A few Opportunities

Here is a listing of a few different opportunities coming up in the next couple of weeks. Please feel free to sign up for one (or all of them!)

Loaves and Fishes is looking for volunteers for two hour shifts to hand out Donate Dinner Cards at local stores. Please check their site at http://donatedinner.org

We also have some opportunities to help the NWPM. Take a look at these:

NWPM Food Pantry needs at least one additional driver with a big vehicle who could get a delivery from the Oregon Food Bank at least twice a month. The best day would be Thursdays, Wednesdays would be second choice. In an ideal world we'd also do an additional pick up on MONDAYS. There is quite a bit of flexibility as to the exact time. We'll also be looking for more helpers to unload the delivery at the pantry, as it is a pretty big job! If you would be willing to give this a try, please contact Kelly or Preston at 503-221-1224.

Do you play the piano? A volunteer has been requested to help provide music at the Rosenbaum Plaza (12th & Washington) Holiday Party on Dec. 15th from 1pm- 3pm. Piano provided!

Looking for festive a festive volunteer opportunity? On Saturday, Dec. 12th NWPM volunteers are needed to wrap gifts at the Holiday Village in NW. More details available upon request.

Ongoing Helping Hands: A fragile woman who lives downtown needs help with household upkeep and friendly visiting a few times a month. She has a small dog.

NWPM has the following ongoing volunteer opportunities:
Individuals needed on short notice to fill-in for regular volunteers in anticipation of the upcoming flu season. Contact info@nwpm.org or 503-221-1224

Volunteer delivery drivers: deliver meals on wheels requests & food box deliveries during winter months when the need is up. Contact Kelly or Preston at 503-221-1224

Loaves & Fishes: help serve hot meals to our elderly neighbors at the Irving Street L&F site at First Immanuel Lutheran Church. Contact Kelly at kelly@nwpm.org or 503-221-1224 ext. 105

Recreation trip drivers: drive the NWPM mini-bus to and from fun, community adventures. Volunteer office receptionist/database support: Work at the NWPM office at Montgomery Park with the friendly staff. Contact Codi at 503-221-1224 ext. 103 or codi@nwpm.org


Here is an email that We've Got Time to Help received yesterday. Please take a look if you've Got the Time to Help!

"I am helping my brother with a project and we need some help. He just moved here from North Carolina and he has not been able to find a job. His wife is in school and pregnant with their first child, due in February. Since my brother has had such a difficult time finding work he decided to try something he is good at-- woodworking. We are making handmade wooden lamps to sell at local holiday bazaars. We stumbled upon the Expo Christmas bazaar and they have space for us but it starts in 10 days. Since we are new to this we don't have a stockpile of lamps sitting around.

So, our project: we are looking for anyone with woodworking experience that might be willing to help with some pretty straight forward cutting, sanding and maybe drilling. I take care of the lampshades which involves a lot of sewing. If there was someone that wanted to help with that too it would be great.

Thanks if you can post this. I have been following your group for a while and would be happy to return the volunteering favor! Oh, could you also add me to your email list, I just saw that the format has changed."

Thanks,
Sarah
503-956-0041

These are just a few of the projects that we have going on. If you have the time, please contact the names above, or shoot us an email to let us know.


Thanks to everyone out there and keep up the good work!

Seth and Michelle

Our Own Two Hands

Earlier this week, we were contacted by an organization called Our Own Two Hands. They wrote us an email stating that they had seen and heard of the work we were doing in the community and wanted to help us with our causes. The email then stated that they were donating $500 to the group to use how ever we see fit.

Now, we have to admit, at first we were a little skeptical. We looked up their organization and did some Googling on their board members. Everything looked legitimate, so we emailed them back with our address.

Sure enough, in yesterday's mail, there was the check. We couldn't believe it. What an amazingly generous action from these wonderful people! There are a couple of projects that have been on hold because of the lack of funds. But this changes everything!

A great big THANK YOU to the board of Our Own Two Hands for voting to donate some much needed money. There is no way to express our gratitude to them! Here is a link to the list of the Board of Directors who made this all possible. Please check them out.

We also wanted to give a big THANK YOU to whomever submitted our name to them for review.

Please take a look at their site here Our Own Two Hands and support them in any way that you can!

Share your stories

Over the last couple of months, and especially since the Guidepost article came out, we have been keeping really busy. There are lots of big and small projects going on that have needed a lot of attention. We can always use more help, if you've got time.

There are so many good things going on during these dark times, but they are hard to see sometimes. It's hard to see and find the wonderful things going on when everyday is a struggle just to survive and to put food on your table.

We have met so many amazing people over the last many months and heard so many inspiring stories. It has been such a privilege to work side-by-side with everyone. To see strangers helping each other in their greatest time of need. We are lucky enough to get to see and hear these stories everyday.

What we would love to do is to share real-life stories with as many people as possible. The more hope you can see and hear, the more hope you take with you.

So please, share with us your stories of hope and caring. Tell us your story of lending someone a hand. Or, share with us a story of someone you saw giving selflessly. Let us know about the good things that you see going on around you.

The stories are there, sometimes you just have to be ready to see it.

Good luck and we can't wait to hear from you.