July 13, 2025 • 29 mins
Community Warehouse is helping people in the Portland area who need help with basic home furnishings. Dolly Parton's Imagination Library is expanding its book collections with bilingual selections. Oregon OSHA is helping businesses keep employees safe in the heat. Protecting your house or apartment from wildfire.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:04):
Welcome to Local Voices. I'm brad Ford this week. Community
Warehouse is now the largest furniture bank in the country.
Dolly Parton's Imagination Library in Oregon is expanding its book collections.
Oregon Oshow wants employers to know about heat requirements for
employees and is your home protected against a wildfire. There's
(00:25):
an organization in the Portland area that helps people in
need get basic furniture for their homes. It's called Community Warehouse.
Anna Krinitsky is the executive director of Community Warehouse. Anda,
Welcome to Local Voices. Tell us about Community Warehouse.
Speaker 2 (00:39):
Yeah, so, before I get into the nuts of bolts
of what we do, I really want to start with
the y. So first, we're a furniture bank, like a
food bank, but with furniture and household items. So wherever
you are right now, just imagine you're at home but
with no furniture. You just can't even imagine having people
over with nowhere to sit. You and your kids maybe
(00:59):
sleeping on the floor on a pile of clothes, trying
to figure out how to cook meals at home with
no kitchen items or a table. So in any given year,
over one hundred thousand Portland Area residents. Our neighbors are
living without some or most of the furniture and household
items they need. We call this furniture poverty and it
is a huge but nearly invisible problem. So Community Warehouse
(01:23):
we're a furniture bank and our mission is to provide
furniture and household items to our neighbors overcoming adversity. And
really one of the biggest questions when people move into
housing is what am I going to do about furniture?
And that's where Community Warehouse steps in.
Speaker 1 (01:38):
How did Community Warehouse start.
Speaker 2 (01:40):
We started in the early nineteen nineties. We were Portland
Area was accepting refugees from the former Soviet Union and
several agencies.
Speaker 3 (01:51):
Were supporting refugees and.
Speaker 2 (01:53):
Really found out right away, while they had support from
public agencies to get housing, to get job assistants, to
get food, furniture was notably missing from this and they
just thought, we can't possibly, you know, welcome people to
our community and let them sleep in empty rooms, and
so they started a community collection. These were agencies like
(02:15):
Jewish Family and Child Services, and they were working with
other agencies like ERCO and Catholic charities and other groups
supporting refugees, and word got out in the community of
this kind of community furniture bank, a community warehouse that
had started. And as the word got out, other agencies
that were working with folks, you know, experiencing homelessness, transitioning
(02:39):
out of the domestic violence situation, you know, aging out
of foster care they were they also started asking if
they could bring their families and their participants to come
shop for furniture, and so really the need became very obvious,
and at some point Jewish Family and Child Services, who
had really run this this small pro for a while,
(03:01):
had to refocus their programs on the work that they
were doing. And the volunteers who started the program and
were working day to day with families just said, we
have to make sure that this exists, and so they
founded Community Warehouses a standalone.
Speaker 3 (03:17):
Five oh one c.
Speaker 2 (03:17):
Three and two thousand and one. So it's been almost
twenty five years since then and we are we're still
the only full service furniture bank in the whole region
and we are now furnishing about seventy homes a week.
Speaker 1 (03:32):
Wow, that's amazing. What types of items do you need?
I mean, it's called you know community warehouse and it's furniture,
but it sounds like utensils and I imagine kitchen where
what kind of items do you need?
Speaker 2 (03:43):
Yeah, thank you for asking. So we, like you said,
we take dignity condition furniture and household items, so kind
of think what would your kid need if they were
starting off in a new place. So our most needed
items are mattresses and box springs, sofas, dressers, tables and chairs,
shelves and lamps, and also linens like blankets, pillows, towels.
(04:08):
Kitchen items so like pots and hands, dishes, small appliances
like microwaves, toasters, blenders and vacuums, et cetera. So really
full range. We'll take rugs and art, anything that would
really turn an empty space into a comfortable, functional home.
Speaker 1 (04:26):
But the key is they need to be in good shape.
Like with mattresses, I imagine what they can't have stains or
carpets probably can't have significant stains on them.
Speaker 3 (04:33):
Yes, exactly.
Speaker 2 (04:35):
So yeah, we really want to make sure items are
ready to go into people's homes and someone is really
proud to take it home. So how we work is
it's a shopping model, so folks are referred from partner agencies.
We have over two hundred different agencies that refer their
participants to us when they're getting into housing or find
out that they need furniture and household items and folks
(04:57):
come through and shop and pick out what they need,
and it's really important to us that people feel a
sense of pride and you know, joy and have a
great experience coming to shop and so making sure that
those items are.
Speaker 3 (05:11):
Free of you know, stains, tears.
Speaker 2 (05:14):
We will accept, you know, a floral couch and a
leather couch, and it doesn't matter the style, but as
long as it's in that in really really good condition,
that's very important to us. And so, yeah, mattresses are
one of those items that we really need to make
sure don't have any stains or you know, pet hair
or anything on them, and we do actually at our
(05:34):
Northeast Portland location, we are also accepting items or mattresses
for recycling. And so if folks bring a mattress and
they're not quite sure if it's in reusable condition, we
can screen it and if it's if it's not, we
can we can recycle it. So we also have some
great options for that for folks.
Speaker 1 (05:54):
Yeah, that is great because if you have a mattress,
you've maybe bought a new mattress and you're trying to
get rid of the old one, that could be difficult.
And so if it's in good shape, what a great
opportunity to be able to do that. How does it work.
Who's eligible to get the furniture?
Speaker 3 (06:08):
Yeah, great question.
Speaker 2 (06:09):
So how folks come to us and visit the Furniture
Bank are completely through referrals and through partner agencies, so
we have a really wide network from housing agencies to
domestic violence service providers, to folks working with people who've
had a fire or flood and lost things in their home.
It really is anybody who's in a situation where they're
(06:33):
either low income and can't affward items or kind of
have a situational challenge in which it would be yeah,
they really need support to get all of those things
in their home. And so we are, like I said,
completely referral based, which is wonderful because.
Speaker 3 (06:49):
We try to be as low barrier as possible.
