CCC’s podcast, They Are Us: Breaking Through Stigma, continues to shed light on the realities of homelessness and substance use in Portland, featuring voices from people in recovery and frontline experts. Hosted by Juliana Lukasik, CCC’s Public Affairs Director, the series challenges stigma by sharing stories and professional insights on the complex paths to healing and stability.
As episodes air, they will be available on our Podcast page!
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Listen to Episode 8
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Episode 8 Summary
In this episode of They Are Us, host Juliana sits down with Scott Kerman, Executive Director of Blanchet House and Farm, and David Hassenger, a former resident who now works for CCC’s Clean Start program. Together, they talk about food insecurity, recovery, and the power of nonprofit collaboration in Portland.
Scott shares how Blanchet House has spent more than 70 years meeting people’s most basic needs with dignity, offering meals, clothing, and community to those navigating poverty and homelessness. David reflects on his own journey from eating meals at Blanchet House to finding stability and purpose through work with CCC, showing what is possible when compassion and opportunity come together to change lives.
Meeting Hunger with Humanity
For decades, Blanchet House has served as a refuge for anyone in need of a hot meal or a fresh start. Scott describes how the organization’s model of “hospitality first” provides far more than food, restoring dignity and connection to people who often feel unseen. Every meal served represents a moment of care and an invitation to hope, made possible entirely through community generosity, volunteer service, and a shared belief that no one should go hungry in Portland.
Giving Back While Moving Forward
David’s story embodies the power of that care. After experiencing homelessness and recovering from personal hardship, he found stability as a resident at Blanchet House, where working in the kitchen helped him rebuild structure, confidence, and a sense of belonging. Today, as a Clean Start crew member with CCC, he gives back to the same streets where he once struggled, finding purpose in keeping Portland clean and helping others see that recovery is possible. His story reminds us that work, dignity, and community are deeply intertwined.
A Place at the Table
Both Scott and David remind us that ending homelessness requires more than one organization or one solution. It takes a community of partners, each offering their own seat at the table, to create lasting change. Through collaboration between Blanchet House, CCC, and others across Portland, people are finding nourishment, stability, and connection. This episode shows that when everyone has a place at the table, the entire community grows stronger.
Listen to the eighth episode here and stay tuned for more honest stories and discussions that break stigma and foster understanding of homelessness and substance use disorders in our community.
