After what felt like a long and warm summer, this fall we are doubling down on supporting new and returning students to our program for the new school year!
Highlights from this enewsletter include:
- Holiday gift drive for Second Home students
- Second Home Strategic Plan for 2022-2024
- Introducing our new team members
- Invitation to tree lighting event at Valley Community Presbyterian Church
We also want to share with you a video the Beaverton School District produced for Second Home as part of their Homeless and Hunger Awareness Week. Please watch the short video below that features Second Home team member Allyn Williams, home providers Jodi Rathbun and Mike Schlabach, and graduate Victor.
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Thank you to our volunteers and supporters who make all this possible!
Adam Jenkins, Regional Coordinator, E. Multnomah & Clackamas Counties
Frances King, Student Support Specialist and Regional Coordinator for Western Washington County
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Give a gift to a student to make their holiday full of cheer!
For the holidays, we asked Second Home students what their dream gift would be. And now we need your help to make their wishes come true! Please check out our students' Amazon wish list. Gifts can be new or lightly used in good condition. To participate, sign up for the gift drive now!
PLEASE DO NOT WRAP THE GIFTS. If you want to include a generic note to the student, that's fine, but do not include any contact information.
You also have the option to make a financial donation instead, and we'll buy the student gifts for you:
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Go to the Second Home GIVE page.
- Donate using your preferred method.
- In the comments, write "Second Home Holiday Gift Drive."
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Second Home Strategic Plan
The Second Home team spent the summer developing a new strategic plan through a facilitated process, which resulted in clear goals and areas of growth we hope to strengthen together. Those areas include:
- Staff Readiness
- Organizational Health
- Home Provider Engagement
- Youth Engagement
- Community Engagement
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Meet Our New Team Members! |
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Second Home hired two Home Provider Recruiters to recruit and support home providers: Allyn Williams and Maria Mendez.
- Allyn recently retired from 22 years of teaching elementary students. He has been a strong supporter of Second Home for several years and was "ecstatic" to find this position to help recruit hosts for the many unaccompanied youth in Oregon. Allyn lives with his two cats, Logan and Roscoe, in a 152-square-foot tiny home.
- Maria is passionate about helping people and working with families to help youth reach their goals. Apart from working with families, she enjoys spending time with her family and the outdoors. Maria is grateful to be a part of such an amazing program and is determined to help where she can.
We also hired new regional coordinators: Karen Bonelli-Sanquist (Lincoln County) and Catherine "Cat" Allard (Clackamas County).
- In addition to her duties at Second Home, Karen also runs a youth theater company, Lincoln City Playhouse. She has been married for 16 years and has three children. Her family lives on six acres in Lincoln County with seven dogs, six cats, two goats and a lot of birds!
- Cat is from New Hampshire. She moved to Oregon for a pastoral position six years ago and now identifies as bi-coastal - feeling at home in both places! She is excited to be joining the Second Home team, returning to her first love (vocationally speaking) of being a resource and supportive non-parent adult for older youth as they navigate life's challenges, discover their passions, and clarify their values.
Frances King will join the team at the end of November as Student Support Specialist and Regional Coordinator for Western Washington County.
- Frances is a native Oregonian who, after a decade and a half of living in other places, came to her senses and moved back to the Willamette Valley in 2020. She has taught writing to multiple age groups, worked with refugee populations on food and income insecurity challenges, and most recently worked on housing stabilization projects in rural areas.
Welcome to all our new team members!
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Invitation to Tree Lighting & Caroling |
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Valley Community Presbyterian Church is inviting all Second Home supporters to their community Christmas Tree Lighting & Caroling on Saturday, Dec. 3, at 6 p.m. There will be caroling, beverages and cookies. The address is 8060 SW Brentwood St., Portland, Ore. The event will be on the front lawn, rain or shine. We hope to see you there!
Second Home gives a special thank you to Valley Community Presbyterian Church. The congregation has donated office space to Second Home for several years. This ongoing support has been a huge benefit to our staff and the program!
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Second Home joins Fred Meyer Community Rewards |
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Second Home is a recipient of the Fred Meyer Community Rewards program! Designating Second Home as your chosen program costs nothing for you and allows us to receive a portion of Fred Meyer Community Rewards funds each time you shop at Fred Meyer with your Rewards card! Please note that within the Fred Meyer Rewards site, our organization is listed as “Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon – Second Home.”
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Second Home is a program of Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon
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Stay Connected with Second Home & EMO |
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