Speaker 2 (06:51):
So folks can really find us through all of these
number of community organizations. We do get referrals from faith communities,
from schools, from hospitals, and clinics. So really, you know,
it's there's no limit to the different agencies we can
work with. So if you know somebody who may need furniture,
or you're working at you know, community organization and this
(07:13):
is their first time hearing about Community Warehouse, you know,
you could act as a referral to to make sure
people can get what they need.
Speaker 1 (07:21):
So how does a donation process work? If I have items,
how how do I how do I send them in
to be donated?
Speaker 2 (07:27):
Yeah, so we're we're also trying to be as accessible
as possible and make it easy to donate. So if
you can drop off your items, if you have the
capacity to do that, whether that's you know, loading addresser
into your car or a box of kitchen items, you
can come by. There's no appointments needed. We have in
Northeast Portland and tigered Our locations are open Tuesday through
(07:50):
Saturday ten am to five pm and you can come
anytime within those hours. We just opened a new furniture
bank in Gresham that actually makes us the first furniture
bank in the whole country with three locations, which is
really exciting and a big deal for our community. And
that location is right now open Wednesday through Saturday ten
to five. We also do pickups, and so we do
(08:12):
pickups throughout the whole Portland metro area. We've also expanded
pickups to some other areas Corbett, Sandy Forest Grove, Newburgh.
So can actually just go onto our website and self
schedule a pickup. It just put in yours of code
and it'll it'll let you know whether we can come
by to your area, and it's just fifty dollars for
(08:32):
a pickup. It's a flat fee. So if you're downsizing
or moving and you have a whole household of items
that you want to that you want us to come
get that, we accept.
Speaker 3 (08:43):
We will come take it for fifty bucks.
Speaker 1 (08:45):
And then if you bring in items, can you get
a receipt for your taxes? Does it yeah? Because you're
a okay.
Speaker 2 (08:52):
Great exactly, yep, we're a five oh one C three,
So if you yeah, come by and drop off, we'll
get to a receipt.
Speaker 3 (08:57):
So it's it's really a win win.
Speaker 2 (08:59):
You you know, get something that you're not using anymore,
somebody in your community who you know really needs it
will pick it out and you'll know that they really
want that item and it can get a new life
and you get a tax ride off, which it's easy.
Speaker 1 (09:14):
Do you need financial donations as well.
Speaker 3 (09:16):
We sure do so.
Speaker 2 (09:18):
So something about a furniture bank is that we really
we have warehouses to move furniture in and out of,
We have trucks, we have staff that are doing that
heavy lifting all day long and really supporting our clients
and our donors to make sure things are going to
the right place. And so financial donations go a really
really long way for Community Warehouse. We h yeah, we
(09:41):
we absolutely take donations of all kinds.
Speaker 3 (09:45):
Monthly.
Speaker 2 (09:45):
Donors actually get free pickups from Community Warehouse, which we love.
So if it's a great way to get involved and
regularly support your local furniture bank and have the opportunity
to be able to get free pickups. And we also
we also have great volunteer opportunities.
Speaker 3 (10:02):
It's so easy to get involved.
Speaker 2 (10:04):
Whether you know you have a couple extra towels or
pots and pants to donate, or you want to come
in and you know directly help your neighbors getting back
on their feet. There's awesome opportunities and that's all also
on our website Community Warehouse dot work.
Speaker 1 (10:19):
Now I noticed on the website the estate store. What's that?
Speaker 3 (10:22):
Yeah, thanks for asking. So, yeah, we have an amazing estate.
Speaker 2 (10:26):
Store at our Northeast Portland location that has beautiful, affordable
furniture and home goods and it's open to the public,
so you can shop there and get great deals on
fines for your home, and all proceeds support Furniture Bank operations,
so you're also thrifting for good and making sure your
neighbors that maybe not be able to purchase items on
(10:46):
their own can get can furnish their home as well.
So it's a wonderful store and it's like the best.
Speaker 3 (10:52):
I think it's a hidden gem in our community.
Speaker 2 (10:54):
It's amazing like vintage shopping new items. Also it's of
really really cool furniture and home goods that that. Yeah,
all all the proceeds go back to support our mission.
Speaker 1 (11:08):
Terrific. Do you have collection drives?
Speaker 3 (11:11):
Yeah, we do.
Speaker 2 (11:12):
Yeah, and this is another really great way that folks
can get involved. So either at your business in your neighborhood,
you can schedule a drive and so oftentimes we'll have
you know, book clubs or you know business at work,
we'll do a collection drive with us and you can
just reach out. We provide bins and suggestions on kind
(11:35):
of what items you might collect, and then we come
pick them up at the end. Or if folks want
to come donate those items themselves and then get a
tour and get to see the furniture bank in action,
it's a great way to do that.
Speaker 3 (11:47):
One other thing I.
Speaker 2 (11:48):
Want to add, I think sometimes when people think of
community warehouse, it's like this space where furniture and household
items are just you know, sitting and waiting for a
home to go to. But at our furniture banks, those
most needed items like mattresses and sofas and dressers have
a zero to forty eight hour turnaround, So we are
literally coming in and going out often immediately or at
(12:10):
least within two days. And so the items that you
donate and bring, whether through a collection drive or you
know personally, are going to go right back out to
folks in your community almost immediately.
Speaker 3 (12:21):
So the need is really really high.
Speaker 2 (12:23):
And if you have something that's been you know, gathering
dust in your garage and you can you know, brush
it off and bring it our way, it will it
will get used right away.
Speaker 1 (12:32):
That is terrific. Tell us one more time, what your
locations are, and then how people can find you online.
Speaker 3 (12:37):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (12:37):
Sure, so, Community Warehouse is located in northeast Portland on MLK.
Speaker 3 (12:43):
We are located out now in Gresham.
Speaker 2 (12:46):
And then on two hundred and nineteenth and Gleason, and
then we're also in Tigered, really close to downtown Tigered
and that's where folks can come drop off furniture and
at are a state store folks can shop. Then in
we do pickups as well, and folks can also find
us online at Community Warehouse dot org.
Speaker 3 (13:08):
If you want to find out okay, did they take
this specific type of.
Speaker 2 (13:13):
Item that I have? Or I want to volunteer or
donate money, that's.
Speaker 3 (13:17):
The place to do it.
