, knowing that the people we care about can’t do the same. We also know that we can’t pour from empty cups, so we’ll prepare for next week and carry our friends in our hearts until we’re with them again.
Weekly Outreach Report – July 5, 2024
by Nancy Brown
We love you all!