So many skills, such little time

Under one roof, in just one day, we managed to learn no less than 10 different skills ranging from plant identifcation to soap making to car repair to cheese making and even macrome!

Melia and Griselda Maria planned our third team meeting of the year with an effort to highlight the local knowledge and expertise of the team. Members were invited to both teach something to the team during a one hour workshop block and also attend multiple sessions.

DIY skills are a great way to save money, conserve resources and build community. All things we value in our progam.

Learning how Portland institutionalizes environmentalism

A foggy morning made for a beautiful tour of the Multnomah County eco-roof.

A private, behind the scenes, tour was just part of a massively educational Team Meeting organized by Ivy and Chelsea about Portland eco-initiatives.

We spent the first part of the day learning about the Portland compost and recycling stream, the benefits and history of eco-roofs, stormwater management and tree planting programs. 

In the afternoon the sun finally came out and we volunteered with the Bureau of Environmental Services Green Streets Stewards cleaning Green Streets along SE Clay.

First Team Meeting of the Year

We started our day with coffee and conversation, two great stimulants. Our morning conversation centered around the Vanport Multimedia Project (a project of the North Portland Multimedia Center and the Skanner Foundation) that documents the stories and lives of those effected by the Vanport Flood of 1948. Laura Lo Forti, Project Director invited PC Perri, Filmmaker, and Milo Reed, Historian, to talk with the team about the project, the history of Vanport, and its connection to Portland's black population.

In the afternoon we stopped by the Emerson Garden where we learned about brownfield restoration and environmental justice with Cassie, Groundwork Portland's Executive Director. Will Bennett, Garden Coordinator, shared history of the garden as well as the Golden West Hotel, a historic black hotel in downtown portland, before leading half our group on a garden clean up project while the other half walked the neighborhood to teach neighbords about the garden.

We ended our day by visiting the site of a historic black neighborhood that was partially demolished to make room for Legacy Emanual Hostpital.  We spent some time with a permenant exhibit installed at the hospial explaining the hospital's role in the displacement of thousands of black Portlanders. 

Confluence Joins in the statewide AmeriCorps kick-off celebration

Today marked the 20th AmeriCorps Kick-Off. Our new AmeriCorps Members joined members from around the state to celebrate AmeriCorps' history, connect with other members and gain valuable skills and insight that will help them in their year of service.

Adra Lobdell, Volunteer Coordinator at Tryon Creek Watershed Council, was honored by Kathleen Joy, the Executive Director of Oregon Volunteers, for dedicating to a fouth term of service.

Welcome 2014-15 AmeriCorps Members and Supervisors

With a flourish and a cheer, we welcomed the newest Confluence AmeriCorps Team to our family. After 5 days of trainings, service projects, and name games project supervisors bore witness to the new team as they recitied the AmeriCorps Pledge.

We are excited to welcome on new project partners into the fold, including:

CREST

Harrison Park School

IRCO

Tryon Creek Watershed Council

Learn about all our 2014-15  AmeriCorps Members and Project Partners

Congratulations to our 2013-14 Members

Congratulations to the 2013-14 Confluence AmeriCorps team on a fantastic year of hard work and fun times. We are so proud of each AmeriCorps Member we have the pleasure of working with. We are excited to share some outrageously great effects of their dedication to service:

470 Community Activities Coordinated
7,969 Unduplicated Adults Engaged
41% of Adults identify as a Person of Color
48% of Adults Living with a Lower income
85% of Adults Gained New Skills  

1,021 Youth Activities Coordinated
10,195  Unduplicated Youth Engaged
49% of Youth identify as a Person of Color
56%  of Youth Living in Lower Income
87% Positive Youth Experience + New Skills

48,049  Plants, Trees + Shrubs Planted
30.28 acres of Invasive Species Managed
240  Sites Managed and Monitored
59% of Sites within a Community of Color
55% of Sites in Low Income Communities