AmeriCorps Week

For AmeriCorps week we've been sharing our AmeriCorps Members's stories of service.  Be on the lookout for more in the near future.

New AmeriCorps position posted

Apply to be the Program Coordinator with Volunteers of America

The Program Coordinator will develop Kids at home in the Wild (KaHW), an environmental education program that will engage Portland-area Home Forward residents of all ages. Secondly, the member will plan 1-2 six-week curriculum(s) to be implemented during the summer months.

-UPDATE-

Position has been filled.

Sam helps Ariadne Garden grow

Sam Schongalla, AmeriCorps Member with Columbia Slough Watershed Council built a fantastic wesbite for Ariadne Garden, a community garden in NE Portland, as part of her Change Agent Project (CAP). 

Learn about the garden, how to buy produce and connect to volunteer at http://www.ariadnegarden.com

Composting Program Launches at Beach Elementary

Maia Nativ (banana on the left and Confluence AmeriCorps member with Portland Public Schools) and Michelle Metzler (carrot on the right and Recycling and Composting Coordinator with Waste Management) were dressed up and ready to help the students of Beach Elementary School on their first day of their new composting program.  

Upperclass students assisted younger students learn how to properly sort their waste, compost, and recyclables. 

Check out the article on Portland Public School's website. 

Martin Luther King Jr Day Video

Check out our new video of the hardwork our members accomplished on MLK Day

Confluence MLK Day project in West Linn Tidings

The West Linn Tidings stopped by our MLK Day project on Monday and wrote a story about us.  Check it out!  

Confluence serves on Martin Luther King Jr Day

Confluence AmeriCorps members and staff joined thousands of volunteers around the country in a day of National Service to honor the legacy of Dr Martin Luther King Jr.  We joined Robinwood Station in West Linn to help build 4 raised garden beds; 2 wheel chair accessible raised garden beds; level, line, fill and mulch 7 garden beds already on the property; and painted the interior of the meeting space.

Check out pictures on our Photos page

Thank you to the following organizations for their generous donations to help feed our hungry members and volunteers: New Seasons Market, Grand Central Bakery, Tula Bakery, Noah's Bagels and Peets Coffee. Thank you so much!

Grant awarded to Robinwood Station

Congratulatins to Lisa Clifton, Sustainable Multifamily Community Project Coordinator at Clackamas County's Office of Sustainability for recieving a grant through Clackamas County's "Healthy Eating Active Living" grants program. Check out the Oregonian article about Lisa Clifton and the Robinwood Station crew who put this project together.

Fit-It Fair!

Cristy (right) greets visitors to the Fit-It Fair! with Wing, Event Coordinator, (left) and a volunteer (center)Cristy Morales Munoz, a Confluence AmeriCorps member with City of Portland Bureau of Planning and Sustainability, showed off her amazing organizational skills at the first of this season's 3 Fix-It Fairs.  It was an amazing and bustling day that was supported with bilingual presentations and volunteers.

Cristy worked with Event Coordinators Wing and Desiree to make this a successful event that connected community members to money and energy saving resources. 

Cristy organized the dozens of exhibitors, volunteers, raffle prizes and even a free lunch for participants.

Some of the exhibitors on site to educate and inspire were some of our own sponsors and members including Oregon Environmental Council, Community Energy Project, Josiah Hill III Clinic.

There are more fix-it fairs coming up. You can check out the dates and the details HERE

Team Meeting: Mushroom ID and Cooking

In november, members planned their first Team Meeting around the theme of Mushrooms.

They headed out to Mt Hood to meet up with the Forest Service Zigzag Ranger District to learn about mushroom identification before heading out into the backcountry to find some edible fungi.

Karin and Melissa, the Team Meeting facilitators, lead the members in a workshop on some tasty treats to make with their bounty. 

Exploring Power, Privilege, and Tools for Change Retreat

Image courtesy of CDEConfluence staff just got back from a fantastic and inspiring retreat organized by the Center for Diversity & the Environment.  We shared two and half days in the company of many amazing people reresenting environmental organizations from all over the country.  Together we learned tools to create more a diverse, equitable and inclusive organization.  We look foward to sharing our progress with our Portland community.

Volunteer with Karin

Community Work Party and Potluck at La Esperanza Farm in Forest Grove:

When: Saturday, Oct. 22nd from 9:30am- 2:30pm

How to Sign Up: Email me at karin.adelantemujeres@gmail.com

What to Bring: Work clothes, gloves, a potluck dish to share

Why? You'll get to check out the awesome work that we are doing with immigrant farmers, see the beautiful farm, and work outside with a lot of fun people.

Check out the invite

Our First Team Meeting

Thank you to Zenger Farm for hosting us for our very first Team Meeting.  The wonderful and informative Prairie Hale, Community Involvement Coordinator, gave us a tour of the crops, chickens, wetland and bees and taught us more than we could have hoped for about urban farming, food education and food issues that relate SE Portland's many imigrant populations.  

We had a great time helping to clean onions in exchange for the tour, especially while wearing our brand new Confluence AmeriCorps hoodies. 

Please get in touch with Zenger Farms to learn about tours, volunteer opportunities, sign up a school group for a visit or learn how to purchase their produce.

Say hello to our new members

Our members have finished their Orientation and are headed out to their Service sites to start an exciting year of making Portland a better place. To learn about the sites our members are serving at, check our our Sponsor page. 

We have a home!

image courtesy of Google Street View

Confluence has found a home at Tabor Space in SE Portland.  We're excited to be a part of this fantastic community space. Our members will get the first look at our new space when they attend Member Orientation on September 7th.