Washington County’s Department of Housing Services is hosting a series of virtual meetings in March to share information and seek input from the public to learn about the department’s plans to build new shelters for people experiencing homelessness. In a press release, the county said that the goal is to provide 250 year-round shelter beds for those experiencing homelessness in Washington County.“Year round shelters are an important part of our community’s response to the housing crisis in Washington County,” stated Dr. Vernon Baker, executive director of Just Compassion, a nonprofit coalition working on housing issues in the county. “Shelters provide people with safe, clean, and stable temporary housing so they can find jobs, access services, and work toward securing permanent housing and it is important they are available year round.”“People who experience chronic homelessness benefit from experiencing a healthy, secure community at a shelter,” said Emily Roots, Washington County Department of Housing Services Public Affairs Administrator. “Shelter teams include counselors, addiction specialists, and workforce specialists who are committed to helping people succeed and find permanent housing.”Those who wish to participate are asked to register at wcor.us/ShelterEngagement.The events are as follows:
Forest Grove, Cornelius and surrounding areas
Tuesday, March 16 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
Beaverton, Tigard, Tualatin and surrounding areas
Thursday, March 36 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
Hillsboro, Aloha and surrounding areas
Thursday, March 106 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
Countywide
Saturday, March 1211 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
For language interpretation needs or questions about the events, county residents may contact Shelters@co.washington.or.us or call 503-846-3790. Community members who cannot attend their community meeting are invited to share their input via an online survey.
The Trump administration has instructed states that authorized full November nutrition assistance benefits to return a portion, another unprecedented reversal for a program that helps 42 million people afford groceries. Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek said her state will not comply.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture will pay about half of November benefits for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, though benefits could take months to flow to recipients, the department said Monday in a brief to a federal court in Rhode Island.
Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek on Wednesday declared a state of emergency over hunger and directed $5 million to food banks across the state, seeking to avert the impending November loss of food stamp benefits for hundreds of thousands of Oregonians under the federal government’s ongoing shutdown.
Federal funding for SNAP will run out Nov. 1 if the federal government remains shut down, leaving more than 757,000 Oregonians without the support they rely on to buy groceries.
More than a hundred teachers and staff from Banks' three public schools gathered in the Banks Elementary School cafeteria Aug. 19 for a breakfast with their peers and school officials as another school year began. With construction, new security, and a cell phone ban looming, many changes await staf
A crash in Glenwood snarled Labor Day weekend traffic for up to three miles and resulted in minor injuries to at least four people, Forest Grove Fire & Rescue said Saturday.
