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Sisters Of The Road
Dear ,

An early spring is in the air here in Portland. We hope you're enjoying it here, or wherever you are! Take a look at a recent interview by former Sisters' staffer Nikki Jardin with co-founder Genny Nelson in The Portland Upside about Sisters' history and remaining optimistic about the future.
 
Sisters has been a busy place lately building important relationships and advocating for change. Here's what you'll find in this month's issue of Sisters' E-Voice:
 
Rounding the Corner on Our Good Neighbor Agreement
 
Sisters’ Good Neighbor Agreement (GNA) team will have their second meeting with the Office of Neighborhood Involvement (ONI) and the Portland Police on Thursday, March 11th from 1:00 to 4:00 at the University of Oregon, White Stag Building room 150 (70 NW Couch St). Sisters has been working with ONI, the police and neighbors to craft a GNA that makes sense and will address problems we were having for the past two summers with crowding on the sidewalk and drug dealing outside the Cafe.
 
Crafting an agreement that takes responsibility for our part in safety for those on the sidewalk is tricky, given the incredible devastation caused by poverty and homelessness in our community and the growing numbers of people experiencing both of these calamities. That said, we are working to do what we can to ensure that people can walk by and also that our customers and others are as safe as possible while waiting outside.
 
Here is an article about our first meeting from the Street Roots blog. Please join us if you can and feel free to chime in – though the team from Sisters, which include staff and board from most operating teams across the organization (Cafe, Systemic Change, Board and Admin Teams) will be the “official” negotiators of the agreement. Thanks for supporting Sisters!
 
The Campaign to Repeal Camping Ban: Update and Meeting
Please join Sisters and our allies for a community meeting Thursday, March 4th (that's today!) from 3-5pm at Downtown Chapel
 
Sisters has always said that all people have the right to a good night’s rest, secure and out of the cold and rain. We believe that housing is a human right and that funding for safe, clean affordable housing is the best way to ensure that everyone is housed. We will continue to work towards this goal, but in the meantime, we must acknowledge that inadequate affordable housing and shelter space means that people experiencing homelessness need immediate alternatives. For years, Sisters with our allies like Street Roots and Dignity Village have organized for the repeal of Portland’s anti-camping ordinance, as it criminalizes people experiencing homelessness.

The Oregon Law Center sued the city over the anti-camping ordinance, arguing that it is cruel and unusual punishment to deny people the right to seek shelter when no other shelter is available. The city has decided to settle the case, and the settlement includes provisions to allow camping IN TENTS on public property as long as certain guidelines are followed. Commissioner Nick Fish has stated he supports revisions to the anti-camping ordinance that would create camping guidelines. Some other things “on the table” are:
•    Giving people with vehicles the ability to sleep in their vehicles.
•    Allowing churches to host campers on their property in compliance with guidelines.
•    Putting out a request for proposals that could fund organizations providing temporary storage for documents and personal belongings for people experiencing homelessness.

People in our community have told us that this could be a positive step forward, but there are still concerns and questions to address. We are hosting a meeting of advocacy organizations, committed activists, community members and faith based groups, to discuss the settlement and strategize around how to get camping guidelines that best reflect the needs of people experiencing homelessness. Won’t you join us? Today! Thursday, March 4th at Downtown Chapel (601 W. Burnside) 3-5pm. Contact Brendan or Chani for more information.
 
Special Events for Sisters - A Splendid Idea!

At Sisters, we often hear from folks who want to do more – who ask for opportunities to participate in the great work we’re doing here. For many people, volunteering in the cafe is just not possible due to work and school schedules, care-giving responsibilities, and all of the other things that keep us so busy. For others, donating money is a real stretch – especially in this economy.

Thankfully, many of our super creative community members have come up with inspired ideas to participate in Sisters’ work – in ways that are convenient and fun for them! Friends have held:
  • Yard sales 
  • Office parties 
  • Benefit concerts
  • Fashion shows (like last year's Modified Style: Transformed Fashion Show)
  • Benefit birthday or anniversary parties
A special event can be anything – remember the amazing kids from Wolf From The Door who turn their home into a restaurant one night each year for Sisters? If you own a business and share a percentage of your sales for a night, we’ll make sure our fabulous (and huge!) Sisters community turns out in support - it’s a win/win for Sisters and for your business!

During the month of February, the kind and talented artists at the artists of the Waterstone Gallery held a Valentine’s Fundraiser for Sisters and created special 3” x 3” pieces of art - 50% of the proceeds from the sale of these works were donated to Sisters. A big thank you to the folks at Waterstone!

For more event ideas, check out our Ten Ways to Build Community and Help Sisters web-page. To find out more about holding an event for Sisters, please call Heather Dorfman, Development Associate, at (503) 222-5694 ext.15, or by email.
 
Winterfolk was a Huge Success - Thank You!
 
On February 6th, 600 supporters of Sisters and fans of folk music crowded into the Aladdin Theater for the 22nd annual Winterfolk concert. We were so pleased to have a sold-out audience this year, raising nearly $16,000 to support all of Sisters' great work!

Missed the concert? Live CDs from the night are available for purchase! Send $15 to BarBarrick Music, 12042 SE Sunnyside Rd #520, Clackamas, OR 97015, or call 503-970-3371. It's the best of the night's performances, and should be a fantastic CD!.

Thanks go out to our sponsors Artichoke Music, Music Millennium and the Sysco Corporation; all this year's fantastic and generous musicians; Jay Dickinson of Portland Guitar (pictured above with a raffle ticket hopeful), who handcrafted our splendid raffle guitar; Billy Oskay’s Big Red Studio for again contributing studio time to the raffle prize; the Aladdin Theater, KBOO, City Graphics, Horse Brass Pub; Ambling Bear Distribution; Dennis and Alethia Godfrey; Jordan Feathers & co.; all our great volunteers; and everyone who came out that night!
 
And as always, a heartfelt thank you to Winterfolk Artistic Director Tom May for 22 years of service to Sisters Of The Road and our community. Hope to see you all again next year!
DONATE NOW
Become a Sustaining Member! A commitment to support Sisters monthly makes a big difference. 
Our Sustaining Members provide a stable source of monthly income for the Cafe and our Systemic Change Program.
Join Today! Visit our website to learn more and to sign up, or contact Marisa at 503-222-5694 x12. Or make a one time donation here. Thank you!
Sisters Needs Fans!
 
Sisters is trying to get 100 more fans by next month! Being a Sisters' Facebook fan is a great way to keep updated on news from the Cafe and Systemic Change Program and hear about fun events people are holding to benefit Sisters!
Please tell 10 of your Facebook friends about the Sisters Of The Road page on Facebook!
Sisters Of The Road | 133 NW 6th Avenue | Portland, OR 97209
503-222-5694 | General E-mail l E-mail Our Webmistress


Donations to Sisters are tax-deductible Tax ID Number: 93-0748169

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