Monday, August 29, 2011

We've Moved!

Please visit our new website at Hood River Cares

The host sites for December 2011 – March 2012 are as follows:


December 2011
  • Dec. 4-10 Vineyard Christian Fellowship
  • Dec. 11-17 Riverside Community Church
  • Dec. 18-24 Hood River Alliance Church - CMA
  • Dec. 25-31 Immanuel Lutheran Church
January 2012
  • Jan 1-7 Vineyard Christian Fellowship
  • Jan 8-14 Riverside Community Church
  • Jan 15-21 Hood River Alliance Church- CMA
  • Jan 22-28 Immanuel Lutheran Church
February 2012
  • Jan 29 – Feb 4 Vineyard Christian Fellowship
  • Feb 5-11 Riverside Community Church
  • Feb 12-18 Hood River Alliance Church - CMA
  • Feb 19-25 Immanuel Lutheran Church
March 2012
  • Feb 26-Mar 3 Hood River Nazarene Church
  • Mar 4-10 Vineyard Christian Fellowship
  • Mar 11-17 Riverside Community Church
  • Mar 18-24 Hood River Alliance Church - CMA
  • Mar 25-31 Immanuel Lutheran Church

Friday, August 5, 2011

Better Voter Access for the Homeless in Oregon

by Jake Thomas

"Voter turnout in Oregon could see an increase among low-income individuals, students and others around the state. With less than 10,000 people registering to vote through public assistance agencies, lawmakers and advocates are pushing for change.

“The number of people registering at (social service) agencies have been dropping like stones,” said Nicole Zeitler, director of public agency voter registration for Project Vote, a national organization that seeks to increase voting rates."

Read the whole story on the Street Roots Blog

Monday, June 27, 2011

It's Finally Summer in Hood River!

Yes, it's finally summer in Hood River. With the heat, many mistakenly believe that the need for homeless and low-income assistance goes down, but according to various Hood River agency records, requests for aid actually increase! Please remember to continue to support local aid agencies/programs that assist the poor in our area.

Hood River Warming Shelter may be closed for the season, but our committee, open to all, is still working hard at expanding our program for the coming winter. Be sure to check back here the end of July for more information about the exciting changes coming to HRWS!

Better yet, join us in planning and preparation! Our next meetings are Monday, June 27th, 2-3pm in the conference room in the basement of the courthouse. We'll meet again Monday, July 25th - same time and place! All are welcome to join - no need to commit to anything, just show up and be part of the discussion and planning!

Thank you all for your continued support and encouragement. You make this Gorge community GREAT!

Andy Wade
Volunteer Coordinator, HRWS

Saturday, May 14, 2011

Anawim Quiz About Homelessness

This is a big fund-raising time for Anawim Christian Community in Portland, OR. While our warming shelter is closed for the spring/summer/fall, we should still remember, and help out, those who are living outside throughout the year. Check back for news about expanding our services in Hood River - we're meeting about that this spring.

In the meantime, head on over to Anawim's website and take their quiz about homelessness. If you took our volunteer orientation class you should do pretty well - but there are surprises too! Give it a shot, you don't have to sign in and it's only 18 questions. Then come back here and tell us how you did!

OK - I'll start by admitting that I only got 15/18 correct. I've got excuses - but them's the facts!

Andy Wade
HRWS Volunteer Coordinator

Thursday, March 31, 2011

Anawim Christian Community - Portland

Here's an encouraging report from Anawim Christian Community, a church/ministry to Portland's homeless and mentally ill (Pastor Steve Kimes helped with our HRWS training/orientation):

This has been an amazing year. This year we’ve been able to provide shelter for some of the coldest days out of the year. And we’ve been part of a network of churches to shelter the outcast from elements of weather and society that would attack them outside. Through a generous grant, we’ve been able to help folks get birth certificates and IDs. We’ve been able to give the word of God with faithfulness. We’ve been able to provide thousands of showers, thousands of sets of clothes and thousands of meals.

We’ve been able to provide opportunities for service both for those on the street and for other church folks who might not have an opportunity to connect with people on the street. We’ve provided the opportunity for street folks and the mentally ill to be artists, to give of their talents and of their meager possessions. We’ve prayed and provided counseling for hundreds of people who otherwise might not be prayed for. And we’ve been able to share love for those who both gratefully acknowledge their need and to those who spit in our face and throw our food back at us.

In other words, we’ve been a church. A unique church that ministers to a unique people, but still, a church. This is what we are called to, why we exist as an organization.
Thank you to everyone who has been a part of this exciting year. Thank you to everyone who will support us this year and love those people whom we love. Please help us to help others.

Monday, March 28, 2011

Veterinarian helps homeless care for pets

by Shaun Hall, The Daily Courier - Associated Press

GRANTS PASS, Ore. — For much of the past two years, on the first Tuesday of each month, veterinarian Julie Tavares has pulled into the parking lot at the St. Vincent de Paul dining hall on Southeast Seventh Street and set up shop to treat dogs and cats belonging to homeless and low-income people.

On a recent Tuesday, Tavares opened up the tailgate to her van and set up a card table on the blacktop, piling the table with paperwork, medicine and supplies. With help from veterinary technician Kyrmet Jackson and soup kitchen volunteer Donna Harold, the threesome dispensed care to about 30 animals over nearly three hours of work.
Read the rest HERE