Speaker 1 (13:18):
Anda, thanks for joining us on Local Voices. That's Anakriditsky,
the executive director of Community Warehouse. You can find out
more at Community Warehouse dot org. Dollyparton's Imagination Library in
Oregon is expanding its book collections. Laurie McNichols is the
state director for the Imagination Library of Oregon. Laurie, let's
start first with how the program works.
Speaker 4 (13:40):
Absolutely so. Dolly Parton's Imagination Library is a literacy program
that mails free high quality books to children from as
early as birth to the age of five to the
month of their fifth birthday, specifically, no matter their family's income.
Partners started the Imagination Library in nineteen ninety five to
(14:04):
inspire a love of reading and children in her home county,
and it has grown to serve millions of kids around
the world.
Speaker 1 (14:13):
How many kids are receiving books in Oregon?
Speaker 4 (14:16):
We have over sixty eight thousand enrolled children right now
in Oregon.
Speaker 1 (14:21):
And this is not just her program, but I mean,
it really takes a state effort in order to make
it work, right, to bring it all together. How many
cities or areas in Oregon are you operating in?
Speaker 4 (14:33):
Thank you for that question. It is a global effort,
but it's also a grassroots effort. The Imagination Library could
not happen without having community partners that partner with the
Imagination Library to cover their community so they help help
(14:59):
cover the wholesale cost of books and mailing. We have
fifty seven program partners in Oregon and we are fully
covered every single zip code, every single county and Oregon
families can enroll their child.
Speaker 1 (15:16):
So up until now it's involved standard English books, but
there's a new Bilingual English Spanish Book Collection tell us about.
Speaker 4 (15:24):
That it's so exciting to finally have the Spanish Bilingual Collection.
It's an alternative to the Standard English Collection, which only
has typically one or two bilingual titles in each age category.
The Bilingual English Spanish Collection is a fully bilingual collection
(15:46):
of titles. For Spanish speaking families, it's empowering for them
to see their home language reflected in the books their
children receive, and it validates their identity and supports language
development in both Spanish and English. And for English speaking
(16:06):
families who choose to enroll in that collection, it opens
the door to new languages and cultures and helps build
empathy and early multi lingual skills.
Speaker 1 (16:19):
So how does it work to sign up? What do
parents do?
Speaker 4 (16:23):
For either collection? A family, all they have to do
is go to the Imagination Library website Imaginationlibrary dot com
and go to check availability, and if they're anywhere in Oregon,
they're going to find that the Imagination Library is available
(16:45):
to them, and then they just simply follow the steps
to enroll their child. They can select to enroll in
the English Standard Collection or the Bilingual Spanish English Collection,
and they can also set their preferences is for communication
with the Imagination Library.
Speaker 1 (17:04):
And so once you're signed up, do the books just
arrive or do you select books each month? How's that work?
Speaker 4 (17:10):
So each each month books will automatically arrive from the
time the family and roles. It can take up to
eight to twelve weeks for the first book to arrive.
But when the first book does arrive, then it will
be a regular monthly installation. You know, of course, depending
(17:35):
on the postal system. Sometimes there are factors beyond our control.
But that will start and they'll receive those monthly, those
monthly books up until the month of their fifth birthday.
Should a family move, all they need to do is
(17:55):
communicate through the parent portal and let us know their
child's they and their child's new address.
Speaker 1 (18:02):
Anything else you'd like to add that I didn't ask
you about.
Speaker 4 (18:05):
Absolutely.
Speaker 3 (18:06):
So.
Speaker 4 (18:07):
Our Blue Ribbon Selection committee meets annually to select the
books for the year ahead, and so that includes early
literacy experts, education educators, parents. The titles are selected specifically
to the child's age, so board books for the youngest children,
(18:30):
and then as as children get older, more picture books
with more complex stories for those emerging readers. And while
there is some overlap between the two collections. Each is
primarily made up of unique titles that are sent out monthly.
Speaker 1 (18:50):
It is such a great program. Tell us one more time.
What's the website? If people want to sign.
Speaker 4 (18:54):
Up, it is Imagination Library dot com.
Speaker 1 (18:59):
That's Laurie Mcmaekels, the state director of Dolly Parton's Imagination
Library and Oregon. You can sign up and find out
more on the website Imaginationlibrary dot com. Hot summer weather
is here and Oregon requires employers to keep employees safe
in the heat. Aaron Corvin with Oregon OSHA joins us
on local Voices. Aaron, Oregon's heat regulations for employers take
(19:23):
part in different stages.
Speaker 5 (19:25):
The temperature that it starts to have an impact is
when we get to eighty degrees fahrenheit or above, and
that is when a set of standards kicks in for
employers to follow to protect their workers from heat illness.
And then more requirements apply when we reach ninety degrees
(19:50):
or above ninety degrees fahrenheit or above. Really, the simplest
way of looking at this is that it's a series
of steps and they include providing adequate water, rest, shade
making sure that your workers are being gradually adapted to
(20:13):
working in the heat. You don't want to just put
someone out there and let it go from there. And
then they're also communication and training steps that need to
be taken as well. So it's a package of steps
that employers must follow and that's our expectation and it
(20:36):
just comes down to making sure that workers get what
they need when they're working in the heat.
Speaker 1 (20:43):
What tools does OREGONOSHA have to help employers keep their
employees safe.
Speaker 5 (20:48):
We have a lot, and I need to step back
here and just remind your listeners that we've actually had
a focus on heat illness preventions since twenty seventeen, so
this is not new in any really in any way,
shape or form. And these specific steps have been in
(21:11):
place for some time now as well, so we have
worked with employers for a long time now. This isn't
new news. It's just really important that we get the
reminder out there so folks can refresh their knowledge about this.
And we do have a lot of stuff to help
employers comply, and we want them to be able to comply,
(21:34):
and that's why, for example, we offer free confidential consultations.
Employers can contact us and will help them figure out
how to best protect their employees from the dangers of
extreme heat. We also have folks who are ready to
take a phone call to clarify how these rules apply
(21:59):
to their work sites. And then we have multiple free
resources online. I really encourage folks to go to OSHA
dot Oregon dot gov and just check it out. The
one of the great things that we offer is an
(22:19):
online training program. It's free, it's flexible, and it just
walks you through the steps that you need to take
and it actually satisfies several elements, several of the training
parts of the rule.
