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Human Solutions Raises Funds and Awareness

Inspire Dinner emcee Jo Ann Hardesty, who is also on the Human Solutions Board of Directors, shares a joke with Kakieba Taylor, the evening’s participant speaker.

Portland, OR. Human Solutions raised awareness of family homelessness and the need for more affordable housing at its 2nd annual Inspire Dinner on October 27th at the Portland Marriott City Center. The event generated $43,500 to support Human Solutions’ programs and services to alleviate poverty and homelessness in East Multnomah County. Inspire Dinner emcee Jo Ann Hardesty, who is also on the Human Solutions Board of Directors, shared a joke with Kakieba Taylor, the evening’s participant speaker. Kakieba Taylor is a Human Solutions program participant who was homeless with her four children before receiving assistance to move into one of the agency’s 720 units of affordable housing in East Multnomah County. (Photo credit, Andie Petkus)

Multnomah County Chair Deborah Kafoury, pictured with Human Solutions’ Executive Director Andy Miller, was a special guest at the agency’s 2016 Inspire Dinner.

Bank of America Merrill Lynch was the presenting sponsor of Human Solutions’ 2016 Inspire Dinner. Jan Laskey, Senior Vice President of NW Community Development Banking for Bank of America Merrill Lynch, welcomed the crowd and presented Human Solutions with a $7,500 grant for the Homeless Families Program at the event.

Human Solutions Board Member Jo Ann Hardesty and Board President Carla Piluso at the Inspire Dinner. Jo Ann is also president of the local NAACP chapter, and Carla is state representative for House District 50, which includes south Gresham and a small portion of SE Portland. Both are also active in various other community causes.

Guests learned about trauma-informed care (TIC) from Mandy Davis, PhD, LCSW, who co-directs Trauma Informed Oregon. TIC recognizes the adverse impact of trauma on children and families, and is an integral part of the social service model at Human Solutions.

About Human Solutions

Human Solutions focuses on helping homeless and low-income families in East Multnomah County gain stability through safe housing, family support, job readiness programs, and economic opportunities. The agency works not only to remedy the symptoms of poverty, but also to creatively address its root causes by giving families the tools they need to thrive. Human Solutions is the largest nonprofit affordable housing developer and operator in its 245-mile East Portland/East Multnomah County service area, with 18 low-income apartment complexes featuring 720 units of permanently affordable housing. The new Human Solutions Family Center at 160th and Stark in Portland provides the only emergency shelter for families experiencing homelessness that is open 24/7, 365 days per year. The agency offers utility assistance to prevent homelessness and operates five employment programs to help individuals with significant barriers to employment find living wage jobs and/or improve their job skills to increase their household incomes. For more information, visit www.humansolutions.org.

Elisa Klein

I’ve been a professional journalist and writer since 1987, (and long-time reporter for KOIN-TV.) As a nationally published reporter, with a Master’s Degree in Journalism, I love to report positive news and information. Journalism has also connected me with another non-profit where I served as a leader; the Northwest’s biggest writer’s organization: The Willamette Writers.