PORTLAND, Ore. – ‘Tis the season of giving, and the American Red Cross will get into the spirit by distributing free smoke detectors and first aid kits throughout North Portland's New Columbia neighborhood on Saturday, November 14.
From 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., volunteers, staff and community partners will conduct door-to-door safety outreach, talking to neighbors about emergency preparedness. The staging area for the event is the New Columbia Community Center, 4625 N. Trenton Street. The New Columbia neighborhood was identified after mapping communities in the metro area with the highest need for Red Cross emergency assistance.
Thanks to grant funding, New Columbia residents will also have the opportunity to take free CPR, first aid and babysitting courses, as well as emergency preparedness and shelter operations training. Residents of the surrounding Portsmouth community will also benefit; they will be offered the same classes at a reduced rate.
"Our work with the New Columbia neighborhood is already underway," said Kate Fagerholm, the project's coordinator. "The University Park Community Center is in the process of becoming a shelter location during large disasters. Now we're keeping the momentum going by providing preparedness information and supplies to residents."
Together We Prepare New Columbia is sponsored by State Farm Insurance and conducted in partnership with the Housing Authority of Portland, Neighborhood House, Rosa Parks Elementary School, Boys and Girls Club, Impact Northwest, Portland Parks & Recreation and the Sandy/Boring Fire District.
Those interested in volunteering for Together We Prepare New Columbia should contact Kate Fagerholm at 503-528-5673 or fagerholmk@redcross-pdx.org.
About Together We Prepare Our Neighborhood:
When former CEO Thomas Bruner arrived at the Oregon Trail Chapter, he inquired about the demographics of disaster clients and the locations of Disaster Action Team (DAT) responses.
When plotted on a map, the information pointed to a clear pattern: people in lower socio-economic neighborhoods tended to have a higher incidence of American Red Cross responses. The next question was clear; "What are we doing to help prevent emergencies and disasters in those communities?"
Together We Prepare Our Neighborhood is a large-scale prevention project where the Oregon Trail Chapter conducts door-to-door outreach in an at-risk neighborhood over the course of one or two days. In each area, the chapter works with neighborhood associations, schools, social service agencies and faith communities.
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In Oregon, the American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disaster an average of 10 times a week; supplies more than 90 percent of Oregon's blood; teaches thousands of Oregonians lifesaving skills; offers transportation to seniors and the disabled; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a charitable organization – not a government agency – and depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit
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