“You shall love the stranger, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt” (Deuteronomy, 10.19)

The Rodfey Tzedek (Pursuers of Justice) project is Shir Tikvah’s fulfillment of the mitzvah to reach out to the other. It is through our relationship to other people that we connect with God and pursue our vision of Tikkun Olam (repair of the world).

Shir Tikvah supports the Oregon Food Bank and its ongoing food drive and provides volunteers on-site at the Oregon Food Bank facility. Statistics offer compelling reasons for our focus: Oregon ranks worst in the nation for outright hunger. Children under the age of 17 comprise 40 percent of those hungry. Most adults who receive emergency food are working, retired or disabled. Two-parent families make up the largest group of recipients of emergency food. To learn more about this issue, go to www.oregonfoodbank.org.

“Seek justice, undo oppression, defend the orphan, plead for the vulnerable” (Isaiah 1.17)

Help End Unjust ICE Deportations in Multnomah County

Join immigrant, faith, labor, and civil liberties advocates to stand up for our communities and say NO to ICE’s unjust deportations in Multnomah County!

Thursday, March 1st, 10am-12pm
Commissioners Board Room, Multnomah Building
501 SE Hawthorne St, Portland, Oregon

Hearing before Multnomah County Commission to pass a resolution supporting our communities’ and ICE Director John Morton’s demand for prosecutorial discretion on all deportation cases in our region.

Supported by the ACT for Justice and Dignity Network

The hearing will address issues critical to public safety and immigrant rights in Multnomah County. By making it mandatory for our local law enforcement agencies to do their dirty work, ICE has forced the costs of federal immigration enforcement onto our local governments and their residents, diminished our public safety, and needlessly torn apart thousands of Oregon families. Help us make our voices heard as we support Chair Cogen and the County Board of Commissioners in protecting our communities and seeking accountability from ICE.

Can you show your support by attending the hearing? Contact the Oregon New Sanctuary Movement at portlandsanctuary@gmail.com to let them know you’ll attend.

For more information, please visit www.actforjusticeanddignity.org or contact Aeryca Steinbauer at aeryca@causaoregon.org.

Sites with volunteer opportunities:

• Hands on Greater Portland:http://handsonportland.org/HomePage/index.php/home.html
  Offers a variety of volunteer opportunites, including a searchable database. Click on ‘Ways to Volunteer’ on the left side of the screen.
• JOIN/The New City Initiative: http://www.joinpdx.com/Volunteer.html
  JOIN supports people’s efforts to transition into stable and permanent housing. The New City Initiative is a project engaging faith communities in ending homelessness. They have many ways to volunteer, either working with those in transition or in gathering materials or funds.
• Transition Projects Inc.: http://tprojects.org/ ; click on ‘Volunteer’ to see volunteer listings.
  This is Portland’s largest provider of shelter and transitional housing for single adults.
• New Avenues for Youth: http://www.newavenues.org/support-us/volunteer/
  NAFY’s mission is to work in partnership with the community to prevent youth homelessness and provide homeless and at-risk young people the resources and skills needed to lead healthy, productive lives.
• Jewish Family and Children’s Service ‘Mensches in the Trenches’ Program: http://www.jfcs-portland.org/mensches.htm
  JFCS is looking for people to share their life skills on a limited, pro bono basis with those in need. Every skill from plumbing to IT support, planning low cost meals to check book balancing is needed.
• Portland Homeless Family Solutions: http://pdxhfs.org/volunteer/
  Offering day and night shelter to 8 families with children, this organization relies heavily on volunteers to staff its two locations.
• Human Solutions: http://www.humansolutions.org/volunteer.php

Human Solutions needs volunteers to assist homeless or low-income families struggling to keep a roof over their heads and find a living wage job. Their organization offers many different programs working with different population, including the Homeless Family Warming Center in NE Portland.

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