December 8, 2021, Fairview, OR – The Reynolds Learning Academy’s Trade’s Program students are currently constructing a hospitality structure for Operation Nightwatch in downtown Portland. Operation Nighwatch provides a welcoming space for unhoused Portlanders to find care and connection in a warm and welcoming environment during nighttime hours. Unhoused people there receive food, essential items and have a place to relax and secure other essential services through Operation Nightwatch’s programs.
Students secured donations for the project from both the Clackamas and Tigard Lowes, the Happy Valley Home Depot and Mr. Plywood. Cantel Barricades provided barricades around the construction site at a deeply discounted rate. The Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) provided guidance through the permitting process to help ensure the success of the project. The 40’x6’ structure will be located in front of the St. Stephen’s Episcopal Parish at 1432 SW 13th Ave, where Operation Nightwatch’s downtown hospitality center is located. The project is slated to be completed at the end of December.
“Our students are excited give back to their community by helping to build this structure for Operation Nightwatch,” stated Angie Gilbert, School-to-Work Trades Coordinator at Reynolds Learning Academy. “It builds empathy, gives our students a real-world experience, motivation and the self-confidence to enter the workforce with that experience.”
“Operation Nightwatch provides food and essential items to our unhoused community, but our mission is about building relationships and promoting dignity. That’s difficult to accomplish outside in the elements. There’s no dignity in a long line to get a hand-out,” Nightwatch Executive Director Danielle Klock says. “The street seating will provide an experience comparable to what housed Portlanders have been getting outside of their favorite restaurants. I think our unhoused neighbors deserve that, and I am grateful to the students at Reynolds Learning Academy and our business supporters for making that a reality.”
You can contribute to Operation Nightwatch at https://giveguide.org/nonprofits/operation-nightwatch or email danielle@operationnightwatch.org to learn more about specific needs and volunteer opportunities.
About Reynolds School District:
As a community, we prepare lifelong learners to achieve their full potential in a complex and interconnected world. Reynolds School District recognizes the diversity and worth of all individuals and groups in our society. Reynolds School District Board of Education ensures that all educational programs, activities, and employment will be free of discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, parental or marital status, or age.
Contact: Steve Padilla, Assistant Director of Public Relations and Partnerships – spadilla@rsd7.net; 707.330.6559
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