Speaker 6 (22:34):
Aaron, anything else you'd like to add, You know, I
do want to add a really important message, which is
workers have a right to work safely.
Speaker 5 (22:46):
They have a right to a healthy workplace under the
Oregon Safe Employment Act, and our expectation is that employers
protect their workers and we've got a lot of sources
to help them do that.
Speaker 1 (23:01):
That's Aaron Corvin with Oregon OSHA on requirements for employers
to keep employees safe during hot weather. You can learn
more on the Oregon OSHA website. Wildfire season is just
starting in Oregon. Is your home protected? It's important to
take steps to harden your home against wildfire. The Oregon
State Fire Marshall's website has details on how to do that.
(23:22):
Having homeowners or renters insurance is also important. Kat and
Bryan or the Northwest Insurance Council joins us on local voices.
What if homeowners or renters need to know about fire insurance?
Speaker 7 (23:33):
The first thing is to be sure to protect yourself
and your family and get to a safe location. It's
a good idea to have an evacuation plan when you
live in fire country. As we approach fire season and
already it's already begun in Earnest in Oregon, so a
family of evacuation plan, have things ready to move quickly
(23:53):
follow any evacuation orders from local fire officials so that
you maintain your own safety. There are other things you
should consider doing before fires come, like protecting your home
by building in defensible space, hardening your home against wildfire,
not having leaves in your gutters and limbs up near
(24:15):
your house, don't stack the firewood right outside your house.
Things like that, and you can get lots of information
about how to harden your home against wildfire by visiting
the Department of Forestry or the Oregon State Fire Marshals
web pages, and then as far as insurance goes, it's
important for people to understand that it doesn't matter to
the cause of a fire. If you are insured. If
(24:37):
you have a homeowner's insurance policy or a renter's insurance policy,
or a business insurance policy that includes property coverage, your
property is covered in the event of wildfire. There's not
a special policy you have to have in or to
be covered. There are, of course, deductibles associated with your policies,
and it's important to read and understand your policy about
those deductibles. But you lost due to wildfire is covered
(25:02):
on your homeowners or renter's insurance policy.
Speaker 1 (25:05):
So if your home is damaged or destroyed by a wildfire,
what should you do.
Speaker 7 (25:10):
Well, first, make sure that you and your family are
safe and away from the fire danger, and then contact
your insurance company as quickly as possible to get that
claims process started. Companies are standing by in events like
we're seeing in Oregon right now. They're aware that these
fires are occurring. They follow all the news reports and
all the local wildfire official broadcasting, so they know what's
(25:34):
going on, and they're standing by and ready to take
calls from people who suffered losses.
Speaker 1 (25:39):
Now after a home has been damaged, obviously the homeowner
wants to try to get back to normal as soon
as possible, But should they wait until someone from the
insurance company comes by.
Speaker 7 (25:51):
Well, they certainly should make contact with their insurance company
in the immediate aftermath of a wildfire as soon as possible,
and they should be cautious about accepting any bids paying
any money out of pocket to do repairs unless those
repairs are really minor and they need to do something
quickly in order to prevent further damage. For example, if
(26:13):
there's damage to a roof and rains are coming and
there might be additional damage. But talk to your insurance
company first before you engage any of that, because you
don't want to pay out to either someone who's a
scam artist and not doing good repair work, but also
you want to make sure that the repairs are done
will be compensated by your insurer, so make sure that
(26:34):
you check with your insurance company first. It's also a
good idea if you can, particularly before fires arrive, to
do a home inventory, and that can be as complex
as you have time to make it. But even something
as simple as walking through your home with your smartphone
shooting digital images or photographs of the things in your
(26:58):
home to help you remember in the event of a
fire what you've lost. It's hard to even imagine the
scale of everything that's in your home after you've lost
it in a time of terrible tragedy and loss to
try and figure out what you've lost. So the more
information you have about your loss, the easier it is
to get your claim started, the less complicated or controversial
(27:21):
it will be as you work with your insured or
replace what you've lost after a fire.
Speaker 1 (27:25):
What is typically covered.
Speaker 7 (27:29):
Well, what is typically covered is the structure that you
live in and all the things that are within it.
What's less covered is landscape. So if the landscape around
your home burns, there's probably some amount of money available
to replace that landscaping, but that's going to have a
limit on it, and you should refer to your policy
to find.
Speaker 1 (27:49):
Out what that is.
Speaker 7 (27:51):
The removal of debris is typically covered. That may have
limits on it as well, and usually insurers work with
state agencies to make sure that all the debris is
properly removed and disposed of, and some of that cost
will be paid by the insurer. Other things that are
covered include loss, abuse of your home for a period
(28:13):
of time, so it's called additional living expenses. If you
have to live in a hotel or rent a home
for some period of time, your insurance policy does include
coverage for those expenses. And just like the other legislation
I mentioned before, Oregon has a legislation that requires insurers
to pay that out over a longer period of time.
(28:35):
But again there is a limit on how much money
is available. So check with your insurance policy, your agent,
or your company to find out more about what your
policy includes than what those limits are kat.
Speaker 1 (28:45):
And anything else you would like to add.
Speaker 7 (28:48):
It's a good reminder for those who are living in
rental properties, whether that's a standalone home or a mobile home,
manufactured home, were an apartment home, remember that fire can
cause damage, but also smoke can cause damage, and if
you don't have a renter's policy, you're going to be
(29:11):
You're going to have your possessions be damaged by fire
or smoke or the efforts to put out the fire,
and you won't have a way to recover unless you
have renter's insurance. It's an affordable product and I encourage
people to if they don't have it already, to reach
out and consider getting it as we get into the
heart of wildfire season.
Speaker 1 (29:31):
Katon, thanks for joining us on Local Voices. That's Kenton Brian,
president of the Northwest Insurance Council, with tips on homeotors
and Renter's insurance that can help if your home is
destroyed by a wildfire. Thanks for listening to Local Voices.
I'm brad Ford. You can hear past episodes on the
iHeartRadio app under the podcast tab. Local Voices is a
public affairs presentation from iHeart Radio.
Welcome to Local Voices. I'm brad Ford this week. Community
Warehouse is now the largest furniture bank in the country.
Dolly Parton's Imagination Library in Oregon is expanding its book collections.
