Event sponsor: Forest Park Federal Credit Union

“My child has shown so much social improvement. I love feeling part of the community that we are in and Friendly House is a huge part of that - a neighborhood rock.”
- Preschool Parent

Fall Luncheon Speech, October 23, 2008
How Friendly House Will Attain its Vision

Vaune Albanese, Executive Director

You heard our vision statement during the slide show. Here it is again: Friendly House is a model for quality programs and services that sustain and enrich people’s lives in the Portland Metropolitan community. Did you get that? A model for quality programs and services that sustain and enrich people’s lives. That’s a lot to aspire to, especially in today’s economic environment, but I know we will get there together, you and me.

Here’s how we are going to do it:
First, we LIVE OUR VALUES. Every day at Friendly House we live the words “personal development,” “integrity”, “compassion” and “reliability.” Our mission and values are the litmus test for whether Friendly House should offer a program, a service or an activity.

This summer I got to go on a trip to Mt. Hood with 35 kindergarten through fifth graders in our summer day camp program. Many of these children were there thanks to our scholarship fund. And five of the scholarship children were part of Friendly House’s transitional housing program for homeless families. I had no idea until a staff member pointed them out that several of these children had never seen snow before. I wish you could have seen the looks on their faces as the bus drove up the mountain where the snow got deeper and deeper. And when we got out of the bus and walked up a hill onto about 25 feet of packed snow, they were in a state of sheer delight. They touched it, rolled in it, tasted it, threw it, ran in it, built with it and finally, soaked and cold, they climbed off it. Most importantly, these children, who by necessity have become miniature-adults because of their family circumstances, got some of their childhood back that day.

Second, we REACH OUT TO OUR COMMUNITY. Friendly House, which was founded as a neighborhood center in 1930, must stay in touch with its roots. Traditionally, neighborhood centers have been gathering places for the community. We need to create activities that will bring us all together. Rich and poor, old and young, gay and straight, black and white. That is why we are creating more activities that reach out to people from all around our community.

Last month we hosted an open house and 350 people came. I was proud to be a part of Friendly House that day (Well, I’m proud to be part of FH every day, but this was an extra special one). There were families from our transitional housing program – DANCING! There were seniors – TRYING TAI CHI! There were children – TWIRLING BATONS! There were people of all walks of life – GREETING ONEANOTHER, TALKING, HUGGING. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the stuff from which our social fabric is woven. This is the stuff that makes us realize we are not alone in this world. That we have a community we can rely on, learn from, and thrive with.

Third, we must HIRE GREAT STAFF that share the vision and work together to accomplish it: Staff members who are professional, yet loving; knowledgeable, yet compassionate; serious about their work, yet joyful.

Three years ago, Jackie Eagle was referred to Friendly House by a non-profit employment agency that places older adults at work sites to build their skills. Jackie had spent the prior three years drug addicted and homeless. She had recently quit using, found housing and was trying to rebuild her life. Jackie had indicated she was interested in being a receptionist and building her computer skills, and was placed at the Friendly House Senior Program, where she learned to answer phones and file. Jackie would see our staff working with clients and would shake her head and say “I don’t know how you do it. I could never work directly with clients.” But, last April, a case management assistant position opened up in the Senior Program. Guess who applied and guess who we hired? Now Jackie spends all her time out in the field helping frail elders with their housekeeping, escorting them to medical appointments and grocery shopping for them. Jackie tells me she has found her passion and we have found a staff member who is professional, yet loving; knowledgeable, yet compassionate; serious about her work, yet joyful.

Fourth, we RECRUIT THE BEST VOLUNTEERS. Friendly House has a one-and-a-half million dollar budget. We couldn’t do all we do without over 300 volunteers a year working at all levels of the organization, from crews that paint classrooms to our board of directors.

That’s why when GRIF-IN Gaffney contacted me about his interest in starting a violin club at Friendly Chaps, our program for school-age children, we jumped all over it. Turns out Griffin is a high school senior who didn’t know he had an aptitude for music until he was in third grade. Then it changed his life and now he wants to maybe change other people’s lives. So he raised money to purchase violins to teach a group of 3rd – 5th graders at Friendly House. Most of the children who will get these free lessons would never have the opportunity if not for Griffin. Let me share a little known fact: Little Benjamin David, aka, Benny Goodman, the King of Swing, learned how to play the clarinet at Hull House, the famous Chicago neighborhood center. So who knows how this opportunity is going to change the lives of children in our community.

Finally, we must RAISE THE MONEY to fund our vision. I won’t go into a lot of detail here because you will be hearing from David a little later. I just want to close by saying that when I became the executive director of Friendly House 4 years ago I decided to give until I felt it in my pocketbook. That’s when I became a Bridge Builder at Friendly House. I can tell you first hand: it feels sooo good! I hope you will consider joining me today in making our vision a reality by giving a generous gift to this great organization.