Organization Profiles

Sisters of the Road Cafe Portland, OR, July 15, 1998

Sisters of the Road Cafe is a nonprofit restaurant located in the heart of the Old Town/Chinatown Neighborhood of Portland, Oregon. Its mission is to alleviate hunger in an atmosphere of non-violence and gentle personalism that nurtures the whole individual toward changes that will reach the root of her homelessness and poverty and end it forever. Sisters goals include providing a safe public place for everyone, especially women and children; offering nourishing meals at little cost or in exchange for labor; and providing job training and employment experience to local residents. Christine, an Employee of Sisters, explains the history and philosophy of the Cafe:

"Genevieve Nelson and Sandy Gooch started Sisters 19 years ago. They were two college students who were working on a work study grant with women on the streets. The 1970's were the first time women were appearing on the streets in any great numbers, and there were not a lot of shelters that took women at that time. Genevieve and Sandy worked at a shelter that provided space for women during the day. It's from working with these women and going to the soup kitchens that the idea for the cafe was born. They decided that everybody, no matter what your economic status, deserved a safe public place and a meal that was recognizable. It was opened in 1979 and still operates today on the philosophy of non-violence and hospitality. We define violence as humiliating another person. Racism or sexism, along with physical violence is not tolerated. Any person is welcome in the Cafe as long as they can hold to these standards."

The Cafe serves an average of 250 meals per day, though they believe that Sisters is not just about helping hungry and homeless people. Sisters is about creating community and permanent stable relationships, helping people change their lives, and working to eradicate homelessness.

Operation Safety Net Pittsburgh, PA, August 11, 1998

Operation Safety Net began in the Spring of 1992 as an informal collaboration of compassionate medical volunteers led by Pittsburgh Mercy Health System physician James S. Withers, MD. The goal of the group is to provide quality care to society's most vulnerable in a manner that enhances human dignity. Recognized as one of the most successful street-based health care programs in the country, OSN's volunteers take to the streets in teams giving medical care and emotional support to homeless clients. Susan O'Toole, a nurse and volunteer, explains a typical Monday night on the streets with Operation Safety Net and the importance of building lasting relationships with their homeless clients:

"I usually get to the location at 6:30 PM. During that time people are starting to gather in the parking lot where the van will be arriving. At this time we're doing some social interaction, checking on people to see how they're doing and what has happened in the past week. Also at the location, volunteers from the Sisters of Mercy are passing out bags of food. The medical van comes at 7:00 PM and the homeless folks will sign up if they wish to be seen by one of the nurses or the physician who comes a little later in the evening. In the van we can do physical assessments, footcare, skincare, remove sutures, change dressings, monitor blood pressure, etc. Between the relationship building and the medical treatment we may treat up to 40 people a night. A lot of the time is spent on the psychosocial and building trust between us and our homeless clients is an important step. To me, many times the biggest steps of progress are when we can get the person who is very mistrustful to come from across the street and into the van. This trust building is the first step that has to occur before we can begin to help alleviate the situation on them living on the streets."

Operation Safety Net's success is rooted in its philosophy of first gaining the trust of unsheltered homeless people by treating them with respect and nurturing a positive self image. Only after an understanding of the problems the homeless face on an individual level can they proceed to address the barriers the individuals face accessing health care and other resources necessary for them to improve their quality of life.

The Inspiration Cafe Chicago, IL, November 7, 1998

The Inspiration Cafe started in 1989 with a Radio Flyer Wagon filled with coffee and sandwiches for homeless people waiting to get into shelters for the night. It grew into a bus and, in 1991, a full service cafe in Chicago's Uptown neighborhood. The Cafe takes a holistic approach to serving its guests, providing food, training, and support to the homeless who are working to regain their self-sufficiency.

The Cafe also helps people re-acclimate to the responsibilities and routine of employment and develop the necessary skills and inner resources for transition to mainstream living. The Cafe closely resembles an upscale restaurant, with personalized service and respectful treatment to all guests. Inspiration Cafe provides an intimate space where homeless people, volunteers, staff and community members reunite and share meals. The Cafe distributes surplus food from its mobile pantry to Cafe alumni and other social agencies serving homeless and hungry people.

Volunteers in Medicine Greenville, SC, November 18, 1998

Volunteers in Medicine provides free medical services to uninsured patients at its clinic in Hilton Head, South Carolina. Over 100 retired and practicing doctors, dentists, nurses and other specialists, and 200 lay volunteers, give their time to treat 12,000 uninsured patients a year. The clinic is absolutely free to those eligible for its services: no co-payments, no bills, and no insurance forms to fill out. Some of the services provided include vaccinations, physical examinations, postnatal care, pediatric care and mental health services. The clinic also provides free medications to patients donated by pharmaceutical companies, and some local pharmacies offer discounted prices for medications the clinic doesn't carry. Dr. Bret Williams explains one of the benefits to the community from the clinic:

"One of the nicest things about this clinic is how it is staffed and supported by the community it serves. Many of the people who are seen here initially as patients end up as donors several years later. The people who donate to the clinic also benefit because folks are willing to stay in this area and work in Hilton Head because they can get health care here. There are many places in this country they would not be able to get it."

Volunteers in Medicine depends entirely on private gifts and donations. The cost of operating is about $35 per patient visit including medications, lab work, x-rays, physician time, and treatments. The money raised at the Waterwheel table in Greenville helped doctors see nearly 30 patients who may have otherwise gone without medical treatment.

