ightwatch

OPERATION

          2009 was a high-energy year for Operation Nightwatch. Though we met by challenges posed by the recession, we were not overwhelmed by them. Not only did we avoid cutting back any of our established programs—we began the first steps in a bold new expansion.


I. The Growing Need
       
      Studies released in the past year declared Oregon as now having the highest per capita homeless population in the nation. At Operation

Nightwatch we witnessed what stands behind the statistics. Whereas at one time attendance at our Hospitality Center flowed in cycles—because many of our guests received checks on the first of the month, fewer people sought out our services on the month’s first weekend than did on the last weekend—now the Center is crowded virtually every night. To illustrate, in the spring we served through all our programs an average of 546 people a month, while in the fall, that number jumped to 626 a month (an increase of over 14%).


II. Growing Support
        Fortunately, we have been blessed with an abundance of volunteers to meet the increased

demands upon us. Our Volunteers’ Manual now seems a bit quaint in dictating that the Hospitality Center requires a minimum of three volunteers in order to open. Each evening, we now typically have at least twice that number helping out.
       A number of sources can be credited for faithfully funneling us people who want to help. Hands On Portland introduces groups of volunteers to Operation Nightwatch two evenings a month. Lewis & Clark College regularly coordinates groups of students that it sends to us. We host Portland State Capstone students, who work for us for 6-week stints twice a year. We