Professional Remodelers Organization Scholarship Winner

Congratulations to Anthony McMahon winner of the 2009 Professional Remodelers Organization Scholarship through the Home Builders Foundation.   Anthony is a student at Mt. Hood Community College in the Architectural Engineering Technology program.

NW Natural Street of Dreams Starts This Week!

The 2009 NW Natural Street of Dreams “Views of the Pearl” opens August 1 and showcases four of Portland’s premiere condominium home developments, featuring nine incredible penthouses ranging in price from $1 to $2.5 million. With a focus on LEED standard and eco-friendly materials, the dream condos include the latest in home innovations and design, including wrap around balconies and hot tubs with a stunning city view.

Viewing the 2009 NW Natural Street of Dreams is a snap. Simply click on the tickets link to buy your 2009 Street of Dreams Pearl Pass.

Not only will your Pearl Pass provide access to nine gorgeous penthouses, all featuring the latest and greatest in design and sustainability, it will provide you with savings of over $6,500 at local Pearl District businesses, free rides on the street car and discounted parking for the month of August.

Don’t miss the NW Natural Street of Dreams website where you will find ideas and inspiration from the show, descriptions of the featured condos and profiles of the developers and designers.

Buy Tickets to the 2009 Safeway Classic and 100% Is Donated to the Home Builders Foundation

Oregon Leads Nation in Homelessness

According to a new study by the US Dept of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Oregon has the highest proportion of homeless people in the nation.

Steve Law from the Portland Tribune has the story.

This is yet another example of the importance of programs like the Home Builders Foundation’s HomeAid, which can help build shelter for Portland’s homeless.

Happy 4th of July!!

Don’t forget there will be no Fort Vancouver fireworks show this year. If you need an alternative location to get your yearly fireworks fix click here for a list of all the local fireworks displays.

Hope you all have a happy and safe 4th of July!

Did you know: Robert G. Heft is a designer of the 50-star flag for the United States of America. He spent his childhood in Lancaster, Ohio, where he created the flag as a school project.

He designed the current U.S. flag in 1958 while living with his grandparents. He was 17 years old at the time and did the flag design as a class project. He unstitched the blue field from a family 48-star flag, sewed in a new field, and used iron-on white fabric to add 100 hand-cut stars, 50 on each side of the blue canton.

He originally received a “B-” for the project. After discussing the grade with his high school teacher, Stanley Pratt, it was agreed that if the flag was accepted by Congress, the grade would be reconsidered. Heft’s flag design was chosen and adopted by presidential proclamation after Alaska and before Hawaii was admitted into the union in 1959. According to Heft, his teacher did keep to their agreement and changed his grade to an “A” for the project.

HBF Earns Coordinating Committee to End Homelessness (CCEH) Achievement Award

We received this good news today from the Coordinating Committee to End Homelessness, an initiative of the City of Portland’s Bureau of Housing.

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Congratulations! Home Builders Foundation have been selected as one of this year’s Coordinating Committee to End Homelessness (CCEH) Achievement Award recipients!

It took hours of careful and difficult deliberation for the Steering Committee to finally come to a consensus on our award winners for 2009. Your agency were selected from a talented pool of nominations based on Home Builders Foundation’s excellence and commitment that goes above and beyond the normal call of duty to address homelessness in Portland/Multnomah County. Through your actions and work, your agency has set a positive example for others, showing that it is possible to end homelessness, one person, one family and one community at a time.

Our awardees represent a diverse range of individuals and groups, as reflected in the categories below.

2009 CCEH Achievement Award Recipients

Category Name   Organization
Program               Multnomah County Mobile Medical Van (Kim Tierney and Janine Carr)
Private Entity      Home Builders Foundation (Melanie Tashima Duncan)
Technical              Cascade Aids Project (Kristen Kane, Allison Frye, Amanda Hurley)
Individual             Lio Aalalitola, JOIN
Individual             Liora Berry, Cascadia BHC
Individual             Liv Jenssen, Multnomah County Department of Community Justice
Individual             Holly Redeau, Central City Concern

Awards will be presented at our next CCEH meeting:

Wednesday, July 15, 2009
CCEH Achievement Awards Ceremony (from 4:00 to 5:00pm)
First United Methodist Church, Fireside Room
1838 SW Jefferson
Portland, OR 97201

Please RSVP your attendance to me by Friday, July 10. If you are unable to come, please designate a representative to attend and accept the award on your behalf. Feel free to invite your friends and colleagues!

Again, congratulations on behalf of the Steering Committee. We are truly grateful for your leadership and commitment in working to end homelessness.

Jennifer
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Jennifer Chang, MPH
Coordinator, Ending Homelessness Initiative

Singing the praises of unsung heroes: Tough economic climate fails to deter progress on two major HBF projects

By: Luke Morley, HBF Board Member

Major remodels can be a dicey proposition. The Portland Home Builders Foundation finds itself committed to two ambitious remodeling projects in a construction climate not exactly conducive to charitable donations. The fact that these projects continue to move forward is a testament to the generosity, courage and commitment of their builder captains, contractors and suppliers.

Blazer Development’s Rick Lesniak acts as one of two “builder captains” for a $500,000 remodel of Raphael House, one of Oregon’s largest shelters protecting women and children from domestic violence.

