September 2009

NEW HOME, SAME HEART
The Tualatin School House Pantry moves to Rolling Hills Community Church

by Terri Conlin

Tualatin School House Pantry Ribbon Cutting

The ribbon was cut and the doors swung wide announcing the grand opening of the Tualatin School House Pantry at its new location, 3550 SW Borland Road. On Monday, August 17, lower level space at Rolling Hills Community Church became the new home of the Schoolhouse Pantry, spacious, organized and sunny with a drive-up entrance. Among those present at the ribbon cutting, President of the Board, Mike Shiffer, said, “It’s the perfect spot. We couldn’t be happier.” The Tualatin School House Pantry may be smiling from a new face but the original mission lives on, to feed the hungry. Also present at the ribbon cutting ceremony, was Interim Senior Pastor of Rolling Hills Community Church, Bill Towne, who commented,

 “I had no idea so many other people in our community have been a part of this a lot longer than we have.  I'm humbled and challenged by that.  What a privilege to partner with other people, churches, and organizations in reaching out to people going through difficult times.”

Teamwork is at the heart of this enterprise including partnerships with the City of Tualatin, civic groups, local churches, businesses and schools as well as varied individuals, each with a heart to serve. The Pantry continues to be an ecumenical and community endeavor uniting various church denominations, public and private sectors and people from every generation.

The Tualatin School House Pantry, a member of the Oregon Food Bank, currently serves up to 500 families per month in the Tualatin area, providing emergency food boxes to the disabled, the homeless and those in crisis. That’s up 30 percent from last year at this time. Families are served with dignity and respect in a warm and welcoming ambiance. In the first days at the new location, a single mother and her eleven-year-old boy came to the Pantry. She did not speak or hear, so her son signed to her as they shopped, working together up and down the aisles like any family at a local grocery store. That is just the atmosphere the Pantry strives to provide its customers.

The Tualatin School House Pantry is currently looking for ordinary people willing to serve in an extraordinary community. The Pantry takes pride in its 100% volunteer staff and always has room for one more. The present staffing needs include a Volunteer Coordinator, Pick-up and Delivery Coordinator, and an army of willing hands to write thank-you notes to generous donors. All donations are welcome and appreciated, especially boxed cereal, sugar, hygiene products and canned fruit. In addition, every dollar contributed allows the purchase of ten pounds of food to feed the hungry.

An open house celebration to commemorate the fifth anniversary of the Tualatin School House Pantry is planned for October. Store hours and contact information can be found at www.schoolhousepantry.org.

September 2009

From Mundane to Whimsical
Shaping Kinship House into a happy color-filled place

By Cornelia Seigneur

Painting Murals

When Joyce Nagy met with Ann Witsil, the executive director of the Kinship House, to discuss painting a mural, Ann just wanted a tree.

“Ann said to me, ‘I look out my office window and see a blank wall, and I am wondering if we could get a tree.’ So, we just got the tallest ladder and that was the tallest tree we could get,” said Joyce.

And from there they created what feels like a small part of paradise in the northeast Portland Kinship House.

“We put in some smaller trees and some flowers and Jason hung a tire swing from the tree. We added some extra huge flowers. We did the flowers in neon paint. Red, blue, green, yellow. The colors really pop out, it made it more fun, more whimsical. The Kinship House is really a great idea. Their purpose really fueled my inspiration.”
               
Kinship House is a place that feels like home. It provides a safe haven blending child welfare and mental health services for children and families during various stages of foster care and adoption.

When Joyce was asked to paint a mural, she commissioned her friends Amy Aamodt-Allenbrand and Jason Allenbrand to join her. Joyce had met them on a mission trip to Mississippi two years ago. Though Jason and Amy do not consider themselves  artists,  they were willing to lend a hand.
“Joyce is definitely the artist, we just came along and tried to see what we could do. Joyce took the lead and she taught us how to make the trees look like trees. She is really good about experiential learning, ‘Just try it,’ she’d say.”  

The three of them started the project a year ago painting the mural of trees in the back of the Kinship House, and the project continued this year in the front of the building. Other Rolling Hills members, including Vince Mast and Paul Fruin, have done earlier work at Kinship House.
         
Painting murals with trees and bright flowers is very different from Joyce’s professional work as a forensic artist with Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office, where she does, among other tasks, composite drawings from witness descriptions.

“Mostly I do pictures of bad guys. That is where I make my money,” explained Joyce.

Visit Cornelia’s website at www.corneliaseigneur.com