June 2016 - In This Issue:

Donation Spotlight:
12 year old Brennan Baker donated $100 he made by parking cars in EPB&B parking lot during Timbers Games. Thank you Brennan! You are helping provide shelter, housing, and life skills classes for families in our community!
Brennan (center) with family and EPB&B staff.

Thank you!

Thank you to everyone who attended our Solution Salon discussions on the homeless state of emergency in Portland. In three sessions, we spoke with 54 people about this important topic! Special thanks to our guests Israel Bayer, Executive Director of Street Roots, and Justin Buri, Executive Director of Community Alliance of Tenants.
Upcoming Volunteer Orientations:
June 6
6:15-7:15pm
Thirteen Salmon Family Center

June 13
5:00-6:00pm
Goose Hollow Family Shelter

June 22
5:00-6:00pm
Goose Hollow Family Shelter

July 5
6:15-7:15pm
Thirteen Salmon Family Center

July 11
5:00-6:00pm
Goose Hollow Family Shelter

July 27
5:00-6:00pm
Goose Hollow Family Shelter

Visit our  website for more info. For questions or to RSVP, contact Bethany at 503.915.8307 or  bethany@pdxhfs.org .

Shelter Wish List:

- Bedding (twin sheets, blankets, and pillow cases)*
- Towels (bath, hand, and wash cloths)*
- Pillows*
-Baby Wipes*
- High Efficiency Laundry Detergent 
- Air Mattresses 
- One High Chair
- Colored Pencils
- Sanitizing Wipes
- Antacids
- Sunscreen & Aloe Vera
- Allergy Medicine (adult and child)
- Ace Bandages
- Anti Itch Cream
- Pain Relief Spray
- Aleve
- Triple Antibiotic Ointment
- $10 gift cards to Fred Meyer, Target, and  Regal Cinema 
- Trimet Adult Day-Pass Booklets
*Highest Need Items!

Check out our full wish list!
Save the Date!

Friday, October 21
5:30-9pm
Montgomery Park Atrium


Follow PHFS on Instagram!
July and PHFS Program Director Kurt getting furniture
at Community Warehouse for July's new apartment.

Since 1994, PHFS has operated supportive, compassionate
shelter for homeless families with children. But PHFS is so much more than shelter. We provide services like rapid rehousing, case management, and life skills classes to help homeless families learn the tools they need to get back into housing - and to stay there long term. PHFS is helping end homelessness in our community for families like July and her kids Joaquin and April.

"PHFS was a family atmosphere. The staff made sure people were productive, accomplishing goals, and working as a team. My children and I made good, lifetime friends. We have good  memories from PHFS." -July, 2015 Shelter Guest

It takes the support of our entire community to help make housing a reality for homeless families with children. That's where you come in. Support families like July's by donating to our So Much More Than Shelter campaign today! Your donation can help provide the keys to a new home and the life skills needed to keep that housing long-term. Donate now!


Each year, PHFS helps over 200 homeless families with children find temporary  shelter, learn new life skills, and move back into permanent housing.

Through Community Warehouse and food stamps, our families are able to fill  their new home with many necessary items such as furniture, kitchen utensils,  and food. But there are some items that these programs cannot provide. We  want to fill that gap and provide families with the supplies they need to start  their new home.

Help us collect the following items so we can give each of our families a house  warming basket when they move out of shelter and into permanent housing. Check out our website for more information and drop-off location.

- Hand Soap
- Dish Soap
- Sponges
- Laundry Detergent
- Broom & Dust Pan
- Trash Can
- Trash Bags
- Household Cleaner
*must be new and unused
Volunteer Spotlight:
Sofia  McDermott 
How long have you been volunteering with PHFS?
I've been volunteering with PHFS for about four years now! 
What initially got me involved was actually my mom who heard good things about it and she joined me and my brother and sister in going to the volunteer training. 
 
In what position/shift do you typically volunteer and has that changed or evolved over the years (and why)?
I usually volunteer as either the kid time host or the helping hand, these are my two favorites! This hasn't really changed, although I have tried out quite a few of the other positions. I like to spend time with the kids, they're so energetic and need an outlet for that energy- I like to be able to play with them and encourage their excitement. 

What's your favorite thing about volunteering with PHFS?
I love spending time with the kids and talking to them- I want them to feel like they have people outside of their family circles that care about what they think and want to listen to the things they have to say. I think this is really important and I want to be a person that can make the kids feel as important and intelligent as they are!

Tell us about a "mountain top" experience you had while volunteering at PHFS. Was there a particular time that was very moving or meaningful for you?
I think that every time I go to PHFS something happens that really makes me feel on top of Mt. Everest. One of the most memorable experiences I've had was actually really recently, I was talking with a boy, about 12 years old, and he was explaining to me the layout and the details of the new apartment the family had just found and was scheduled to move into the next day. The way he described the apartment and the yard and how excited he got while talking about it made me feel so happy for him. It was such a sweet moment of shared happiness. 

Can you share any advice (pro tips/best practices) for new volunteers?
Just jump into it! Do as much as you can and ask if there is more you can do, in the end you will have had a much more purposeful experience and you will have done more for PHFS!

When you're not saving the world at PHFS, what do you do for fun or to unwind?
To relax one of my favorite things to do is read. I love historical fiction and just plain fiction novels. I also love to garden, I have a small courtyard area where I grow basil and tomatoes and other herbs, I'm hoping to expand my garden soon!

What's a fun fact about you, that few others would know?
I have always wanted to build my own house and live in it, somewhere warm where there are a lot of flowers and green rolling hills.
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