Join the Neighbors Together, Train The Trainer workshop on Zoom on May 13th at 2 pm by
clicking here
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This May, SE Uplift is hosting a series of trainings called, Stay Safe Stay Home Community Safety. The workshops are virtual and free for all community to attend.
The first of the series is Neighbors Together, Train the Trainer
on May 13th
. This training is provided by the
Community Safety (east team) from the
Office of Community and Civic Life and will focus on public safety systems navigation and personal safety.
If you would like to learn the basics of how to have conversations with people as a first line of addressing conflict, this workshop is for you.
The other training dates are listed below along with the title of the workshops available.
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Neighborhood Associations Board Elections Support & Tips!
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SE Uplift Community Collection Events (CCE) Program Says Goodbye!
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SE Uplift Coalition Area Event Totals: Wow, You Are Impressive!
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All events scheduled for Spring 2020 have been canceled and SE Uplift will no longer staff, host, or fund events through the CCE Program.
The CCE Program has been a successful and beloved partnership with 7 neighborhood coalitions, Bureau of Planning and Sustainability (BPS), Metro, community organizations, and YOU, our community volunteers.
SE Uplift is thankful and will remain forever in awe of the partnerships built and the incomparable volunteerism of our neighborhood clean-up coordinators for over a decade!
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What's Next For CCE & What Do We Know Now?
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The Bureau of Planning and Sustainability (BPS) is adjusting to meet the most urgent needs of Portlanders, while moving projects forward through the Planning and Sustainability Commission and City Council.
The decision about Community Collection Events is a response to immediate b
udget constraints and the availability of bulky disposal options through Metro’s transfer sites and through nonprofit organizations and social service agencies that accept a wide range of usable goods and pick up donated materials throughout the year.
BPS recognizes the leadership of the many passionate neighborhood volunteers that have made these events a success. Thanks to your dedication, over the last 18 months, these events collected 376 tons of mixed waste, and diverted over 3,000 items for reuse citywide. BPS will continue to educate community about proper disposal and bulky waste resources.
To find out more about how Bureau of Planning and Sustainability is adapting to
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We hope our neighbors were able to participate in SE Uplift's Earth Week in April. See some highlights below and continue to support our environment throughout the summer.
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Kirk Rea, Co-Director of the City Repair Project created a video about how to create a large neighborhood compost. Check out the video on City Repair Projects Facebook page
here.
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Did you miss one of our live presentations? Don't sweat it, go
our
website
to view what what shared. Go
here
for recordings from City Repair and
here
Afro Village Project and Backyard Tiny Houses.
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Click the above photo or
here
to see Ground Scores Earth Week video, The Beginning.
How can Portland folx support canners?
- Recognize that collecting bottles and cans for redemption is a job. Canners
- work hard, and many of them work daily.
- When placing out for collection, make your bottles and cans more accessible and safer to find.
- Share resources that canners may be lacking, such as hand sanitizer.
- Help canners with outdoor access to soap and water for hand washing.
- Due to COVID-19, set aside potentially hazardous bottles and cans for at least 72 hours before placing out for collection.
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*With schools closed, electronics are in high demand. Donate unwanted electronics to Free Geek.
* Sort out your cans and place them in a bag next to your bin for canners to collect more safety. If you can provide extra - hand sanitizer, face masks, and/or wipes leave those next to your bin for our local can collectors (canners).
* Everyone can compost, start a compost at your home or apartment.
* Food waste is one of the greatest threats to our environment that individuals can directly impact. Make a pledge to reduce your food waste.
* Visit our
Earth Week page
, under "Activities" for a number of other fun activities.
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Native Patches in Portland Parks – One Of My Favorite Places
By Leroy Eadie, Executive Director, SE Uplift Neighborhood Coalition
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Since moving to Portland, a year ago, I have enjoyed visiting the local parks. An element that stood out to me immediately was the nature patches. I encourage you to visit a Portland Park with a nature patch during this spring and summer.
