Blog: SCEC in Action!

Walking Adoptable Pups at Oregon Dog Rescue

Volunteers gathered at the back door of Oregon Dog Rescue on a misty day in March for the last weekly dog walking event of Winter term. PSU students and alumni chatted while they waited for staff to match volunteers with dogs to walk. Volunteers not associated with PSU also got to know one another, sharing their hopes of finding dogs to adopt in the future. 

An Oregon Dog Rescue staff member opened the rolling garage door and oriented the volunteers. They told them about the suggested walking routes, either in the neighborhood across from Macadam St. or along the SW Waterfront. The students with SCEC’s group chose to walk two dogs that got along well. The staff member brought out Benny and Eve, who both wore yellow jackets that said “Adopt me.”

Evanny Munoz, SCEC’s Marketing and Community Outreach Coordinator, led the group around the neighborhood. Cherry trees were budding, signaling the approaching blossoms and Spring. The group stopped to smell fragrant flowers on a daphne bush. Benny and Eve walked amiably, trotting alongside each other, stopping to sniff every so often. The dogs received compliments from other people walking in the neighborhood. The group turned around after thirty minutes, giving the dogs the full allotted hour outside. 

One volunteer said, “My favorite thing about dog walking is how calming it is. It’s good to get outside and get some movement in. Even if I’m having a bad day, it’s always calming.”

Oregon Dog Rescue is located on Macadam St. in SW Portland and has been operating since 2007. They are a no-kill shelter “devoted to placing dogs in the best homes and ensuring the long-term success of the adoption,” according to their website. They are a nonprofit that has placed over 18,000 dogs since 2007!

They offer dog walking seven days a week, as well as other volunteer opportunities. Check out GivePulse to sign up for dog walking and other volunteer events with SCEC! 

Ella's Service at The Shopp

As part of the Student Leaders for Service program, Ella Cunningham chose to work with The Shopp, a nonprofit that helps provide clothing and basic essentials to survivors of trafficking and domestic violence. Ella has been volunteering once a week for the whole school year! 

“Every time I volunteer I get to be surrounded by a collection of unique donated items, while knowing my efforts are going towards a greater cause. I usually help run the floor by accepting donated goods, sorting through them, tagging, and putting them out as well as chatting with customers and handling purchases,” said Ella. 

Other times, she is upstairs helping to keep the shoe room organized as new shoes are donated. Sometimes she gets to help pick out clothes that will be given to those coming from difficult situations in need of support. Every once in a while, she helps redecorate The Shopp by changing mannequins, swapping items on display, and ensuring everything looks orderly and intentional. 

Learn more about The Shopp or visit the thrift store at 2808 NE MLK Blvd. Check out GivePulse to learn about Student Leaders for Service positions!

Sorting Donations at Community Warehouse

Thank you to everyone who volunteered with us at Community Warehouse in February! Community Warehouse collects donated furniture and other household items, and works with social service agencies to get those items to people in need. They support those who are immigrants and refugees, veterans, transitioning from homelessness or incarceration, aging out of the foster care system, disabled, and survivors of domestic violence, and other people facing adversity. They serve over 7,500 people every year. 

Community Warehouse has locations in NE Portland, Gresham, and Tigard, and they’ve been operating for 25 years! The organization was started by Jewish Family and Child Service in the 1990s as part of a nationwide effort to support thousands of former Soviet Union Jews, and expanded to work with people of all backgrounds. 

Our team helped with one of their biggest needs, which is sorting donated linens. The turn-around time for items that enter the warehouse is about 48 hours, meaning that once something is donated it is usually taken home by someone in need within two days. 

The Student Community Engagement Center’s Kaitlyn Graves said, “Community Warehouse is an amazing organization that seeks to remove barriers to allow for people to succeed. Working with them is usually the highlight of my term because not only am I helping others, but I also get to work with people who are extremely passionate about the cause and the people they serve.”

Support their mission by shopping at the Community Warehouse Estate Store in NE Portland, whose proceeds go directly to their furniture bank operations; donating furniture and household items; donating funds; volunteering; or checking GivePulse for future opportunities with the Student Community Engagement Center! 