Oregon Oshow wants employers to know about heat requirements for
employees and is your home protected against a wildfire. There's
(00:25):
an organization in the Portland area that helps people in
need get basic furniture for their homes. It's called Community Warehouse.
Anna Krinitsky is the executive director of Community Warehouse. Anda,
Welcome to Local Voices. Tell us about Community Warehouse.
Speaker 2 (00:39):
Yeah, so, before I get into the nuts of bolts
of what we do, I really want to start with
the y. So first, we're a furniture bank, like a
food bank, but with furniture and household items. So wherever
you are right now, just imagine you're at home but
with no furniture. You just can't even imagine having people
over with nowhere to sit. You and your kids maybe
(00:59):
sleeping on the floor on a pile of clothes, trying
to figure out how to cook meals at home with
no kitchen items or a table. So in any given year,
over one hundred thousand Portland Area residents. Our neighbors are
living without some or most of the furniture and household
items they need. We call this furniture poverty and it
is a huge but nearly invisible problem. So Community Warehouse
(01:23):
we're a furniture bank and our mission is to provide
furniture and household items to our neighbors overcoming adversity. And
really one of the biggest questions when people move into
housing is what am I going to do about furniture?
And that's where Community Warehouse steps in.
Speaker 1 (01:38):
How did Community Warehouse start.
Speaker 2 (01:40):
We started in the early nineteen nineties. We were Portland
Area was accepting refugees from the former Soviet Union and
several agencies.
Speaker 3 (01:51):
Were supporting refugees and.
Speaker 2 (01:53):
Really found out right away, while they had support from
public agencies to get housing, to get job assistants, to
get food, furniture was notably missing from this and they
just thought, we can't possibly, you know, welcome people to
our community and let them sleep in empty rooms, and
so they started a community collection. These were agencies like
(02:15):
Jewish Family and Child Services, and they were working with
other agencies like ERCO and Catholic charities and other groups
supporting refugees, and word got out in the community of
this kind of community furniture bank, a community warehouse that
had started. And as the word got out, other agencies
that were working with folks, you know, experiencing homelessness, transitioning
(02:39):
out of the domestic violence situation, you know, aging out
of foster care they were they also started asking if
they could bring their families and their participants to come
shop for furniture, and so really the need became very obvious,
and at some point Jewish Family and Child Services, who
had really run this this small pro for a while,
(03:01):
had to refocus their programs on the work that they
were doing. And the volunteers who started the program and
were working day to day with families just said, we
have to make sure that this exists, and so they
founded Community Warehouses a standalone.
Speaker 3 (03:17):
Five oh one c.
Speaker 2 (03:17):
Three and two thousand and one. So it's been almost
twenty five years since then and we are we're still
the only full service furniture bank in the whole region
and we are now furnishing about seventy homes a week.
Speaker 1 (03:32):
Wow, that's amazing. What types of items do you need?
I mean, it's called you know community warehouse and it's furniture,
but it sounds like utensils and I imagine kitchen where
what kind of items do you need?
Speaker 2 (03:43):
Yeah, thank you for asking. So we, like you said,
we take dignity condition furniture and household items, so kind
of think what would your kid need if they were
starting off in a new place. So our most needed
items are mattresses and box springs, sofas, dressers, tables and chairs,
shelves and lamps, and also linens like blankets, pillows, towels.
(04:08):
Kitchen items so like pots and hands, dishes, small appliances
like microwaves, toasters, blenders and vacuums, et cetera. So really
full range. We'll take rugs and art, anything that would
really turn an empty space into a comfortable, functional home.
Speaker 1 (04:26):
But the key is they need to be in good shape.
Like with mattresses, I imagine what they can't have stains or
carpets probably can't have significant stains on them.
Speaker 3 (04:33):
Yes, exactly.
Speaker 2 (04:35):
So yeah, we really want to make sure items are
ready to go into people's homes and someone is really
proud to take it home. So how we work is
it's a shopping model, so folks are referred from partner agencies.
We have over two hundred different agencies that refer their
participants to us when they're getting into housing or find
out that they need furniture and household items and folks
(04:57):
come through and shop and pick out what they need,
and it's really important to us that people feel a
sense of pride and you know, joy and have a
great experience coming to shop and so making sure that
those items are.
Speaker 3 (05:11):
Free of you know, stains, tears.
Speaker 2 (05:14):
We will accept, you know, a floral couch and a
leather couch, and it doesn't matter the style, but as
long as it's in that in really really good condition,
that's very important to us. And so, yeah, mattresses are
one of those items that we really need to make
sure don't have any stains or you know, pet hair
or anything on them, and we do actually at our
(05:34):
Northeast Portland location, we are also accepting items or mattresses
for recycling. And so if folks bring a mattress and
they're not quite sure if it's in reusable condition, we
can screen it and if it's if it's not, we
can we can recycle it. So we also have some
great options for that for folks.
Speaker 1 (05:54):
Yeah, that is great because if you have a mattress,
you've maybe bought a new mattress and you're trying to
get rid of the old one, that could be difficult.
And so if it's in good shape, what a great
opportunity to be able to do that. How does it work.
Who's eligible to get the furniture?
Speaker 3 (06:08):
Yeah, great question.
Speaker 2 (06:09):
So how folks come to us and visit the Furniture
Bank are completely through referrals and through partner agencies, so
we have a really wide network from housing agencies to
domestic violence service providers, to folks working with people who've
had a fire or flood and lost things in their home.
It really is anybody who's in a situation where they're
(06:33):
either low income and can't affward items or kind of
have a situational challenge in which it would be yeah,
they really need support to get all of those things
in their home. And so we are, like I said,
completely referral based, which is wonderful because.
Speaker 3 (06:49):
We try to be as low barrier as possible.
Speaker 2 (06:51):
So folks can really find us through all of these
number of community organizations. We do get referrals from faith communities,
from schools, from hospitals, and clinics. So really, you know,
it's there's no limit to the different agencies we can
work with. So if you know somebody who may need furniture,
or you're working at you know, community organization and this
(07:13):
is their first time hearing about Community Warehouse, you know,
you could act as a referral to to make sure
people can get what they need.
Speaker 1 (07:21):
So how does a donation process work? If I have items,
how how do I how do I send them in
to be donated?
