Portland’s bike traffic continues to draw the attention of organizations that want to engage bike riders with their messages.
Last month, the Portland Opera Company hosted an event to share their upcoming premiere of Puccini’s La Boheme with the throngs of evening bike commuters that pass by their offices on the Eastbank Esplanade. Yesterday, PBOT and local biking and walking advocates held a “Calm Commute” event on the Hawthorne Bridge, and this morning, PBOT and their Maintenance Operations Division spread a message of safety by giving out donuts and coffee on N. Mississippi Ave.
And tomorrow, Catholic Charities Oregon and Catholic Charities USA will team up with Shift to (update: I have confirmed that Shift was unaware of being named in their press release) serve pancakes, donuts and coffee to people on bikes coming into Portland via the Hawthorne Bridge.
According to a press release issued today, Catholic Charities has organized the event to “instill awareness of the plight of poverty throughout Portland, and our nation.” The organization is hosting a conference in Portland on reducing povery in America this Thursday to Saturday.
Catholic Charities also wants to raise awareness and recruit participants for Cycling for Change, a ride led by a Father from Kansas City that will go from Cape Flattery, Washington, to Key West, Florida in 100 days. “Portland was chosen as the site in which to launch involvement in this event due to its national reputation as a bicycle-friendly city.”
Joining the event from 7-9:00 am on the northwest end of the Hawthorne Bridge will be several dignitaries and executives from Catholic Charities USA and Multnomah County Commissioner Judy Shiprack.
there are secular organizations that are worthy of donating to that help people out. if they ask for donations. and i’m sure they will.
You know cycling is becoming main stream, at least in Portland, when the group most likely to be stereotypical right-wing, bike-hating, SUV driving ***deleted by moderator*** whack jobs are now willing to look past that and beg us for money.
I guess cyclists aren’t broke homeless bums and criminals anymore; I guess we are dirty smelly hippies who have money to burn on what is obviously recreation transportation.
I’ll help the poor more locally and directly instead of entrusting my money to an organization that seems to prize being hypocritical and duplicitous.
Q’ztal.. Perhaps you mischaracterize Cath. Charities. Several people I know have been beneficiaries of their work, which comes with no strings attached, no proselityzing. And remember poverty is the reason you see so many of those old Magnas around,doing duty as primary transportation of the poor and the working poor. Safety is a concern of Cath Charity,since so many of their clients rely so heavily on bikes. Working to insure their safety isn’t disingenuous,its good policy.
Background.. I actually have an axe to grind with the Catholic Church,but not their charities. But when someone works to feed the hungry,clothe the naked,and the 5 other ‘corporal works of mercy’, I aint gonna rank on them.
wow, q’ztal, you must be very familiar with this organziation to make such vitriolic claims…or is this based on your own stereotyping or anti-organized religion prejudice?
I say, good for them. Don’t know anything about the group but sounds like at least one of the members – Father from KC – is doing something postive.
No, I have some first hand experience with the hypocritical “pious” and various christian denominations across the nation and my observations are that the morally ambiguous hide much more effectively inside christian charities then they do in the general population. Also, as inexplicable as it is, I have run across more despicable human beings inside these organizations than not; maybe I’m a bad sample size for a statistical conclusion.
There are startling superb examples of wonderfully giving, caring, forgiving, honest individuals but their efforts are hobbled by the large ranks of apathetic and outright damaged by the snakes hiding in own their midst.
So, I don’t need some else’s spin to form my opinion.
You too can help the needy in a direct and hands on way. Help one or many but do something. Less effort is wasted and you might just find you enjoy it.
I have interned for Catholic Charities, specifically in their immigration legal services program, and can say from actual first hand experience that the people working in that office are extremely giving, caring, forgiving, and honest. I’m not sure how you can spin pro-bono legal assistance to victims of domestic and other forms of abuse as “morally ambiguous,” especially when the organization categorically refrains from any sort of proselytizing or religious indoctrination.
I’m always amazed how myopically intolerant “progressive” portlanders can be.
Q`ztal – are you going to tear up a picture of the Pope now? How trendy…
I was sorry I couldn’t stop on my way in to work this morning — I appreciate when people of faith back up their beliefs with positive actions that can actually protect this planet and get others to think about how they live.
If only all faiths would make protecting the planet a priority…
Adams Carroll — Catholic Charities is the same organization that ended its adoption services (which was being subsidized by the state) in Massachusetts rather than comply with state law that gays & lebians be allowed to adopt children.
This is your model for compassion and tolerance?
I’m always amazed how myopically intolerant “progressive” portlanders can be.
I am the first to admit that I am extremely intolerant when it comes to issues of religion/spirituality. I strongly feel that religion is not a positive influence in the world, it only detracts and divides and has no place in a rational and progressive society. not to mention it’s based on superstitions and allegories that shouldn’t be held up as guides to life.
Michael, that’s fucked up for sure. Nope, I don’t think that is compassionate or tolerant. It’s a shame that church leaders can’t break away from prejudice and dogma to bring their beliefs in line with a moral code that accepts all people. In light of the history of Catholic church reforms, it will probably be a long time before that happens.
In the meantime, I hope Catholic Charities Oregon continues offering housing, disaster relief services, addiction support, immigration legal services, domestic violence and sexual assault support, refugee resettlement, and more. These programs change, enrich, and even save lives on a daily basis. You don’t need to be a catholic, or a christian, or even spiritual (I’m certainly not) to see how these services benefit our community.