Clay Street Table Distribution Project

In mid-February a group of Student Leaders for Service (SLS) joined Ghazal Alzghoul for her regular shift handing out lunch to community members with Clay Street Table, an organization that provides meals in the South Park Blocks. Clay Street Table was started in 2010 and serves over 250,000 meals every year. 

This time, in addition to handing out lunch, SLS members distributed hygiene kits, hand warmers, tarps, coats, gloves, socks, and hats.

Student Leaders for Service Ghazal, Ella, Kate, Valeria, Samantha, Mary, and Isabel started planning to fundraise for this special distribution event in December, before Winter Break. They held a very successful bake sale to raise money to buy items to distribute. 

SLS member Ella worked with The Shopp to provide clothing to hand out. Ella works regular shifts with The Shopp, a thrift store whose proceeds directly support NW Collaborative, a nonprofit that addresses the needs of those who have experienced human trafficking, domestic violence, homelessness, and addiction. SLS members Isabel and Kate helped source hygiene kits through their service with Rose Haven, a day shelter for women and children. 

Through working together to connect these resources from different community partners, as well as their diligent planning, these SLS members were able to provide crucial items to meet our neighbors’ immediate needs during the most challenging season of the year! 

Learn more about Clay Street Table, The Shopp - NW Collaborative, and Rose Haven. Go to GivePulse to check out our other opportunities, including Student Leaders for Service positions for next year!

Ghazal's Service at Clay Street Table

Every Monday, Ghazal Alzghoul arrives at Clay Street Table in the South Park Blocks at 10 am. She and other volunteers prepare 160 sack lunches in the large kitchen. At 12:30, they pack brown paper bags containing sandwiches into carts and roll them out to the Park Blocks in increments. Two volunteers run the popular coffee station, while others hand out lunches. 

On this rainy February day, there was no time amidst the rush to prepare hot chocolate like she usually does, so she handed out cookies instead. She arranged Reese’s cookies on a platter, covered it with a clear domed lid to protect them from the rain, and offered them to the people who gathered in the area for lunch. People thanked Ghazal for the cookies and made conversation. Dr. Paul Davis, Director of Clay Street Table, brought out another carafe of coffee.

Ghazal said, “I chose to work with Clay Street Table because I was drawn to the way they center dignity, community, and direct connection. Growing up in rural Jordan, I saw how strong community support systems can be when people look out for one another, especially during times of hardship. That upbringing shaped how I view service as a shared responsibility. Clay Street Table feels meaningful to me because it’s not just about providing food or supplies; it’s about creating a welcoming environment where people are treated with respect and humanity.”

Clay Street Table has been operating in various forms for thirty years, first under St. Stephen’s Parish. Their free meals are well known, and many people arrived to eat. They waited under the Oregon Historical Society’s awnings to avoid the persistent rain, murals of the Lewis and Clark Expedition and the Oregon Trail towering thirty feet above. 

When the volunteers emerged, people formed lines in front of the coffee and sandwich carts. Some gathered under a tent and picked out books from Street Books, a street library that provides books and resources for “people who live outside and at the margins.”

Clay Street Table is housed in First Christian Church, but the nonprofit is non-sectarian. They serve food to anyone in need, and do not discriminate. According to their website, they provide over 250,000 meals annually, consisting of pantry groceries as well as meal distribution, in partnership with Operation Nightwatch and HomePDX. 

When asked about her advice to future students, she said, “Working with Clay Street Table will challenge you in the best way as it is an incredibly grounding experience. It reminds you that leadership isn’t always about big gestures, it’s about consistency, listening, and showing up for your community.” 

Learn more about Clay Street Table or check out GivePulse to see how you can connect with your community and explore next year’s Student Leaders for Service positions!

Packaging Books for Incarcerated People with Books Through Bars

Thank you to everyone who volunteered with Portland Books Through Bars, a nonprofit established in the 1990s that distributes books and educational materials to incarcerated people across the United States. 

Led by Kaitlyn, SCEC’s Service and Immersion Program Coordinator, PSU students and community members met at Taborspace in SE Portland to package reading materials. The team read letters written by people in custody, selected books from the organization’s donated book bank that fit the requests, and packaged them for distribution.

One volunteer, Quinn, said, “I enjoy volunteering with PDX Books Through Bars and would do so again at the drop of a hat.” 

Get involved with Books Through Bars by donating books, volunteering, or checking GivePulse to join SCEC for future opportunities!