Non-Profit, Religious, and Fundraising Organizations. Our Mission Our mission is to provide a home for the homeless in Gresham. For some, it is a new start, a new direction, or a chance to make a difference in their lives. For others, it is the best of times, and for some it is the worst of times. But we will always remember them and value their lives because they are part of our community. As a faith-based ministry, we work hard to help people meet their most basic needs. We seek to help them find their way to a new home by: offering a bed in our hostel for an emergency, and referrals to social service programs for long-term housing and support helping people to develop life skills and gain knowledge about homelessness working in partnership with service agencies and the community promoting awareness and support of housing for those who are most vulnerable advocating for policies that provide adequate funding for permanent affordable housing working to end homelessness. Support of Gresham The Good Samaritan Project relies on public support. It is possible through donations from individuals, corporations, and local foundations. We provide housing for those most in need, and we do it with the help of the Gresham community. All support is welcome. “This is a challenging time for the homeless in the Portland metro area and the entire state of Oregon. Our small nonprofit community needs the help of people like you to help provide housing to those most in need. You can make a difference in the lives of our homeless neighbors by supporting the work of our agency.” Donations and Contributions We accept donations in the form of cash and checks made out to Good Samaritan Project. The address for mail donations is PO Box 4550, Gresham, OR 97080. Donations can also be made by phone (503-815-3059) or online. Support Services The Good Samaritan Project relies on public support. Support may take the form of financial donations, in-kind donations, volunteer labor, in-kind supplies, time, goods, and services, and general advice. Donations and support are always welcome and appreciated. See also Support Resources. Support Services Needed Donations and support are the basis of the Good Samaritan Project, and our donations and support are also essential to many other local services. The needs of local programs vary from year to year. We will need to provide for emergency needs, capital expenditures, rent, travel, and supplies for many programs. Please use the Request for Support Form if you are able to help support Good Samaritan Project in any way. Gresham Hostel The Good Samaritan Project operates a local shelter called the Gresham Hostel. There are only a few spaces left, and they fill up quickly! To stay at the Gresham Hostel you must be homeless and have no other place to live. Housing Options for Homeless Families At the Gresham Hostel, we provide a stable, caring environment with a range of supports to support homeless families in getting a new start. Through referrals from the Gresham staff, you can be matched with volunteer families, the City of Gresham, and other service providers to match your interests and needs. We also provide housing opportunities for family members other than the head of the household. Please call the office (503-815-3059) for more information or visit our online resource center. Other Helpful Links A variety of local and federal resources are available to help people who are in crisis. For more information on Gresham’s crisis hotlines, shelters, medical and legal services, and other local resources, please see the links below. The Gresham Housing Market The Gresham Housing Market is a quarterly newsletter produced by the Gresham Community Development Foundation. The newsletter tracks rental vacancies in Gresham and is packed with local news, events, and updates about landlords, brokers, potential landlords, and tenants. You can also find property listings, including apartments for rent. There are links to the Gresham Housing Market on the official site of Gresham Community Development Foundation. Aging Out of a Home Aging Out of a Home is an important resource for older people who are displaced from a home and who need help locating services and information to help with housing. As part of the Family Caregiver Information Center, Aging Out of a Home provides resources and other support for older people who may be at risk of losing their home. The website features general information about family caregiver issues, specific information about caregiving support, links to related resources, and how to access local services and support. The site also includes a free downloadable publication on issues affecting older people. Elders at Risk of Losing Their Home Elders at Risk of Losing Their Home offers in-depth information, assistance, and support for older people who are facing housing and financial difficulties, and who are in danger of losing their home. “At some point, most elders become aware of their changing health, which causes them to lose confidence and energy. Most begin to feel some of the consequences of living in their own homes. One of the greatest challenges in all this is the fear that comes with the loss of independence and the loss of the ability to feel safe. Elders who lose their independence face fears like never before. Many older people who might not have minded living alone might have a change of heart when their home no longer is safe for them.” Elders at Risk of Losing Their Home provides in-depth resources and information for housing, health, and legal services for elders. It also links to helpful organizations and resources on housing, transportation, nutrition, health, medical assistance, legal services, and elder abuse. The Elders Housing Resource Guide The Elders Housing Resource Guide provides a source of local information, information on local resources, state and national resources, and more, on housing, health care, legal services, social service providers, and other needs related to aging. The Center for Advocacy for Elders (ACE) The Center for Advocacy for Elders is an organization that works to end elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation, and to prevent elder homelessness and homelessness among seniors. Their goal is to provide programs and services to support seniors who are experiencing homelessness. The Elder Resource Center The Elders Resource Center is a non-profit organization providing resources and other support for older people who are isolated, lonely, or in need of extra care. The service focuses on providing social and physical support, including transportation, meals, and other needs to elders, their caregivers, and family members. The services also include volunteer opportunities and senior education and support programs. Providing Help for People in Crisis We will respond to you or anyone you may refer to us We can help you or any person in your family “My Mom was homeless. She didn’t have any money to live on. She had a place to live but she was unable to care for herself. We found out about the Gresham Hostel through my brother. If it hadn’t been for them, we would have had to place her in a nursing home. She doesn’t need to be around a bunch of people that she doesn’t know. We got her into the Good Samaritan Project and they’ve been trying to get her into a nursing home and she needs to have medical and physical care to do that. We’re trying to find a place that can do that. We’re trying to place her. We’re very disappointed in the way people have to go through the system to get people into nursing homes and that they have to be under somebody else’s care because it’s pretty stressful to go through it and take someone from Gresham and putting them in a nursing home. This is a really sad situation and I would like to see the system change so that somebody who’s homeless can go and be cared for and have the appropriate level of care and the nursing home. It’s too bad they have to be sick and in a nursing home to get that. I’m so happy that we found this place and they were able to get her in because it’s