As a previous Parks and Recreation Director I recognize the value that parks and nature spaces provide to people and wildlife. Portland has outstanding parks and I’m particularly impressed with their Ecologically Sustainable Landscapes program (
https://www.portlandoregon.gov/parks/74879
).
I live in Northeast Portland and I’m in Alberta Park every day and I often find myself walking along the path through the nature patch. Portland Parks says this about their nature patches “Portland Parks & Recreation's new program brings nature to neighborhood parks. We're adding nature patches to developed park landscapes to provide natural experiences for people and habitat for wildlife. Nature patches are unique natural garden spaces that support native pollinators and offer fun opportunities for education and exploration.”
In southeast Portland Hazeltine Park has an outstanding nature patch that is located around an open play and recreation area. I believe Portland Parks have shown that both active and passive recreation can take place adjacent to each other. (
https://www.portlandoregon.gov/parks/article/666563
) .
Although just outside the boundaries of SE Uplift, Lents park also has a beautiful nature patch located on a south facing slope. My wife and I did some volunteer clean-up work at Lents recently and I thought the proximity of the nature patch adjacent to the playground to be a smart design as kids are drawn to natural areas. This is a wonderful opportunity to educate youth about the value of native plantings.
I encourage Portland Parks to continue to design and locate more nature patches. Each is built and maintained with the help of local volunteers. A new nature patch is being built right now in Fern Hill Park, which is another park I visit multiple times a week. Maybe SEUL can work with Portland Parks to locate more nature patches in parks in the southeast.
Well done Portland Parks and all the volunteers that made the nature patches happen!
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One of SE Uplift’s traditions is our participation in PBOT’s Sunday Parkways every year. We were getting a little sad that this event might have gotten canceled this year, but we received this message from PBOT announcing that Sunday Parkways will be VIRTUAL this year! Not only will it be a month-long celebration but everything will be available online. Read below for the message from PBOT:
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A Special Sunday Parkways
We’re not canceling Sunday Parkways. We’re getting creative.
But as we all know, this isn’t a normal time. We’re not giving up. We’re going to adapt to this new reality, so we can keep the spirit of Sunday Parkways alive.
Instead of holding the May and June Sunday Parkways in the traditional way, we want to partner with you to bring Portlanders together in a new way that is safe and
fun.
For May’s all-digital Sunday Parkways, PBOT and Kaiser Permanente have organized a series of digital events for Portlanders, including exercise classes, bike repair tutorials, and art and wellness projects. To support our local vendors and organizations, we will be showcasing Portland’s businesses on our
virtual platform
.
While we cannot gather in our regular way, like all of our Portland residents, we are resilient, creative and know how to rise to the occasion. We will launch a series of community-focused activities on a
virtual platform
to support each other, share information, and offer solidarity and positivity. We will approach the transformation of our events on an event-by-event basis and do not plan to cancel any of our events. We will also provide resources below that focus on supporting local businesses and local nonprofits throughout the Covid-19 crisis.
Hope you check it out!
The Portland Sunday Parkways Team
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Supporting Seniors Through Social Distancing
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Being thoughtful and supportive of our neighbors who may be in a high risk category is important and necessary.
While out enjoying the sun, we should make sure to practice social distancing. Keep 6 feet of distance between you and others and do not gather in crowds of over 10 people. Practicing basic social distancing is an easy task if we know it can keep seniors and neighbors with compromised immune systems safer.
With summer weather on the way, some areas in SE Portland have become busy with with crowds and many of those neighbors are not practicing social distancing.
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This large agave plant called Monte in Creston-Kenilworth has turned heads this spring and is now drawing large crowds. Some of the neighbors are concerned for their health and need our support in following the rules and recommendations to slow the spread. Again, this should be easy if we know we are keeping our neighbors who are compromised safe.
Below are some signs posted to slow the flow of visitors.
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Please do your best to wash your hands with soap frequently, do not touch your face, wear a mask, stay 6 feet apart, and do not gather in groups of over 10! Let's flatten the curve together.
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How to use Portland's Neighborhood Greenways during Covid-19
Our Neighborhood Greenway network of low-traffic streets gives Portlanders many ways to improve their mental and physical health during this public health crisis. However, please understand it takes all of our cooperation to make this program successful. Let’s work together to slow the spread of coronavirus and save lives.