V.B. Seton House Virginia Beach, VA, July 8, 1999

Seton House is a nonprofit organization which provides a crisis shelter and counseling for teenagers in the Virginia Beach area. It hosts a girls group home and a boys group home for self admitted teens in crisis, and also provides a 24-hour confidential hotline. Seton House services are available to all eligible teens regardless of race, religion, creed, ethnic origin or state of residence. The residential shelter program for teens through Seton House provides individual family and group counseling for families in crisis. Teens who don't want to check into the shelter can participate in out-client counseling which provides the teen and his or her family with counseling and referral services.

Seton House also focuses on the parents of teens in crisis, providing a supportive, developmental program designed to help these parents explore their current parenting style and work on communication skills in a less rigid atmosphere. This organization welcomes teenagers in need with a safe haven, 24 hours a day, without charge, working towards the goal of reuniting families. The following case study demonstrates the important role Seton House can have in helping reunite distressed families:

When Susie came to Seton House she displayed a gash on her head where her mom cut her with the kitchen knife in anger. Her mother was too devastated and ashamed that she had gone this far. Susie knew she had pushed the limit by bringing the boy into the house. This was not the first time either. She resented her step-dad for telling on her. Susie was deeply embarrassed from being accused of having sex. No one would believe or trust her again. The family bond was broken.

With careful listening, Susie's case manager found strengths in the family and began to work toward accentuating them. Susie and her mother worked to heal the pain of the altercation as well as defining boundaries in the home. Family conferences went from tearful episodes of anger to humble pledges of love and reconciliation. Susie was able to accept responsibility for her behavior and replace her defiant attitude with respect for both herself and her mother.

As they continue without client therapy, we watch them grow in strength and spirit. The bond of closeness is apparent when they can laugh at the silly mistakes they make these days. Susie and her mom continue to heal which has brought the family back together.

Heartwood Noblesville, IN July 26, 1999

Heartwood is a network of grassroots organizations dedicated to the protection and restoration of forests in the Midwest, Southern, and Eastern United States. Heartwood was founded 9 years ago when activists from Indiana, Illinois, and Kentucky agreed to work together to protect the Central Hardwood forest. The Indiana based organization ultimately works to end all exploitation of public lands including logging, grazing, mining, and off road vehicle use. It has been successful in building a forest protection network which includes over 75 organizations in 18 states.

Heartwood also helps create protection organizations throughout the Midwest, supporting them until they are able to take off on their own. This helps to make the priorities and goals of Heartwood more widespread as people realize that the threats to our forests transcend state lines and administrative borders. The sense of community created among the forest protection organizations through Heartwood is important for the strength of the movement and the continued restoration of the region's forests. Heartwood has helped end logging in the National Forests of Illinois, Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana and also to substantially reduce logging in Missouri, Pennsylvania, and Mississippi. Tiffany Kinney, an employee of Heartwood, describes the organization:

"Heartwood has served as an umbrella organization for grassroots activists and organizations for the past 9 years. In this capacity, Heartwood has been able to provide direct financial support to activists through our monthly reimbursement program, as well as support organizations through our quarterly mini-grant program. The money we receive from WaterWheel will go directly to activists who work on forest, water, and other pressing environmental issues. One of the greatest strengths of Heartwood is that we are able to help people who dedicate their life and soul to help heal the earth from the tragedy and destruction that has occurred.

Over the years Heartwood has become the champion of the nation's hardwood forests and a respected leader in national forest protection efforts. However, equally important is that the activists who have combined forces to protect the earth have come to appreciate an even deeper connection together as they seek to contribute to a just and compassionate society."

The Raincoast Conservation Society Vancouver, BC, September 9,1999

The Raincoast Conservation Society is a non-profit research and public education organization dedicated to the protection of the Great Bear Rainforest. This region covers the north coast of British Columbia from Knight Inlet to the Alaskan border and is home to Canada's largest grizzly bears, the rare White Spirit bear, and thousands of genetically unique races of wild Pacific salmon. The mission of the Raincoast Conservation Society is to ensure the long-term survival of these animals and the interdependent life forms that define the ancient temperate rainforest.

The rainforest is more than three million hectares of intact coastal rainforest, yet less than 10 percent of this land base comprises the salmon-rich river valley bottoms that are the biological core of the region. These valleys are the targets of multi-national logging companies and since 1990, the Raincoast Conservation Society has documented the loss of 32 intact rainforest valleys to industrial logging. Collecting photographic, video and scientific evidence and building awareness of these threatened river valleys is the foundation of Raincoast's work. In order to accomplish their goals, Raincoast has produced an award winning book, two documentaries, scientific reports, and other literature for public education. They campaign for public support of the protection of the Great Bear Rainforest and offer slide shows and other community outreach programs. They also conduct field research, including daily monitoring of the river valleys and the development of a science-based conservation plan for the mainland coast.

Chris Genovali, the executive director of the Raincoast Conservation Society, tells us that "the generous donation provided to Raincoast through Phish and the Waterwheel Foundation is helping to fund our coastal grizzly bear protection campaign in the Great Bear Rainforest on B.C.'s Pacific coast." This Grizzly Bear Project is aimed at protecting the coastal grizzly bear habitat from logging road construction and putting an end to the sport hunting of these bears.