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Family Bridge
Hillsboro, OR
http://www.family-bridge.org/

Family Bridge was founded in 1999 as the Western Washington County Interfaith Hospitality network. Our mission is to serve shelter and meals, help and hope, so that homeless families with children might be stable and self-sufficient. Each year a network of eight churches (with support from three additional congregations) provides emergency shelter to an average of 16 families that have become homeless. The churches take turns in a rotating hosting schedule, and members welcome homeless families into their buildings, setting up temporary guest rooms and providing dinner. The families return to our day center in the morning and focus on case management goals, particularly in income and housing searches, to become self-sufficient. The average stay is 32 days, during which time the families are usually able to move into their own apartments.

Our clients all fall within the 0-30% range of median family income. Most have experienced previous periods of homelessness. More adults than not left high school without completing GED or diploma requirements. Many are in recovery from alcohol and drug addictions. Virtually all have been U.S. citizens from birth.

The internship includes the following scope:

1. The intern will be part of the activity of a small agency that collaborates heavily with community partners.
2. The intern will gain case management skills, including assessment, development and implementation, to support the homeless clients in becoming self-sufficient.
3. Tasks will include being part of case management meetings, assisting clients in locating resources, and informally serving as a mentor for the duration of the summer. Other tasks may be assigned as needed.
4. Schedule will run from Tuesdays through Saturdays, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:15 p.m.
5. Nancy Collins will provide supervision for the intern. Her supervisory experience includes management and coordination of Family Bridge volunteers, and has included supervising state-wide VISTA volunteers, a dental office staff, and direct employees and subcontractors in private industry.
6. Dale Harris will provide theological and vocational reflection for the intern. He is retired clergy in the Oregon-Idaho Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church, and is former Board President of Family Bridge and a Life Trustee of Willamette University.
7. Vocational questions that will arise at Family Bridge include the following:
   • How can congregations, including churches and synagogues, better respond to community needs related to poverty?
   • How can people of faith better understand the effects of poverty, especially as it impacts education, addictions, parenting and job readiness?
   • How can congregations develop partnership with government and non-religious agencies to better address needs?
   • How can individuals working in this area minimize, or perhaps avoid, burn-out and find renewal in and along their work?

We seek a person who is confident, resourceful, non-judging and open to others. Ideally the intern would have good boundaries and realize that s/he is not responsible for changing others' lives. Someone with a strong history of volunteering may be better able to recognize the importance of this activity in working for change.

The internship doe not require driving. Family Bridge is located one block from MAX, the light rail system that serves metropolitan Portland. We can help locate housing and may be able to provide a small room (with shared bathroom) if the intern wishes to stay in our building overnight. Any ten week period in the summer works well for us - we're flexible!

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