“I knew from the outset that this was a worthwhile project,” says Lesniak, who began working on the renovation last summer.  Lesniak has been impressed with the extent to which suppliers and contractors have made good on their commitments, in spite of a severe downturn in residential construction.

His counterpart, Jim Standring of Westland Industries agrees. Says Standring, “I, for one, have been impressed with the number of people who stepped up and gave both time and materials in what clearly is the most difficult time our industry has experienced in generations.”

Lesniak is also motivated by those who reside in Raphael House. “They never complain about the noise, dust or disruption. They are truly appreciative of our efforts.  I have to say, it inspires us to keep going!”

The Foundation’s Cordero House remodel, which breaks ground in just a few weeks, poses an even more daunting challenge.  Cordero House is a community based treatment program providing a safe haven for teenage boys.  The original objective was to simply increase the number of beds at Cordero House, as the highly successful program had been forced to turn away applicants due to a lack of capacity.

But the tired, old 6,500 square foot structure was also in dire need of major repair, a fact that was not lost on builder captains Jim Feild of Progressive Builders Northwest and Mike Arnett of Lifestyle Homes.  Feild and Arnett deduced that a $900,000 remodel of the facility would be required to convert this “facility” into a real “home.”

Feild feels that “donor creativity” has made the difference in an otherwise stingy environment for contributions of expertise and materials.  “Individuals and companies have risen to the occasion to show their support for the project. While the donation may not be what was originally intended, they are still on board with co-op opportunities. The Foundation and its partners are looking for other ways to help, including helping write a grant that got the Cordero House $12,000 worth of kitchen appliances from the USDA. Thinking “out of the box” ensures the success of all us and allows us to fulfill our promises during these times.”

As Mike Arnett so aptly stated, “It may not be as easy to maintain our individual donations and commitments in these unprecedented times, but for those in our industry who are able to stay the course, there’s a house full of kids eagerly waiting the fruits of our giving, whose counseling and treatment will be enhanced and expanded exponentially.  That’s our ultimate goal…helping these individuals move on with their lives, enabling them to make a positive difference in the world at large.”

Never having been known to “mince” words, Feild concludes, “Making the Cordero House a part of what I do this year is still a priority regardless of the adversity surrounding us. We all are busy. My experience with busy people is that busy people get things done. So let’s get this done!”

Major HBF Contributors:
Alarm Access Control Technologies
Blazer Development
Central Air
Farnsworth Building
Design and Planning
Gary’s Vacuflow
George Morland Plumbing
Globe Lighting
JB Insulation
Jim Fisher Roofing
Lakeside Lumber
Lamps Plus
Lifestyle Homes
Medallion Industries
Milgard Windows
Miller Paint
ProBuild
Progressive Builders NW
Red’s Electric
Sherwin-Williams
Sports Court of Oregon
Terry Voss Framing
The Carpet Place
United Tile
Westland Industries, Inc.

HBF Awards Scholarship to Sherwood High School Student

Jim Feild (Progressive Builders NW) an HBF scholarship advisor, presented Jacob Niebergall a $500 Gary E. Milgard High School Scholarship Award at the Sherwood High School Honors Ceremony on May 13, 2009. HBF awarded $4,000 in scholarships to four Portland-area high school students this year, bringing the scholarship awards total to over $106,000.

Auction Thank You Party for Volunteers & Supporters

HBF President George Lorance hosted a post-auction party at his home on May 9 to thank sponsors, donors, and volunteers for their hard work and generosity.  A good time was had by all, feasting on delish appetizers, sharing stories, catching up, and discussing the success of the event.

“We wanted a casual way to thank folks for all they do for the Foundation. Volunteering can be fun, fun, fun!” said Melody Tennefoss, Auction Chair.  “George is dear friend, and an awesome host!”

HBF President (and host) George Lorance is kept busy pouring cocktails as HBF Board member Darin Honn smiles for the camera.

Long time HBF volunteers catch up at the party. Shown (L-R) Dan Roesler, Lindy McGregor, Sue Roesler, Mark McGregor

HBF Sponsors enjoy the sunshine w/ Board members and volunteers. Shown (L-R) Gary Phillips, Jim & Patty Standring, Ken Tennefoss

2009 Auction Chair (and ROCKSTAR) Melody Tennefoss strikes a pose w/ husband Ken.

HBF Past President Chuck O'Rourke & wife Julie enjoy a glass of wine w/ long time supporters Phil & Linda Damiano.

HBF Vice President Luke Morley checks out the spread while entertaining guests.

HBF Founding President Rudy Kadlub with his wife Ann.

HBF volunteers Alan Dierickx, wife Gina and Zack Duncan soak up some sunshine.

Volunteer extraordinaire Kim Wheeler (R) enjoying herself w/ Barbara Phillips, another long time HBF supporter.

Gary Higginbotham, HBF Board member (and past scholarship recipient) with his wife Jeanne.

Happy Mother’s Day

Today we celebrate Mothers…phenomenal women…for ALL they do, and ALL they stand for.  A HUGE thanks to our generous supporters who made donations to Foundation in honor of the ‘Phenomenal Woman’ in their lives.