Commissioner Deborah Kafoury | District I > News & Events > Previously Homeless Families Find Homes, Now Seek Employment

Previously Homeless Families Find Homes, Now Seek Employment

April 19, 2010


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Responding to the local housing crisis for families, Multnomah County’s Board of County Commissioners approved funding in January for immediate rent assistance for 30 families to be housed in 30 days. The effort, a partnership with non-profit organizations Human Solutions and JOIN, successfully housed 34 families who were homeless. Now, these families are seeking employment.

“Securing housing for these families was the first step,” said Commissioner Deborah Kafoury, who brought this initiative to the Board of Commissioners. “Now that they have housing and their children have settled in school, a second yet critical step for the long-term stability of these families is to find a job.”

Program participants seeking employment hold a wide range of skill sets, including teaching, food service, handyman, housekeeping, construction, swim instruction, medical reception, child care, forklift driver, hairdresser, flagger, landscaper, and more. The common thread is the desire to work and care for their families.

“So many people in our community have been struggling. A simple suggestion that leads to a stable job can be the foundation for longer term success,” said Jean DeMaster, Executive Director of Human Solutions. “We hope that employers will call us with opportunities so these individuals can apply and offer their skills and experience for consideration along with other applicants. Ending homelessness in our community is a huge task, but it can be accomplished by giving homeless people the opportunities they need to become self sufficient.”

If you know of employment opportunities, please call Amie Diffenauer at Human Solutions
(503) 548-0224, email adiffenauer@humansolutions.org or Commissioner Kafoury’s office at (503) 988-5220.

Dignity & Dining

Dignity & Dining: "Restaurants are very often the first industry to jump to the aid of those in need. Nine out of ten restaurants are involved in some kind of charity; most donate food to shelters and food banks.
Dignity & Dining was inspired by Clifton’s Cafeteria in Los Angeles. They have been serving quality food at affordable prices, as well as free meals to those in great need, for over 70 years.
The goal of the Dignity & Dining program is to find restaurants willing to provide free, no-questions asked meals and to make this information available to the public."