Speaker 2 (07:27):
Yeah, so we're we're also trying to be as accessible
as possible and make it easy to donate. So if
you can drop off your items, if you have the
capacity to do that, whether that's you know, loading addresser
into your car or a box of kitchen items, you
can come by. There's no appointments needed. We have in
Northeast Portland and tigered Our locations are open Tuesday through
(07:50):
Saturday ten am to five pm and you can come
anytime within those hours. We just opened a new furniture
bank in Gresham that actually makes us the first furniture
bank in the whole country with three locations, which is
really exciting and a big deal for our community. And
that location is right now open Wednesday through Saturday ten
to five. We also do pickups, and so we do
(08:12):
pickups throughout the whole Portland metro area. We've also expanded
pickups to some other areas Corbett, Sandy Forest Grove, Newburgh.
So can actually just go onto our website and self
schedule a pickup. It just put in yours of code
and it'll it'll let you know whether we can come
by to your area, and it's just fifty dollars for
(08:32):
a pickup. It's a flat fee. So if you're downsizing
or moving and you have a whole household of items
that you want to that you want us to come
get that, we accept.
Speaker 3 (08:43):
We will come take it for fifty bucks.
Speaker 1 (08:45):
And then if you bring in items, can you get
a receipt for your taxes? Does it yeah? Because you're
a okay.
Speaker 2 (08:52):
Great exactly, yep, we're a five oh one C three,
So if you yeah, come by and drop off, we'll
get to a receipt.
Speaker 3 (08:57):
So it's it's really a win win.
Speaker 2 (08:59):
You you know, get something that you're not using anymore,
somebody in your community who you know really needs it
will pick it out and you'll know that they really
want that item and it can get a new life
and you get a tax ride off, which it's easy.
Speaker 1 (09:14):
Do you need financial donations as well.
Speaker 3 (09:16):
We sure do so.
Speaker 2 (09:18):
So something about a furniture bank is that we really
we have warehouses to move furniture in and out of,
We have trucks, we have staff that are doing that
heavy lifting all day long and really supporting our clients
and our donors to make sure things are going to
the right place. And so financial donations go a really
really long way for Community Warehouse. We h yeah, we
(09:41):
we absolutely take donations of all kinds.
Speaker 3 (09:45):
Monthly.
Speaker 2 (09:45):
Donors actually get free pickups from Community Warehouse, which we love.
So if it's a great way to get involved and
regularly support your local furniture bank and have the opportunity
to be able to get free pickups. And we also
we also have great volunteer opportunities.
Speaker 3 (10:02):
It's so easy to get involved.
Speaker 2 (10:04):
Whether you know you have a couple extra towels or
pots and pants to donate, or you want to come
in and you know directly help your neighbors getting back
on their feet. There's awesome opportunities and that's all also
on our website Community Warehouse dot work.
Speaker 1 (10:19):
Now I noticed on the website the estate store. What's that?
Speaker 3 (10:22):
Yeah, thanks for asking. So, yeah, we have an amazing estate.
Speaker 2 (10:26):
Store at our Northeast Portland location that has beautiful, affordable
furniture and home goods and it's open to the public,
so you can shop there and get great deals on
fines for your home, and all proceeds support Furniture Bank operations,
so you're also thrifting for good and making sure your
neighbors that maybe not be able to purchase items on
(10:46):
their own can get can furnish their home as well.
So it's a wonderful store and it's like the best.
Speaker 3 (10:52):
I think it's a hidden gem in our community.
Speaker 2 (10:54):
It's amazing like vintage shopping new items. Also it's of
really really cool furniture and home goods that that. Yeah,
all all the proceeds go back to support our mission.
Speaker 1 (11:08):
Terrific. Do you have collection drives?
Speaker 3 (11:11):
Yeah, we do.
Speaker 2 (11:12):
Yeah, and this is another really great way that folks
can get involved. So either at your business in your neighborhood,
you can schedule a drive and so oftentimes we'll have
you know, book clubs or you know business at work,
we'll do a collection drive with us and you can
just reach out. We provide bins and suggestions on kind
(11:35):
of what items you might collect, and then we come
pick them up at the end. Or if folks want
to come donate those items themselves and then get a
tour and get to see the furniture bank in action,
it's a great way to do that.
Speaker 3 (11:47):
One other thing I.
Speaker 2 (11:48):
Want to add, I think sometimes when people think of
community warehouse, it's like this space where furniture and household
items are just you know, sitting and waiting for a
home to go to. But at our furniture banks, those
most needed items like mattresses and sofas and dressers have
a zero to forty eight hour turnaround, So we are
literally coming in and going out often immediately or at
(12:10):
least within two days. And so the items that you
donate and bring, whether through a collection drive or you
know personally, are going to go right back out to
folks in your community almost immediately.
Speaker 3 (12:21):
So the need is really really high.
Speaker 2 (12:23):
And if you have something that's been you know, gathering
dust in your garage and you can you know, brush
it off and bring it our way, it will it
will get used right away.
Speaker 1 (12:32):
That is terrific. Tell us one more time, what your
locations are, and then how people can find you online.
Speaker 3 (12:37):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (12:37):
Sure, so, Community Warehouse is located in northeast Portland on MLK.
Speaker 3 (12:43):
We are located out now in Gresham.
Speaker 2 (12:46):
And then on two hundred and nineteenth and Gleason, and
then we're also in Tigered, really close to downtown Tigered
and that's where folks can come drop off furniture and
at are a state store folks can shop. Then in
we do pickups as well, and folks can also find
us online at Community Warehouse dot org.
Speaker 3 (13:08):
If you want to find out okay, did they take
this specific type of.
Speaker 2 (13:13):
Item that I have? Or I want to volunteer or
donate money, that's.
Speaker 3 (13:17):
The place to do it.
Speaker 1 (13:18):
Anda, thanks for joining us on Local Voices. That's Anakriditsky,
the executive director of Community Warehouse. You can find out
more at Community Warehouse dot org. Dollyparton's Imagination Library in
Oregon is expanding its book collections. Laurie McNichols is the
state director for the Imagination Library of Oregon. Laurie, let's
start first with how the program works.
Speaker 4 (13:40):
Absolutely so. Dolly Parton's Imagination Library is a literacy program
that mails free high quality books to children from as
early as birth to the age of five to the
month of their fifth birthday, specifically, no matter their family's income.