Before you head out, please:
- Stay home if you’re sick.
- Stay local and close to home.
- Only visit Neighborhood Greenways on your own or with members of your household, no gathering with others.
- Bring all supplies—food, water, hand cleanser, face coverings—needed for a short trip.
- Plan for where you will use the restroom if you need it. Public restroom access is limited across the city.
- If a Neighborhood Greenway appears crowded, leave and come back another time.
If there’s space on the Neighborhood Greenway, please:
- Remember that these are shared streets and sidewalks. Take it slow and be respectful of others.
- Wear a face covering even if others aren’t. Homemade is fine.
- Stay at least 6 feet away from people who aren’t from your household. Further apart is better.
- Cover your cough with a tissue (then throw it away), or the inside of your elbow.
- Stick to low-risk activities. Don't put additional stress on our emergency responders and health care systems.
- Announce your presence to others if you are passing them and move aside, when needed, to let others pass.
- Follow CDC guidelines and wash your hands before and after you visit a Neighborhood Greenway, or any other public space.
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“We do not have government by the majority. We have government by the majority who participate.” ~Thomas Jefferson
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Oregon Primary Election - Vote on or before May 19th
You've likely received your voter packet and ballot in the mail, now let's get to voting!
Portland has a number of national, regional, and local positions to fill and 2 ballot measures that will impact funding for our houseless neighbors and for road infrastructure.
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“There's no such thing as a vote that doesn't matter.”
~Barack Obama
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Important Dates for the Primary Election:
April 28th - Last day to register or change party.
April 29th - Ballots are sent out by mail.
May 14, 2020 - Last day to safely return your ballot by mail.
May 19, 2020 - Ballots due by 8:00 p.m.
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Hi Neighbors! Take the 5-10 minutes to complete your census form online or by phone today. Responding by mid May saves resources that can be used on more hard to count communities.
Why?
2020 Census results will help determine how hundreds of billions of dollars in federal funding flow into communities every year for the
next decade -
woah
!
That funding shapes many different aspects of every community, no matter the size, no matter the location - think hospitals, fire departments, natural disaster response, housing assistance, preventing child abuse, school lunch funding, the list goes on. Let's be sure everyone in Oregon is counted! Go
here
for more information.
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Post a creative photo of you completing your census voting by mail to our social media using #Ivotedtoday and be selected to win a prize.
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"Someone struggled for your right to vote. Use it" ~ Susan B. Anthony
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Voting is extremely important, and we know it is a right not granted to all our neighbors due to a number of intentional and unintentional barriers. For our neighbors not able to vote, there are other ways to exercise political power. You can support organizations that advocate for issues and positions important for the well-being of the community. And even if you can vote, check out and support some of the following organizations that work on overcoming various barriers to voting:
Unite Oregon
,
Basic Rights Oregon
,
CAUS
A
,
APANO
,
Latino Network
,
RISE
. One resource for learning about Oregon issues is the
Forward Together Voter Guide
.
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20th anniversary for Village Building Convergence (VBC 2020):
A Time to Reflect & ReConnect, Placemake At A Distance
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A note from City Repair:
We are living through some really tough times and it’s our 20th year anniversary. One of the blessings this pandemic is offering is the time we have needed to take to reflect on our work. While we are needing to adapt to COVID-19, there are still several ways that we are continuing to support the essence of our work - to deepen relationships with each other and the land.
We understand that this is especially important as we find creative ways to hold our needs and desires to be together while we are physically distanced and moving through our collective grief in solidarity.
With this in our hearts, we are transitioning our flagship gathering -
the Village Building Convergence (VBC)
”to a digital gathering. We weighed several options for how to move forward and felt that it is an especially critical time for us to feel connected to each other. So while technology has its host of limitations and problems, we simultaneously hold our deep desire and sense of responsibility to host community gatherings during this time.
Additionally, we have two calls for action to be creative-at-a-distance and to work as a collective-at-a-distance:
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