PORTLAND, Ore. — A Portland nonprofit is focused on getting people off the streets and into full-time jobs.
Community Volunteer Corps, which is part of Central City Concern, works with people who are in recovery or struggling with homelessness through volunteer work and manual labor.
“They help build us up and make us feel important and special,” said Haley Scott who has been with the program for about four months.
Scott was one of about a dozen people clearing out drainage at Joseph Wood Hill Park Wednesday.
Those running the program said it teaches them to work with others, follow directions and time management.
“We have like a very low barrier experience where people can come volunteer know that they can show up consistently, so when it comes time to getting a job, they can feel good about it,” said Jonathan Wall, who runs Community Volunteer Corps.
Wall graduated from the program in 2015.
“It feels amazing, you know, and it's one of the stories I like to tell people when they’re going through the program — that if I was where you’re at, if I can do it, so can you,” he said.
“It’s an opportunity to learn how to live life in recovery before having to involve work,” added Scott, who dreams of becoming a flight attendant after she graduates the program.
“I want to build a really firm foundation in my recovery that I can then translate into my working life.”
Ronald Brown was also volunteering at the park. He has been living on the streets for four years.
“I was very depressed, so I think what the value of this program is it gets people out,” he said.
“I got here, and I was hopeless, you know, I was hopeless drug addict and this program gave me some hope,” said Fa’koko Ralph Ta’ase.
The program is currently helping nearly 100 people. In the past 13 years, they’ve volunteered more than 170,000 hours and nearly 2,000 people have graduated.
“We’ve had people go through our program that are now portfolio managers, we’ve had doctors go through, nurses, accountants. This is a steppingstone for people. This might be the beginning, but it is definitely not the end,” said Wall.
“I have a better chance at a successful life and I’m so excited for that,” said Scott.
The program relies on community donations. The Community Volunteer Corps said it’s the only way they can continue to help people get off the streets and into full-time jobs. If people would like to donate, they can contribute to Central City Concern here.