Partners started the Imagination Library in nineteen ninety five to
(14:04):
inspire a love of reading and children in her home county,
and it has grown to serve millions of kids around
the world.
Speaker 1 (14:13):
How many kids are receiving books in Oregon?
Speaker 4 (14:16):
We have over sixty eight thousand enrolled children right now
in Oregon.
Speaker 1 (14:21):
And this is not just her program, but I mean,
it really takes a state effort in order to make
it work, right, to bring it all together. How many
cities or areas in Oregon are you operating in?
Speaker 4 (14:33):
Thank you for that question. It is a global effort,
but it's also a grassroots effort. The Imagination Library could
not happen without having community partners that partner with the
Imagination Library to cover their community so they help help
(14:59):
cover the wholesale cost of books and mailing. We have
fifty seven program partners in Oregon and we are fully
covered every single zip code, every single county and Oregon
families can enroll their child.
Speaker 1 (15:16):
So up until now it's involved standard English books, but
there's a new Bilingual English Spanish Book Collection tell us about.
Speaker 4 (15:24):
That it's so exciting to finally have the Spanish Bilingual Collection.
It's an alternative to the Standard English Collection, which only
has typically one or two bilingual titles in each age category.
The Bilingual English Spanish Collection is a fully bilingual collection
(15:46):
of titles. For Spanish speaking families, it's empowering for them
to see their home language reflected in the books their
children receive, and it validates their identity and supports language
development in both Spanish and English. And for English speaking
(16:06):
families who choose to enroll in that collection, it opens
the door to new languages and cultures and helps build
empathy and early multi lingual skills.
Speaker 1 (16:19):
So how does it work to sign up? What do
parents do?
Speaker 4 (16:23):
For either collection? A family, all they have to do
is go to the Imagination Library website Imaginationlibrary dot com
and go to check availability, and if they're anywhere in Oregon,
they're going to find that the Imagination Library is available
(16:45):
to them, and then they just simply follow the steps
to enroll their child. They can select to enroll in
the English Standard Collection or the Bilingual Spanish English Collection,
and they can also set their preferences is for communication
with the Imagination Library.
Speaker 1 (17:04):
And so once you're signed up, do the books just
arrive or do you select books each month? How's that work?
Speaker 4 (17:10):
So each each month books will automatically arrive from the
time the family and roles. It can take up to
eight to twelve weeks for the first book to arrive.
But when the first book does arrive, then it will
be a regular monthly installation. You know, of course, depending
(17:35):
on the postal system. Sometimes there are factors beyond our control.
But that will start and they'll receive those monthly, those
monthly books up until the month of their fifth birthday.
Should a family move, all they need to do is
(17:55):
communicate through the parent portal and let us know their
child's they and their child's new address.
Speaker 1 (18:02):
Anything else you'd like to add that I didn't ask
you about.
Speaker 4 (18:05):
Absolutely.
Speaker 3 (18:06):
So.
Speaker 4 (18:07):
Our Blue Ribbon Selection committee meets annually to select the
books for the year ahead, and so that includes early
literacy experts, education educators, parents. The titles are selected specifically
to the child's age, so board books for the youngest children,
(18:30):
and then as as children get older, more picture books
with more complex stories for those emerging readers. And while
there is some overlap between the two collections. Each is
primarily made up of unique titles that are sent out monthly.
Speaker 1 (18:50):
It is such a great program. Tell us one more time.
What's the website? If people want to sign.
Speaker 4 (18:54):
Up, it is Imagination Library dot com.
Speaker 1 (18:59):
That's Laurie Mcmaekels, the state director of Dolly Parton's Imagination
Library and Oregon. You can sign up and find out
more on the website Imaginationlibrary dot com. Hot summer weather
is here and Oregon requires employers to keep employees safe
in the heat. Aaron Corvin with Oregon OSHA joins us
on local Voices. Aaron, Oregon's heat regulations for employers take
(19:23):
part in different stages.
Speaker 5 (19:25):
The temperature that it starts to have an impact is
when we get to eighty degrees fahrenheit or above, and
that is when a set of standards kicks in for
employers to follow to protect their workers from heat illness.
And then more requirements apply when we reach ninety degrees
(19:50):
or above ninety degrees fahrenheit or above. Really, the simplest
way of looking at this is that it's a series
of steps and they include providing adequate water, rest, shade
making sure that your workers are being gradually adapted to
(20:13):
working in the heat. You don't want to just put
someone out there and let it go from there. And
then they're also communication and training steps that need to
be taken as well. So it's a package of steps
that employers must follow and that's our expectation and it
(20:36):
just comes down to making sure that workers get what
they need when they're working in the heat.
Speaker 1 (20:43):
What tools does OREGONOSHA have to help employers keep their
employees safe.
Speaker 5 (20:48):
We have a lot, and I need to step back
here and just remind your listeners that we've actually had
a focus on heat illness preventions since twenty seventeen, so
this is not new in any really in any way,
shape or form. And these specific steps have been in
(21:11):
place for some time now as well, so we have
worked with employers for a long time now. This isn't
new news. It's just really important that we get the
reminder out there so folks can refresh their knowledge about this.
And we do have a lot of stuff to help
employers comply, and we want them to be able to comply,
(21:34):
and that's why, for example, we offer free confidential consultations.
Employers can contact us and will help them figure out
how to best protect their employees from the dangers of
extreme heat. We also have folks who are ready to
take a phone call to clarify how these rules apply
(21:59):
to their work sites. And then we have multiple free
resources online. I really encourage folks to go to OSHA
dot Oregon dot gov and just check it out. The
one of the great things that we offer is an
(22:19):
online training program. It's free, it's flexible, and it just
walks you through the steps that you need to take
and it actually satisfies several elements, several of the training
parts of the rule.
Speaker 6 (22:34):
Aaron, anything else you'd like to add, You know, I
do want to add a really important message, which is
workers have a right to work safely.
Speaker 5 (22:46):
They have a right to a healthy workplace under the
Oregon Safe Employment Act, and our expectation is that employers
protect their workers and we've got a lot of sources
to help them do that.
