The small window flew open and I feasted my eyes upon a line wrapping out the door and around the building. It was mail pickup day at Transition Projects, Portland. When I arrived that morning for service I was given my task which seemed pretty straight forward. Sort the mail alphabetically and then when the client arrives check their ID and give them their mail. Seems simple right?
Well as soon as that window opened, chaos erupted in the mail room. Cabinets were flying as I attempted to find each person’s mail while trying to shrink the line down to avoid traffic being stopped on the main drag. My head seemed to be spinning as each client came up with a nice demeanor asking for their mail politely and watching me run around this tiny, tiny room searching for their stuff. Now although I was somewhat freaking out, I made sure that my emotions were in check on the outside, but basically I was anxiety stricken! Luckily as the line got under control, I was able to relax, get a system down, and remain calm as each person came in to request their mail. I have to give kudos to those that run the mailroom on a daily basis, cause to be thrown into that can potentially cause a early heart attack for someone like me.
Well as soon as that window opened, chaos erupted in the mail room. Cabinets were flying as I attempted to find each person’s mail while trying to shrink the line down to avoid traffic being stopped on the main drag. My head seemed to be spinning as each client came up with a nice demeanor asking for their mail politely and watching me run around this tiny, tiny room searching for their stuff. Now although I was somewhat freaking out, I made sure that my emotions were in check on the outside, but basically I was anxiety stricken! Luckily as the line got under control, I was able to relax, get a system down, and remain calm as each person came in to request their mail. I have to give kudos to those that run the mailroom on a daily basis, cause to be thrown into that can potentially cause a early heart attack for someone like me.
Anyways, Transition Projects is a fantastic organization that is located right near downtown Portland. Being one of the largest homeless services in the city, it has played a huge role in providing for that population since 1969. Transition Projects has many shelters across the city serving both single men and women helping those that need a place to stay to transition out of poverty.
The mission of Transition Projects is to serve people's basic needs as they transition from homelessness to housing. The amenities that are provided include a place to stay, a hot dinner everyday of the week, new clothes, shower facilities, a permanent address, and several other things that individuals lose once they have become homeless.
By providing these amenities, Transition Projects facilitates additional mentoring, job skill trainings, and other services to help the individuals they serve “transition” into affordable housing in the city of Portland. Transition Projects receives funding both from local government and private grants. However, their recent partnership with the Portland local government has produced HUGE upcoming plans.
Having already broken ground on the project in November of 2009, Transition Projects is partnering with other organizations and local government in the creation of a brand new Resource Access Center for the homeless population of Portland. They will be constructing basically a “luxury” shelter with over eight floors of services. On the bottom floor will be a place for temporary shelter as well as a long-term bed option. In the floors above they will have service ranging from employment support, medical services, computer labs, clothing drive storage, and many other things still in the works. They expect that once the building is finish to serve roughly 1,000 clients per day in various ways!
On the top five floors, luxury studio apartments will be constructed and sold as affordable housing units. Many of these rooms will house some of the most medically severe clients as well as get many people into apartments of their own. And the project will be completely green and hopes to reach the prestigious Platinum LEED certification! Check out the pictures below and find out more about Transition Projects at the following address!
Nicee,,,photo
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