Sweets to the Streets
An opportunity to bring sweets to those experiencing homelessness in our community.
Living on the street is harrowing. Besides safety and health challenges, individuals experiencing houselessness are generally limited to finding and eating the most basic food.
Since 2021, Positive Charge! PDX has been working to add some sweet cheer to their diet. Volunteers have been collecting excess baked goods from our friends at Safeway on Barber and delivering them to Blanchet House every Wednesday morning to bring joy and comfort to Portlanders living on the streets.
In mid-October of 2022, we transitioned to another group in our community, delivering to the new Safe Rest Village in Multnomah, bringing the same sweetness and light to residents in their community. Safe Rest Villages are designed to be temporary, managed shelters—not tents—that provide a place for houseless Portlanders, 18 years and older, to sleep, receive basic and necessary hygiene, and access case management and behavioral health services on a referral basis by first responders, Park Rangers, Portland Street Response, among other social service providers engaging with those living outside. They offer case management and social service support to address the trauma of houselessness, treatment for unmet mental health needs, substance use disorders, and prepare villagers to achieve their personal goals, be they to return home / reconnect with family, to find permanent supportive housing, or to enter recovery, among other options.
How can you help? We are looking for volunteers who have a free Wednesday morning to pick up the baked goods and deliver them to the Safe Rest Village in Multnomah. While we have a full slate of drivers at this time, we are always looking for back-up drivers and those who want to join the waitlist for a Wednesday slot of their own.
If you're interested in participating in Sweets to the Streets, here's all you need to do:
-
Fill out the form below. Let us know which Wednesday morning of the month works best for you (for example, first Wednesday, second Wednesday)
-
Download our waiver by clicking here. Sign it and send a scan or photo of it to info@positivechargepdx.org.
-
Download and review the instruction sheet by clicking here.
Thank you for your interest in Sweets to the Streets!