Speaker 1 (23:01):
That's Aaron Corvin with Oregon OSHA on requirements for employers
to keep employees safe during hot weather. You can learn
more on the Oregon OSHA website. Wildfire season is just
starting in Oregon. Is your home protected? It's important to
take steps to harden your home against wildfire. The Oregon
State Fire Marshall's website has details on how to do that.
(23:22):
Having homeowners or renters insurance is also important. Kat and
Bryan or the Northwest Insurance Council joins us on local voices.
What if homeowners or renters need to know about fire insurance?
Speaker 7 (23:33):
The first thing is to be sure to protect yourself
and your family and get to a safe location. It's
a good idea to have an evacuation plan when you
live in fire country. As we approach fire season and
already it's already begun in Earnest in Oregon, so a
family of evacuation plan, have things ready to move quickly
(23:53):
follow any evacuation orders from local fire officials so that
you maintain your own safety. There are other things you
should consider doing before fires come, like protecting your home
by building in defensible space, hardening your home against wildfire,
not having leaves in your gutters and limbs up near
(24:15):
your house, don't stack the firewood right outside your house.
Things like that, and you can get lots of information
about how to harden your home against wildfire by visiting
the Department of Forestry or the Oregon State Fire Marshals
web pages, and then as far as insurance goes, it's
important for people to understand that it doesn't matter to
the cause of a fire. If you are insured. If
(24:37):
you have a homeowner's insurance policy or a renter's insurance policy,
or a business insurance policy that includes property coverage, your
property is covered in the event of wildfire. There's not
a special policy you have to have in or to
be covered. There are, of course, deductibles associated with your policies,
and it's important to read and understand your policy about
those deductibles. But you lost due to wildfire is covered
(25:02):
on your homeowners or renter's insurance policy.
Speaker 1 (25:05):
So if your home is damaged or destroyed by a wildfire,
what should you do.
Speaker 7 (25:10):
Well, first, make sure that you and your family are
safe and away from the fire danger, and then contact
your insurance company as quickly as possible to get that
claims process started. Companies are standing by in events like
we're seeing in Oregon right now. They're aware that these
fires are occurring. They follow all the news reports and
all the local wildfire official broadcasting, so they know what's
(25:34):
going on, and they're standing by and ready to take
calls from people who suffered losses.
Speaker 1 (25:39):
Now after a home has been damaged, obviously the homeowner
wants to try to get back to normal as soon
as possible, But should they wait until someone from the
insurance company comes by.
Speaker 7 (25:51):
Well, they certainly should make contact with their insurance company
in the immediate aftermath of a wildfire as soon as possible,
and they should be cautious about accepting any bids paying
any money out of pocket to do repairs unless those
repairs are really minor and they need to do something
quickly in order to prevent further damage. For example, if
(26:13):
there's damage to a roof and rains are coming and
there might be additional damage. But talk to your insurance
company first before you engage any of that, because you
don't want to pay out to either someone who's a
scam artist and not doing good repair work, but also
you want to make sure that the repairs are done
will be compensated by your insurer, so make sure that
(26:34):
you check with your insurance company first. It's also a
good idea if you can, particularly before fires arrive, to
do a home inventory, and that can be as complex
as you have time to make it. But even something
as simple as walking through your home with your smartphone
shooting digital images or photographs of the things in your
(26:58):
home to help you remember in the event of a
fire what you've lost. It's hard to even imagine the
scale of everything that's in your home after you've lost
it in a time of terrible tragedy and loss to
try and figure out what you've lost. So the more
information you have about your loss, the easier it is
to get your claim started, the less complicated or controversial
(27:21):
it will be as you work with your insured or
replace what you've lost after a fire.
Speaker 1 (27:25):
What is typically covered.
Speaker 7 (27:29):
Well, what is typically covered is the structure that you
live in and all the things that are within it.
What's less covered is landscape. So if the landscape around
your home burns, there's probably some amount of money available
to replace that landscaping, but that's going to have a
limit on it, and you should refer to your policy
to find.
Speaker 1 (27:49):
Out what that is.
Speaker 7 (27:51):
The removal of debris is typically covered. That may have
limits on it as well, and usually insurers work with
state agencies to make sure that all the debris is
properly removed and disposed of, and some of that cost
will be paid by the insurer. Other things that are
covered include loss, abuse of your home for a period
(28:13):
of time, so it's called additional living expenses. If you
have to live in a hotel or rent a home
for some period of time, your insurance policy does include
coverage for those expenses. And just like the other legislation
I mentioned before, Oregon has a legislation that requires insurers
to pay that out over a longer period of time.
(28:35):
But again there is a limit on how much money
is available. So check with your insurance policy, your agent,
or your company to find out more about what your
policy includes than what those limits are kat.
Speaker 1 (28:45):
And anything else you would like to add.
Speaker 7 (28:48):
It's a good reminder for those who are living in
rental properties, whether that's a standalone home or a mobile home,
manufactured home, were an apartment home, remember that fire can
cause damage, but also smoke can cause damage, and if
you don't have a renter's policy, you're going to be
(29:11):
You're going to have your possessions be damaged by fire
or smoke or the efforts to put out the fire,
and you won't have a way to recover unless you
have renter's insurance. It's an affordable product and I encourage
people to if they don't have it already, to reach
out and consider getting it as we get into the
heart of wildfire season.
Speaker 1 (29:31):
Katon, thanks for joining us on Local Voices. That's Kenton Brian,
president of the Northwest Insurance Council, with tips on homeotors
and Renter's insurance that can help if your home is
destroyed by a wildfire. Thanks for listening to Local Voices.
I'm brad Ford. You can hear past episodes on the
iHeartRadio app under the podcast tab. Local Voices is a
public affairs presentation from iHeart Radio.
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Football’s funniest family duo — Jason Kelce of the Philadelphia Eagles and Travis Kelce of the Kansas City Chiefs — team up to provide next-level access to life in the league as it unfolds. The two brothers and Super Bowl champions drop weekly insights about the weekly slate of games and share their INSIDE perspectives on trending NFL news and sports headlines. They also endlessly rag on each other as brothers do, chat the latest in pop culture and welcome some very popular and well-known friends to chat with them. Check out new episodes every Wednesday. Follow New Heights on the Wondery App, YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to new episodes early and ad-free, and get exclusive content on Wondery+. Join Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. And join our new membership for a unique fan experience by going to the New Heights YouTube channel now!
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
24/7 News: The Latest
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.