MILWAUKIE, Ore. — A new family shelter in Clackamas County celebrated its grand opening Tuesday, with a goal to address a regional gap in shelter services for Native American families.
The new shelter, K ͪ wat Yaka Haws, Chinook for "Auntie's Place," is in collaboration with the Metro Housing Department and Clackamas County, and will directly benefit the shelter program of the nonprofit Native American Youth and Family Center, also known as NAYA.
Thanks to $1.96 million in funding from the county and the metro housing services program, NAYA will now be able to house eight families experiencing homelessness, making it the first program of its kind in the tri-county region.
All families will also receive services to support a successful transition to housing, such as help with finding a job; gathering documents to apply for an apartment; and connecting people to mental and physical health services.
This is critical since Native Americans experience the second highest rate of homelessness in the U.S., according to the National League of Cities.
"Just a sigh of relief," said shelter manager Andulia Sanchez. "And I'm excited! I'm excited to have our people come in and feel safe and feel welcome and feel at home and loved and not have to run."
The shelter, which features murals painted by local artists, will also host Native American cultural activities, according to Clackamas County.
NAYA is now aiming to serve at least 56 families with children each year, the nonprofit said.
The KGW Solutions Project is our commitment to report on ideas and strategies that address important issues in our community. We want to hear from you about solutions. Contact us at solutions@kgw.com.