Helping the Homeless

Martin Forbes - 12/22/04

“As we open up this space, our congregation gets more and more excited,” said Wardenaar.

Back in 1998, a coalition of eight Lake Oswego churches in partnership with Clackamas County Social Services and the Annie Ross House Outreach Program opened its first transitional shelter in Lake Oswego at Lake Oswego United Church of Christ. That was how LOTSM began.

The LOTSM board of directors meets monthly: Nine people currently are on the 12-member board.

The churches include: Christ Episcopal Church, Church of Christ, Scientist, Lake Grove Presbyterian Church, Lake Oswego United Church of Christ, Lake Oswego United Methodist Church, Our Lady of the Lake Catholic Church and Our Savior’s Lutheran Church.

“We would like to see more churches join us,” said Char White, who heads the transition shelter ministry board and is a member of Christ Episcopal.

“We think the need is there, unfortunately,” she said.

Families stay three to six months in the existing shelter, typically averaging about four months, White said.

“The hope is to get them into permanent housing as soon as possible.”

The families are screened through Clackamas County Social Services and the Annie Ross House Outreach. A new direct referral program for individual clergy will be implemented in January.

Volunteers check in with the family on a daily basis, helping with anything from a friendly conversation to providing a ride or offering advice. There will be a training session offered in January for any volunteers who are interested.

Contact White at 503-635-3075 to learn more about the volunteer program.

Additionally, White said LOTSM started a mentoring program to work with families to help them leave the homeless cycle permanently.

The families are all different and a variety of circumstances have left them without shelter. Often the program serves victims of economic setbacks, mothers with children escaping from abuse or desertion or those in rehabilitation from drug/alcohol problems.

“Whatever your expectations are, it will be different,” said Wardenaar.

In January, the coalition churches will hold showers for the new shelter, helping to providing it with a basic selection of kitchen utensils, pots, pans, bedding, towels and other household basics.

White, who also is an interior designer for the project, has been looking for other items for the facility.

“We need small furnishings that don’t take up a lot of room,” she said.

Code requires the shelter to be equipped with handicapped bathrooms, doorways, entrance and parking ramps.

Wardenaar said her congregation had the shelter in mind when it built its new addition several years ago.

“It was just a hole under the building,” she said.

“Fortunately, people on the (church addition board) saw into the future and made it possible,” said Becky Huntting, who helped with the shelter and is a member of both United Methodist and the coalition.

The shelter, which has radiant heat built into the floors, features a double bedroom area with a divider, a living room, bathroom, kitchen and laundry facilities.

Altogether, the shelter cost about $60,000. The United Methodist congregation helped to raise the money along with funds from gifts, memorials, the Lake Oswego Junior Women’s Club and United Methodist Women.

Architect for the project is Pam Gates, wife of former United Methodist Pastor Bill Gates. George Wilson is in charge of the construction effort, which began Oct. 23.

“He’s doing a great job,” said Bill Huntting, who serves as the church’s coordinator for the homeless apartment.