PORTLAND, Ore. — A group of high school students wanted to do their part to help homeless people living in Portland, so they partnered with the nonprofit Operation Nightwatch to build a hospitality structure outside of St. Stephen's Episcopal Parish downtown.
During the rainy season, a lot of homeless people struggle outside in the elements. The structure will allow people to get out of the cold rain and into somewhere dry to eat a hot meal served by staff at Operation Nightwatch.
"I think it's really badly needed," said April Stull, who has been living on the streets of Portland for about three years. "Anything to get out of the weather, anything helps a lot."
The students who built the structure are part of the trades program at Reynolds Learning Academy. Skott Upchurch, Asher Cruz and Luciano Erhardt are some of the students involved. They said Operation Nightwatch needed some help building the structure, and the class jumped at the opportunity.
"I think everyone deserves one place where they can feel not exactly at home, but welcome," Cruz said.
Reynolds Trades Coordinator Angie Gilbert said the program has been around for almost twenty years, and the academy has worked with Operation Nightwatch in the past.
"They're not able to open right now for indoor hospitality as they usually provide," Gilbert said. "This is a way to give guests access to the same kind of outdoor dinning experience that other housed community members get at restaurants."
Operation Nightwatch helps about 300 people each week. There will be a ribbon-cutting for the hospitality structure on December 13th. The nonprofit accepts donations on its website.