Day of Homelessness Awareness walk highlights struggles of families without homes

November 5, 2013

The fourth annual “Walk of Homelessness Awareness” will take place on Friday, Nov. 22, the culmination of a weeklong “Time to Listen -- Time to Act” campaign on behalf of vulnerable Oregon families forced to sleep in their cars or on the street.

The Nov. 22 walk will begin with breakfast at 7 a.m. at Sisters of the Road followed by visits to organizations supporting homeless people. At 8:30 a.m., the gathering is scheduled to meet at Pioneer Courthouse Square for an interfaith convocation.

A delegation of religious leaders will then travel to Salem to deliver letters to the state Legislature, as part of the “Time to Listen -- Time to Act” campaign (#time2listen #time2act campaign) -- sponsored by numerous organizations, including Multnomah County -- the week prior to Nov. 22.

The campaign is asking area congregations to write 1,000 letters calling on the Oregon Legislature to restore state funding for emergency housing to 2007 levels.

Family homelessness grew by 17 percent in Oregon between 2011 and 2013 and yet state emergency shelter and assistance funding fell 25 percent compared to 2007.

To sign up for the letter-writing campaign, go to the New City Initiative website. For more information or to join the campaign, go to New City Initiative or call 971-231-5423, or contact Barbara Willer, Multnomah County Interfaith Coordinator, at barbara.willer@multco.us.

Sponsors include: Albina Ministerial Alliance, Bosniak Educational & Cultural Organization (B.E.C.O.), Central City Concern, Clay Street Table at St. Stephen's Episcopal Parish, Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon, First Baptist Church of Portland, First Congregational United Church of Christ Portland, Havurah Shalom, Highland Christian Church, Human Solutions, JOIN, Maranatha Church, Multnomah County, New City Initiative, Oregon Center for Christian Voices, Parkrose United Church of Christ, St. Andre Bessette Catholic Church, Trinity Episcopal Cathedral and Westminster Presbyterian.