HDC Newsletter Fall 2004
Aquí está lo que pasa con nosotros
In this issue
COME DINE AT THE NEW SEASONS BBQ BENEFIT FOR HDC!
ANNOUNCING THE NEW LOS ARBOLES APARTMENTS
FARMWORKER KIDS TO ATTEND HDC'S HYDROMANIA! SUMMER SCIENCE CAMP
SUCCESS STORY - ROSA VEGA!
COME DINE AT THE NEW SEASONS BBQ BENEFIT FOR HDC!
New Seasons is helping the Housing Development Corp. of Northwest Oregon (HDC) by sponsoring a BBQ Benefit on the weekend of July 10 - 11 (Saturday and Sunday) between 11 AM and 5 PM at all four locations. Have a great BBQ meal for only $5.00! All food will be freshly prepared and generously donated by New Seasons Markets, an outstanding local business supporting many community programs.
Come show your support for farmworkers who labor to provide the sumptuous fruits, vegetables, wines and diary products that grace our tables each day! And don't forget to pick up your groceries at New Seasons Markets:
| Concordia | Orenco |
| 5320 NE 33rd Ave. | 1453 NE 61st Ave. |
| Portland, OR 97211 | Hillsboro, OR 97124 |
| Sellwood | Raleigh Hills |
| 1214 SE Tacoma | 7300 SW Beaverton-Hillsdale Hwy. |
| Portland, OR 97202 | Portland, OR 97225 |
New Seasons features a wide variety of organically grown products, including fruits and vegetables grown FREE OF the pesticides and herbicides that endanger both the health of consumers and the farmworkers who plant and harvest these products. Shop New Seasons Markets and support a locally-owned business that promotes our local and regional organic producers, and helps Oregon's family-owned farms.
HDC is grateful to be named among the many other worthy nonprofit organizations selected each year to participate in the BBQ Benefits program. 100% of proceeds from this benefit go to the HDC programs for children and youth, especially our summer camps and afterschool programs.
Come help farrmworker kids and learn about farmworker families in our community, while you dine at New Seasons' sidewalk cafes. For more information about ways to help, please call Linda Netherton at 503-693-2937 or email Lnetherton@hdcnwo.org.
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ANNOUNCING THE NEW LOS ARBOLES APARTMENTS, the first farmworker family housing project HDC will build in Columbia County. The HDC received word on June 21 that the US. Department of Agriculture's Rural Development program has reserved nearly $2.2 million in grants and low-interest loan funds for this outstanding $3.2 million project. The
$1 million balance will come from other federal sources, as well as state government and private funds. Rental assistance will also be available for 18 of the units, to assist the very poorest of these families. Los Arboles (The Trees) Apts. offers 2, 3 and 4-bedroom apartments, including two disabled-accessible units, all centrally located in Scappoose near schools, churches, the public library, and shopping. This new housing community will be designed and managed to be a credit to the local neighborhood and community, and to remain affordable for at least 33 years.
Los Arboles Apts. will help address the severe housing shortage facing a large population of farm worker families working in Columbia County and nearby Sauvie Island (Multnomah County). The typical farm worker family consists of two parents and three children living on less than $25,000 annually. These families provide the labor essential to local agriculture, particularly nurseries and timber. Columbia County's $17 million nursery and timber industry depends on reliable, skilled labor to plan, transplant and graft the 1,800 acres produced annually. A very conservative estimate of the monthly labor force in Columbia County shows an average of 510 farm workers, reaching a peak of 530 workers in September of each year. On-farm labor camps traditionally provide temporary housing designed for the single, male migrant population. However, farm worker families have a difficult time securing decent housing whether seasonal or year-round. Growers admit they cannot adequately provide for families on-farm.
In addition to serving at least 22 farm workers and their families (over 100 people) every year with decent, affordable housing, Los Arboles will feature an on-site Community Learning Center offering English and literacy classes, among other services. HDC is also looking for local church partners and volunteers to assist with English classes and cultural exchanges. For more information about how you can help HDC and farm worker families in Scappoose, call Doug Longhurst at 503-693-2937 or email dlonghurst@hdcnwo.org
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FARMWORKER KIDS TO ATTEND HDC'S HYDROMANIA! SUMMER SCIENCE CAMP
Did you know that most low-income Latino and farmworker kids never go to summer camp? Many don't know there is a zoo, OMSI, or museums. Most farmworker parents have never seen the Oregon coast. Did you know that farnworker kids look forward to summer school? It is often the highlight of their summer. And farmworker parents rely on the summer migrant programs at public schools as the only activity their children will have during the long days when they must work. Or, for many farmworker kids as young as 10 years of age, summers can mean full days alone babysitting much younger siblings while parents working 10 - 12 hours per day in the fields. HDC is working hard to make summertime a time for farmworker kids to have fun, learning experiences as well! And you can help.
