Honoring 45 years of compassion, hope and recovery

A huge and wonderful THANK YOU!

On October 9, 2024, Central City Concern (CCC) gathered for Compassion in Action, celebrating the thousands of lives changed and the successful journeys yet to come. A huge thank you to everyone who made Compassion in Action 2024 a success!

Together, we raised over $485,000 in honor of 45 years of CCC’s mission of compassion, hope and recovery.

Thank You to Our Sponsors

This event would not have been possible without the generous support of our sponsors, whose contributions directly impact the lives of those we serve. We are truly grateful for their commitment to making a difference. A special thanks to CareOregon, our presenting sponsor; U.S. Bank, our reception sponsor; Alaska Airlines, our paddle raise sponsor; and our platinum sponsors, Providence Health Plan, Walsh Construction Co., and The Larry and Pam Naito Fund.

Together, we’re fostering compassion and positive change in our community!

View the full list of sponsors!

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A Celebration of Hope

Here’s a recap of this year’s Compassion in Action luncheon, highlighting key takeaways from the speakers, important discussions, and the impact we celebrated together!

Dr. Amit Shah, Chief Medical Officer, CareOregon

We were proud to welcome Dr. Amit Shah, who spoke about CCC’s work to support people to become self-sufficient and productive community members. From providing life-saving treatment to individuals struggling with alcohol or substance use disorders, to offering ongoing recovery support, CCC is at the forefront of breaking the cycle of addiction. CCC is a champion in expanding access to care and ensuring that people can get the help they need, when they need it.

“Together, we are working toward a future where everyone – regardless of their circumstances – can access the care, housing, and support they need to lead healthier lives.” – Dr. Amit Shah

Dr. Andy Mendenhall, President and Chief Executive Office

Dr. Andy Mendenhall set the tone by addressing the factors driving homelessness and the behavioral health crisis in our community. Despite these challenges, CCC has made significant strides over the past year, with new programs helping individuals stabilize, recover, secure housing, and re-enter the workforce. Here are some of those accomplishments:

Launched the Mobile Health program, with two vans now providing care to individuals living outdoors five days a week.
Launched the HEART (Homeless Enhanced Outreach and Response Team) program, a street-based outreach team providing transitional services focused in Portland’s Old Town/Chinatown neighborhood.
Purchased a building in SE Portland that will become a new 74-bed residential treatment center.
Installed naloxone stations in all of our housing, providing access to naloxone within 30 seconds to reverse overdoses. In 2023, CCC distributed over 15,000 doses, saving countless lives!
Relocated and expanded our Recuperative Care Program, increasing the number of beds from 51 to 84 to provide care for individuals exiting hospital systems with nowhere else to go.

To learn more, check out our Strategic Plan Year 1 Project Updates!

Lifetime Achievement Award to Congressman Earl Blumenauer

We chose to honor Congressman Blumenauer for his significant contributions to affordable housing and unwavering commitment to making the lives of all Oregonians more prosperous. As he retires after over 50 years of public service, he’s someone we can look up to— a balancing force in a time of great divide and derision. His leadership—focused, determined, kind, and gracious—stands as an example to us all. We’re inspired by his humility and remarkable accomplishments.

Meeting People Where They Are

One of the requests we frequently receive at CCC is to hear from those working on the front lines with our unhoused neighbors. We were honored to be joined by CCC staff members Drew Grabham, Director of Outreach; Dave Crosby, Program Supervisor of Street Outreach; and Angela Cave, HEART (Homeless Enhanced Outreach and Response Team) Program Supervisor.

Both Dave and Angela shared how their lived experience informs their work, emphasizing that building relationships is key to this work. What makes CCC’s Mobile Health and outreach-based programs unique are the thoughtful design, deep partnerships, responsive levels of service, and ability to address challenges faced by people experiencing homelessness. These individuals are constantly on the move, which poses challenges to accessing traditional brick-and-mortar service delivery. Our programs address the need to improve health equity and access to care by delivering culturally responsive, trauma-informed and patient-centered care.

The type of work offered through CCC’s street-based medicine and outreach may not be for everyone. Many individuals experiencing homelessness are also dealing with deep trauma, mental health issues, substance use disorders, physical health and other co-occurring conditions. Oftentimes, our street outreach teams must send people back out to hard situations.

Each of our panelists emphasized hope and belief in the process of building relationships through outreach. While a fairly new component to CCC’s work, we’re already seeing positive results through outreach and mobile health services.

Koko’s Full Circle

Koko Ta’ase was stuck in a cycle of addiction and feeling lost. After years of struggling, he reached a turning point where he knew something had to change. With the support of CCC’s recovery programs, Koko found his way back to stability and purpose. Now, he’s helping others navigate their own journeys of recovery, offering hope that change is possible no matter how difficult the road has been.

Here’s his full story – in his own words!

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Learn More About CCC’s 45 Years in Action

“Our work is difficult, challenging and imperfect. We are accountable to always be learning and improving as a system of care and services. We remain committed to strengthening our services to better meet the needs of a transformed population. Thank you for your support as we celebrate 45 years of service.”

-Dr. Andy Mendenhall