PK @ RCI - Fall 2007 Update

Organizations are living organisms. Sometimes we breathe in, sometimes we breathe out. Sometimes, even, we have to adjust to changing circumstances. This is what Portland Kids is facing at the present moment. The area we have been serving for almost 20 years is following in the same pattern. Young families are moving into our neighborhoods and poor families, the very ones we have been working withy, are moving eastward into the Gresham area. The homes in this neighborhood are the last remaining homes within the greater Portland area that sell for under $250,000.

Thus, the board this past July authorized me to begin pursuing a location in the Gresham area where we can begin an identical work and continue to assist and build relationships with the families we are serving. To our surprise it didn't take long to find one! Springwater Nazarene is a church that spawned a private school ten years ago and that school spun off into the community as the "Phonics Factory." The gymnasium and numerous classrooms have been mostly unused since their departure five or six years ago. This church has agreed to house the new "Gresham Kids" program at their facility. This has saved Portland Kids thousands of dollars in rental and facility charges over the next number of years and we are incredibly grateful to their hosting our program as well as getting involved in the support of the Gresham Kids program.

This puts us within the reach of former families and children we have served in the past who have moved out to the eastside. There are schools to serve and children to equip to live well, love well, play well, and work well - all goals of our resilience program. This opens up doors of opportunity to serve more at-risk children with the tools they need to overcome the abuse, poverty, and cultural obstacles so many face.


Already, people are introducing to the business and political leaders of Gresham to allow me to tell the story of our work. Travis Stovall, the president of the Chamber of Commerce for Gresham, is personally supporting our program by introducing me to the five or six key business leaders in the Chamber. Linda Usher, a key mover in Gresham, is opening doors for me to meet the city council members to notify them of our work as well. Our development program begins right away contacting the 700+ businesses in the Chamber to solicit their understanding and support of who we are and what we do.

All this, in such a short time, takes my breath away. But I am truly excited because we can build on the support you have so graciously given us as well as knowing so many children and their families can be helped in the future.

Dr. Bob Bretsch

Real Stories of Real People

Family Exiled to Rockwood
One mother is reeling from the effect of having to move out of the neighborhood around the Portland Kids office to the Rockwood area of Gresham. This is a dangerous place to raise a 12 year old daughter, but it is the only choice she has been given by the county social services. She called recently to seek help. Her daughter's anger issues flared up and the new school setting has been unsettling. Her request for support has helped her work through some of the emotional and safety issue snow facing her family. Her daughter is in our Jr. Counselor mentoring program to gain added support.

Disney Trip Program Update
The families who are in our Disney Trip program... those who are learning the skills of financial freedom... are fully engaged in helping raise money, continue with their family savings program, working in the community service arena, and helping their community look better. They receive monthly updates on their progress and have begun signing up for our December fund-raiser, wrapping books at Barnes and Noble in Clackamas, to help raise money for this exciting trip.

Catalyst for Transformation
One family who has been in our program for two years now continually struggles with the father's emotional collapses. Just as things seem to be getting better, this father acts inappropriately, he loses his job, and the family recoils from the uncertainty created by living in a sheltered world where they let no one else inside. This father called Dr. Bretsch on the telephone in July and asked for help. Since that time and after numerous counseling sessions, he has begun to grasp his own significance and has begun to build his own self-confidence and self-esteem. The family is thriving. The daughter is on her middle school volleyball team and is actively inviting (a new occurrence) people to come and watch her play. This amazing transformation has given them the courage to join with a church and allow other support systems to help build their family strength.

Imago Dea Partners with Portland Kids
Imago Dea, a community church in S.E. Portland, has partnered with Portland Kids to provide service outlets for individuals wishing to make a difference in people's lives. This church is active in seeking financial justice for the poor living in our communities and is asking us to join them in helping these families learn job skills and secure jobs in order to avoid being displaced into increasingly dangerous centers of poverty and crime in east county. We are working closely with their vision to help the families we serve.

Thank You Volunteers!
Volunteers are the lifeblood of any non-profit organization. This summer we had volunteers from Payette, Idaho Nazarene and Portland First Nazarene come to paint and upgrade our facility. We've had ladies making Barbie Dolls and sewing clothes for each doll to give our girls at Christmas, and we've had volunteers come to cook and prepare food for our various activities! Thanks so very much for your incredible help.