Volunteering - Innovative Housing Inc.

Yesterday Robert participated in a volunteer day organized by a great Portland-based group called Innovative Housing Inc. (IHI). (He stumbled upon this group after seeing one of their postings on Craigslist.) Last week Robert met with IHI to talk about volunteering to help counsel IHI’s residents as part of their Financial Fitness and Asset Building Program. More than a dozen people volunteered yesterday to help prepare Bridgeview Apartments (this view of the St. Johns Bridge) for 13 previously homeless residents who will move in later this month. Volunteers painted, stained, moved furniture, stocked kitchens, made beds with fresh linens, hung pictures, landscaped, and planted flowers (sorry – no pictures as it was raining by the time he thought about taking pictures).

About the Bridgeview Apartment project:
IHI is developing 13 new units of permanent supportive housing for chronically homeless people in North Portland. In addition to IHI's standard resident services, IHI is partnering with Cascadia Behavioral Healthcare to ensure that residents receive on-site case management, life skills training, psychiatric, and addictions support services.

Funding from the Portland Development Commission, Homestead Community Financing, the Bureau of Housing and Community Development, Enterprise Community Partners, and the McKinney Supportive Housing Program helped IHI create housing with a strong service component that is designed to help individuals move off of the street and into permanent homes.