Copyright The Oregonian
The Salvation Army has been serving Portland for over 130 years. We opened a soup kitchen and shelter downtown in 1894, a rehabilitation facility for men in 1895 and a rescue home for women in 1897. Since 1924, we’ve served the North Portland community from our Moore Street campus. That commitment of compassionate service is taken just as seriously today as it was more than a century ago. Most recently, when the city of Portland asked us to help meet an urgent humanitarian need, we opened the Moore Street overnight shelter as part of that community-wide effort. While the editorial board fairly notes the challenges of a rapid shelter rollout, what was omitted is equally important, (“Editorial: Neighborhoods need more support amid Wilson’s shelter expansions,” Oct. 26). The training concerns identified earlier this year have long since been addressed. Oregon Occupational Safety and Health reviewed our response and formally closed the matter with no citations or further action. We expanded access so that both permanent and temporary staff receive the same bloodborne-pathogen training. Public officials continue to trust The Salvation Army to operate shelters that expand safe, low-barrier options. Today, we are providing hundreds of beds across the city as part of the mayor’s effort to increase capacity for those most vulnerable. We remain deeply committed to professionalism, safety and dignity for our guests, our staff and our North Portland neighbors – just as we have in this community for over a century. Jonathan P. Harvey, Happy Valley
