By Emily Scarvie
(PORTLAND, Ore.) Hello Portlanders! It's Friday, June 10 - Here's your daily round up of all the news happening in the City of Roses.
1. Safe Rest Village to open in SW Portland's Multnomah Village next week
The first Safe Rest Village site is expected to open in southwest Portland’s Multnomah Village next week. Construction crews put the finishing touches on the 30 tiny homes on Thursday and volunteers from Friends of Multnomah Village dropped off donations for those moving in next week.
The site will be run by All Good NW and will be staffed 24/7. There will also be peer-to-peer mental and behavioral support offered to people living there, according to organizers. Safe Rest Villages are by referral only, but some are calling for higher barriers to entry.
“Given that it’s within 500 feet of an elementary school we would like to see – we would like to see some screening,” Kylie, who lives in the area, told KATU.
Similar concerns were voiced last month over another Safe Rest Village site on Naito Parkway. Neighbors of that site pulled their support from the project over safety concerns. The Naito Parkway site is located near two schools, The International School of Portland and Bridges Middle School.
2. Portland International Airport preparing for lots of summer travelers
Officials at Portland International Airport are expecting to see the busiest summer they’ve had in two years, with the single busiest day looking to be this Sunday, with more than 51,000 travelers. June has the highest daily average passenger totals, with 10 days where over 50,000 travelers are expected to pass through.
It’s recommended that travelers book flights early, as the number of flights are not expected to accommodate that many people. Construction is still underway at PDX and may be loud at times. Earplugs are available in the ticket lobby just before TSA security checkpoints. In addition, travelers with different sensory needs can stop by the Travel Oregon Welcome Center for a free sensory kit.
3. Sunshine Division working to keep kids fed this summer through 'Bag Summer Hunger' program
More than 100,000 students in the Portland metro area rely on free and reduced school meals, and Sunshine Division is working to make sure no one goes hungry this summer. Each year, the organization puts together boxes filled with food for students who no longer have access to the meals during the summer.
According to Executive Director Kyle Camberg, the need is very high right now, similar to that of Thanksgiving, which is Sunshine Division’s busiest time of year.
“Rising cost of rent, rising cost of gas, inflation in general, is making it really, really difficult for a lot of working families, we’re seeing that bear out across our two food pantries,” Camberg told KATU.
Families who receive the boxes will also receive a flyer telling them how to access resources year-round. To learn more about Sunshine Division’s Bag Summer Hunger program, click here.
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