 | If you would like to increase the font size of the text below, you can zoom in using your browser controls. Click here for instructions. | "Your abundance is not measured by what you have, it is created by what you share." - Heidi Catherine Culbertson Dear friends, I was recently reminded of a story about an American photographer who, while on his travels to a small, South African village, proposed a game to the Xhosa children who lived there. The photographer put a basket of sweets at the base of a tree, and told the kids that the first child to get to the basket from where they sat would win all the candies. On the count of three, the children leaped up in delight, locked hands, and ran together to the basket of treats. Stunned, he asked why they had run as one, as the group would now have to share their bounty? The response is attributed to a small child who said, “Ubuntu. How can one of us be happy if all the others are sad?” Ubuntu, roughly translated means, “I am, because we are.” The Xhosa people believe the universal bond of sharing connects all of humanity. As I reflect over this past year, contemplating the abundance in my own life, the countless opportunities, things, and the people for which I am most grateful, there is a quiet voice that reminds me that I’m among a much smaller percentage of people who require two hands and both feet from dozens of people to count my many blessings. It is impossible though, to be swept away in gratitude during times when there is so much suffering around us. I was lifted by the story because it helps me to recognize my own conflict in being able to fully embrace the gratitude that I feel. In the time it’s taken me to write this short note, I’ve received an email from a board member who is looking for help for a gentleman in our community who needs support in accessing food and transportation over the long holiday weekend. I took a call from a former client, whose fortunes have turned, and she is asking where she can donate new and gently used clothing for kids. And I’ve read a correspondence between a staff member and a volunteer discussing plans for card making so that our isolated elders know they are being thought of over the holiday season. The Friendly House community, steeped in generosity and reciprocity is what brings me the most gratitude. It is an extraordinary privilege to work among staff, volunteers, participants, and neighbors who genuinely understand that every individual has a role to play—something to contribute and to receive, something to teach and learn, all with hopes and dreams to share. From, and to, this Friendly House community, as we embark on the holiday season we wish you love and joy, peace and restoration. Ubuntu. | With profound gratitude, Mya Chamberlin
Interim Executive Director | Native American Heritage Day Today, on Native American Heritage Day, we recognize the long-lasting Indigenous communities that came before us. The Portland Metro area, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers, including the land on which Friendly House sits, was the traditional village sites of the Multnomah, Kathlamet, Clackamas, Chinook, Tualatin Kalapuya, Molalla, and many other indigenous people. Friendly House acknowledges that these communities have been violently oppressed and erased in recent centuries, through racism and genocide in the name of settler colonialism. “Settlement House tradition”, the very philosophy under which Friendly House was founded, was complicit by design, in encouraging the cultural assimilation of immigrants, refugees, and indigenous people, as opposed to a robust cultural exchange, that we now understand only enriches a community. This acknowledgment is a part of Friendly House’s ongoing commitment towards living with more humility, discovering new ways of giving and receiving support, and working with greater intention towards building mutually beneficial relationships with the lives and cultures that comprise and surround us. For more information, and a digital map of Native lands, click here. We also encourage you to engage with local Native-centered organizations, such as NAYA, NARA, and The Confluence Project. | Donate to Our Holiday Giving Program Our biggest need this holiday season is $25 grocery gift cards from Safeway and Fred Meyer for older adults. If you would like to donate gift cards, click the button below or you can make a monetary donation on our website: fhpdx.org/donate — just be sure to include a note that it should be used for gift cards. We greatly appreciate your support! Donations can be mailed to:
