Community Connections: p:ear
Working Hard for Homeless Youth in our Community
p:ear is dedicated to creating “positive relationships with 15-25 year old homeless and transitional youth through Education, Arts, and Recreation to “affirm personal worth and create more meaningful and healthier lives.”
The issue of homelessness is reaching a boiling point in the city of Portland. Tent camps are commonplace; and the sense of frustration with what feels like a "lack of action" is pervasive amongst residents, business owners, and city leadership.
Portland has many wonderful organizations that work diligently to resolve the homeless population's complicated issues. Still, p:ear, a local nonprofit working with homeless youth, stands out as a valuable solution to the crisis. As an action-oriented organization with a long history of providing life-changing results for homeless young people, the p:ear model focuses on more than food, shelter, and the basic necessities, by emphasizing the need to "affirm personal worth and create more meaningful and healthier lives."
“While important, we believe that food, shelter, and employment are not enough to sustain these young people either on or off the streets. At p:ear, we model the practical aspects of providing for oneself both materially and emotionally and teach trust by trusting youth with full access to materials, food, and bathroom facilities.”
p:ear
Making a Real Difference
The objectives of building self-worth and self-reliance and an emotional toolkit result in youth moving off the streets to having healthier, safer lives. The p:ear staff provides the support and programs that build confidence and positive relationships, giving these young people a platform to get an education, find a job, and explore future opportunities in a healthy, productive way.
Helping out-from meal prep to collecting donations, p:ear works tirelessly to support homeless youth. Image: p:ear
It works! Since its founding in 2002, p:ear has mentored over 5,200 youth and provided over 320,000 hours of healthy, engaging, and nurturing programs.
p:ear has administered over 400,000 meals. That’s 23,163 meals a year, for 19 years! They average 4,000 volunteer hours a year, an incredible amount of labor towards their many programs.
Programming includes the Food and Kitchen Program, Education, Arts, and Recreation.
p:ear also offers job training including the p:ear barista school p:ear gallery, and the bike mechanic school.
Image:p:ear
The p:ear gallery is another venue highlighting the success of the program. p:ear youth and guest artists display and sell their work at the gallery.
The young artists keep 90% of the proceeds from the sales of their work, reinforcing the ability to create art and revenue, learn business skills, and feel empowered.
Check the website for the gallery hours.
Gallery contact: William Kendall
Art Program Coordinator
william@pearmentor.org
Image: p:ear Indigenous People’s Day mural.Meet William Kendall, p:ear’s Art Program and Gallery Coordinator
The Pearl District Portfolio is fortunate enough to highlight p:ear mentor, artist, designer, and musician William Kendall, the Art and Gallery coordinator for p:ear.
Will is an artist with 25 years of experience and a background in Graphic Design and Music. His favorite part of working for p:ear,
“is witnessing young people build confidence in their ability to create and love art.” Will has been at p:ear for seven years and worked at New Avenues for Youth and founded the Artist Mentorship Program (AMP) before that. Will specializes in “bad dad jokes” and is an amazing mentor for p:ear youth.
p:ear is a Local Nonprofit Serving Homeless Youth
p:ear - Website
Save the Date: p:ear is hosting its True Colors Virtual Gala on April 17th: Get your tickets here!
338 NW 6th Ave.
Portland, OR 97209
503-228-6677
Click here to donate time or money
All images provided by p:ear