HDC will offer HYDROMANIA! Summer Science Camp to 33 farmworker kids for the first time this summer. Campers are students entering 4th, 5th and 6th grades, and many are also members of the Dreamers class at Forest Grove School District. Two trained teachers and local volunteers from the Tualatin Riverkeepers, Trout Unlimited, the Tualatin Valley Watershed Council and others will teach and lead field trips. HYDROMANIA! runs from August 2 - 12 at its home base in HDC's Jose Arciga Apts. Community Learning Center in Forest Grove. The two-week camp run Mondays through Thursdays, and includes field trips to Jackson Bottoms Wetlands, Fernhill Wetlands, a Clean Water Services water treatment plant, Rood Ridge Park, and Hagg Lake. Kids will discover scientific concepts relating to energy, water, and wildlife through hands-on learning experiences in the classroom, and in the field, as well as enjoying fishing and canoeing. HDC's goal is to help these students build skills for academic success, share science with their families using take-home science kits, and discover and re-connect with the natural resources in local neighborhoods and outlying areas.
Thanks to the Bonneville Power Administration and the Oregon Health Career Center (OHCC), our key partners. We are also very grateful to the Herbert Templeton Foundation for its leadership support to launch the program this first year, and to the many community contributors and volunteers who are making this wonderful new program possible.
WE NEED SPONSORS for camper scholarships, lunches, and bus transportation. If you can help or want more information, please contact Linda Netherton (Lnetherton@hdcnwo.org) or Paola Peirano (ppeirano@hdcnwo.org) or call the HDC at 503-693-2937.
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SUCCESS STORY - ROSA VEGA!
Rosa Vega is a 38-year old mother of five who worked very hard in a local nursery moving plants all day. Rosa earned minimum wage but had no health care benefits for herself or her family. Rosa and her husband struggled to support their lively family with minimum wage jobs in nurseries where the most they might expect as a raise in one year was between 5 cents and 10 cents per hour. Rosa's job options were very limited because she did not complete high school and her English skills were poor.
In July 2003, determined to improve herself and prepare to get a better job, Rosa enrolled in the HDC"s Listos! program for adult learners and job seekers, starting with beginning English classes and a tour of the local One-Stop.
Within a few months, Rosa was laid off from her job because she was the last hired, first fired. It was financially devastating to her family. During Rosa's layoff, the family was able to avoid becoming homeless because they have rental assistance through HDC's Elm Park Apts., where rent costs do not exceed 30% of household income.
With a stable home, Rosa continued with her classes, and decided her goal was to continue learning English and to complete the GED in order to get a better paying job with benefits. She also realized that her children needed her help to complete their homework and succeed in school. Rosa moved up to the ESL/computer literacy class, learning basic keyboarding, how to use the internet, concepts and vocabulary. During her layoff, she continued with the ESL/computer literacy class during winter term, and recently started the GED class. She has demonstrated continuous, perfect attendance over three terms in which she attended evening classes twice per week.
Rosa recently landed a job with Goodwill Industries at a wage higher than her old nursery job, with health benefits! She sorts and prices items for the kitchen department. Rosa states that she could not have gotten this job one year ago because her skills were too low, and her English was too poor, but the Listos! Project made all the difference. We are very proud of Rosa! Moreover, she is using her new skills to help her children, too. When a teacher told Rosa that her 10 year-old son was failing in school, she began working with her son to make sure he completed his homework every day. Now her son is making substantial improvement in his grades.
Through the Listos! Program offered at HDC's affordable housing sites, students like Rosa can improve literacy, learn English, improve basic skills in reading, writing and math, learning to use the computer to produce resumes and search for jobs, receive job readiness training, and visit local workforce resources such as the state employment office and the One-Stop.
The HDC offers heartfelt thanks to the Multnomah-Washington Regional Investment Board, the Verizon Foundation, the Presbytery of the Cascades, the Hoover Family Foundation, and the U.S. Department of Labor-ETA for vital support to launch the Listos! Program. Together, we are addressing the needs of a growing Latino population, so that they are work-ready, and able to qualify for better-paying jobs with health benefits.
HDC NEEDS YOUR HELP. If you are interested in learning how you can help the Listos! Program by sponsoring students, sponsoring classes, mentoring or contributing to our Education Fund, please contact Linda Netherton at 503-693-2937 or via email at Lnetherton@hdcnwo.org
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