Friendly House
Attn: Holiday Giving
2617 NW Savier St.
Portland, OR 97210 | Over $6,000 in prizes! In lieu of a fall fundraising event this year, Friendly House is raffling off themed baskets of great holiday gifts, delicious treats, and fun experiences! Thanks to generous contributions from businesses and individuals, we are able to offer eight curated baskets of fabulous items. Check out our raffle website to see all the goodies we have in store for you! Tickets are on sale now, one for $10 or three for $25. We'll be drawing our winners on December 6th, 2021. We hope you will purchase some tickets to support Friendly House programs and services! |  Click to bid on Vacation! |  Click to bid on Japanese Tanoshii! | | | Check out our Vacation Basket and our Japanese Tanoshii Basket! Sometimes you just need to get away! This package includes two nearby vacations and all the coffee you'll need to enjoy your mornings off! This basket is valued at $1,175. In Japanese "Tanoshii" means delightful, and we think you will agree that this collection of Japanese-themed goods is very, very tanoshii! For those that love Japanese food and art, this basket is a one-of-a-kind experience! This basket is valued at $450. | Online Events Friendly House has online classes and events to keep you healthy, learning, and engaged with your community. Check out our calendar for our full list of offerings. | Community Gallery Artist Talk – a.c. ramírez de arellaño December 2 | Thursday | 7–8:30pm Join us on Zoom in conversation with a.c. ramírez de arellaño, the current artist featured in Friendly House’s Community Gallery through December 27th, 2021. Celebrated artist a.c. ramírez de arellaño’s work focuses on gender and Indigenous issues. They take inspiration from ancestral stories and the experience of living in the Pacific Northwest for almost 30 years. Creating large pieces of art, working with leather, oil on canvas, and mask making, their work tells a story of overcoming barriers, and the impact of colonialism at the intersection of their disabled, Indigenous, and queer communities. Thursday | 7–8:30pm | December 2 | Email or call the Friendly House Front Desk to register: frontdesk@fhpdx.org or call (503) 228-4391 | ABC Community Night: a.c. ramírez de arellaño December 3 | Friday | 6:30–8pm What’s better in the cooler autumn months than cozying up with old and new friends while making art? The first and third Fridays through the remainder of 2021 will be devoted to just such a warm, cozy, and creative time together. Spend time chatting on Zoom while working on your independent projects at home and sharing about what you’re making with others! As a bonus, invited artists will host different nights and either demonstrate a skill they’re excited about or bring a topic for conversation while we make. This might be anything from collage to sewing to painting. Who knows? You’ll have to come to find out. This week's featured guest will be the amazing a.c. ramírez de arellaño. Early registrants will receive a home delivery at the beginning of each month with fun art supplies and cozy snacks to nibble on while they work. So grab a warm cup of tea, your fluffiest socks and a warm blanket, then pull out a project you’ve been meaning to get to but somehow couldn’t find the time until now. First and Third Fridays through 2021 | 6:30–8pm | Preregistration is required. Email or call the Friendly House Front Desk to register: frontdesk@fhpdx.org or call (503) 228-4391. | Gordon Neal Herman Presents Leonard Bernstein December 8 | Wednesday | 3pm Join musicologist Gordon Neal Herman for this online presentation about Leonard Bernstein. With his last-minute replacement of Bruno Walter conducting the New York Philharmonic, Bernstein’s career was propelled into stardom. He became well known as a conductor, a composer of both classical music and theater music, and a beloved music educator. This presentation will explore his career through recordings and video. Wednesday | 3pm | December 8 | Email or call the Friendly House Front Desk to register: frontdesk@fhpdx.org or call (503) 228-4391 | 2021 Winter Party December 10 | Friday | 6pm Come enjoy some virtual entertainment courtesy of great entertainers from our community. Pianist/singer Tammy L. Hall and guitarist Nicholas Quiller are both returning from last year and will be joined by the talented musician/writer/activist Naomi “Little Bear” Morena and Liz Chibucos of Far Out West! We also have a limited amount of winter goodie bags for our senior participants aged 60 or better! Staff and volunteers will be dropping these off to those interested within Multnomah County. The Winter Party is generously supported by a Small Grant Award from Neighbors West Northwest. Friday | 6pm | December 10 | Free, preregistration is required | RSVP Here You can also email or call the Friendly House Front Desk to register: frontdesk@fhpdx.org or call (503) 228-4391. | Monthly Foot Care Clinic November 23 | 9–11am | Tuesday Foot care is very important to your overall health. Proper foot care and routine evaluations of your feet help to prevent infection, as well as reduce discomfort due to ingrown nails, and/or thick corns and calluses. Registered Nurse Amanda Morris will provide foot care clinics in the Garden Room. Sessions last approximately 15–20 minutes. Due to COVID-19 precautions we ask that you arrive no more than ten minutes prior to your scheduled appointment, when you may wait in the front lobby. Sliding scale payment is due directly to Friendly House at time of appointment. Friendly House can not bill insurance nor complete paperwork for reimbursement. Individuals are responsible to inquire with their insurance on the possibility of coverage and/or reimbursement. Fourth Tuesdays of the Month | 9–11am | Sliding Scale: $0-$40 | Contact the Friendly House Front Desk to register: frontdesk@fhpdx.org or call (503) 228-4391 | Weekly Online Classes For the full calendar of our classes and activities please visit our website. | Dance Fitness Tuesdays | 2pm | Free Shake off the blahs with this upbeat online class! Sarah Riddle of Viscount Dance Studio is back at Friendly House with Online Dance Fitness. This low-impact cardio exercise class will groove and sway to a fun mix of songs from Latin-inspired dance music to retro hits from across the decades. Sarah brings her joy, humor, and personable teaching style to this class where everyone is welcome. Dance Fitness is personally adjustable for many different fitness levels, and participants are encouraged to engage with dance in whatever way feels good and fun! | Better Bones with Wendy Tucker 11:30am | Mondays & Wednesdays | Free A seated warm-up that transitions into standing cardiovascular routines and movement techniques that strengthen the major muscle groups and enhance awareness of balance. Find out more here. Chair Yoga 12pm | Thursdays | Free All levels welcome, including people who have different abilities, or utilize wheelchairs or walkers. Find out more here. To register for any of our classes or activities contact the Friendly House Front Desk frontdesk@fhpdx.org or call (503) 228-4391 | | Weekly In-Person Classes All in-person classes are held at Friendly House unless otherwise noted. In-person classes are masked, physically distant, and held within well ventilated rooms with added air purifiers. | Move It! with Leslie Black 11am–12pm | Tuesdays & Thursdays | $10/class for non-members and $8/class for Friendly House members Leslie Black is back! A flowing movement class combining strength training, flexibility, balance, coordination, and endurance exercise geared toward those with arthritis and other chronic conditions. Come and experience the joy of movement and community while celebrating your unique self! Leslie Black has been a wellness professional for over 25 years. She is certified to teach arthritis exercise and has completed additional extensive coursework in integrated medicine, dance therapy, and public health. She uses music to augment her teaching in a creative, vibrant way, and her classes connect people and create community. Participants must pre-register for class. Masks are required in all areas of the Friendly House campus. | Drop-In Pickleball (UPDATED TIMES) Mondays, 10am–12pm | Thursdays, 11am-1:30pm | Free Are you ready to get back to the pickleball court? Join us for our twice weekly pickleball drop-ins. Enjoy meeting new friends in the comfort of our air conditioned gym! Masks are required in all areas of the Friendly House campus. | Introduction to Tai Chi (Tai Chi I) Tuesdays | 9:30–10:30am | $10/class for non-members and $8/class for Friendly House members Improve balance, strength and flexibility while having a good time! This class teaches important principles of tai chi (timing, balance, foot placement, movement) and provides exposure to the moves of the Yang 108 Form. The class is great for the student who has no prior tai chi experience or for students with prior experience in any form of tai chi who want to practice or learn the Yang Form. Instructed by David Katz. Continuing Tai Chi (Tai Chi II) Thursdays | 9:30–10:30am | $10/class for non-members and $8/class for Friendly House members Enjoy all the benefits of tai chi and continue to improve your skills. This class builds on a student’s prior knowledge of the Yang Form to develop and refine skills. This class is geared toward students who have taken Introduction to Tai Chi, or who have prior experience in any form of tai chi. Instructed by David Katz. Students who want additional opportunities to practice and learn may enroll in Tai Chi I and Tai Chi II concurrently. Participants must pre-register for class. Masks are required in all areas of the Friendly House campus. | | In-person classes are masked, physically distant, and held within well ventilated rooms with added air purifiers. | Keeping Our Community Safe In partnership with the Oregon Health Authority, Friendly House will be educating and informing our community on how to stay safe and stop the spread of COVID-19. If you need COVID-19 related support or information please contact Friendly House by email c19support@fhpdx.org or call (503) 228-4391. | Oregon lifted the requirement to wear masks in crowded outdoor settings, such as football games, concerts, or holiday festivals. People in Oregon are still required to wear masks in indoor public settings to protect against the spread of the virus that causes COVID-19. We strongly recommend outdoor mask wearing for these groups to protect against disease transmission:
◌ People who are unvaccinated,
◌ The elderly,
◌ Immunocompromised people,
◌ People at higher risk of contracting the disease, and
◌ People who live with someone in one of these categories. | We are so grateful for the support of our community, especially during this challenging time. If you are able to lend a helping hand, we encourage you to make a donation today to help our community thrive. | | |
