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Salvation Army moves HQ to east Portland For almost 100 years the Salvation Army has been changing lives at their adult rehabilitation center in a building near the foot of the Burnside Bridge. Last month, after 10 years of planning, they moved into a brand new facility on 82nd Avenue near the airport AMBER MCKENNA THE MID-COUNTY MEMO
The Salvation Army Adult Rehabilitation Center building isn't exactly eye-catching. And though it appears run-down and barren, it has never been without life. For the countless men who learn, work and recover here in the ARC building it is where a new life free of drugs and alcohol begins -- no matter what their age. We've never not had life here, Doug Topness, director of rehabilitation, says. This is a lively place. Now a recently completed $25 million state-of-the-art facility located at 6655 N.E. 82nd Ave is bringing renewed life to a program that has served so many, so well. It is, says Capt. Eric Wilkerson, head of the center, something completely unprecedented for the Portland program. Outdated, overcrowded The building at 139 S.E. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. had been used by the organization for 92 years. The bas relief Salvation Army logo is still faintly visible in the side of the building. Offices here are comprised of furniture from decades past, as well as out-dated electronics. Here, you put a hole in the wall, you put a picture over it, says Topness. As for the dormitory-style sleeping quarters for recovering men, or beneficiaries (as they are called in the program), beds are ten to a room. And though not unbearable, it makes for a tight squeeze. Wilkerson says the organization is walking away from all of it - the furniture, the computers, the pots and pans, as spanking new appliances, electronics and decor are ready for them at the new facility. Shiny and new The administrators spent July moving into the Northeast 82nd Avenue location, and the beneficiaries followed. The 10-acre campus, which was in various stages of planning for the past ten years. is more than double the three lot space that made up the original program. Along with stabilizing the soil and clearing the land, separate buildings were constructed to house administrative offices, the warehouse distribution center, the chapel and residence.
Previously enrollment in the rehabilitation program was capped at 76. Wilkerson says the program will now be able to accommodate up to 120 men at any given time - with only three to a room. The smell of freshly-installed flooring, fresh paint and sheetrock is immediately noticeable, and the old-growth trees that stand tall next to the crisp building provide a sense of the outdoors, something sorely lacking at the old facility. Careful planning meant only a few trees were cut down in the process of the new construction. Those trees were then made into a large cross that now hangs in front of the center's new chapel. Welcome to my new home, says Wilkerson, who finds the view from his pulpit an exciting one indeed. In addition to the new chapel, which can accommodate 250 worshippers, a state-of-the-art kitchen, dining facilities, workout room and basketball court are things beneficiaries have been anticipating for a long time. The men love recreation. The new facilities will be great for them, says Topness. A TV lounge area for use during the beneficiaries' free time includes a deli where the men can purchase snacks and soda. Wilkerson says he is developing some of his own concoctions to be served at snack area, such as Captain's Killer Tacos. Changes for all Though the new location means innumerable positive changes for the program, there are some unavoidable drawbacks. Topness explains that with the center at Southeast Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, the beneficiaries were recovering in the face of it, with a high rate of drug use, transients and crime in the area just outside the ARC's former doors. Recent years even saw a shooting a few blocks from the center, an event witnessed by some of the beneficiaries. But with the rough neighborhood came some conveniences. This is a homeless, drug-addicted part of the city. Because of that, there are many free clinics and 12-step meetings nearby, says Topness. Central City Concern's Hooper Detoxification Center was also just down the street from the old facility. After the four to seven day detoxification process, men and women could walk to the Salvation Army ARC, enrolling in the six-month program. While the isolation of the Northeast 82nd Avenue campus could be conducive to a less-distracting recovery process, it will take planning to bus beneficiaries to services and work locations. Additionally, the lack of public transportation options near the new location will make extra work for employees to commute, says Wilkerson. Topness adds Salvation Army may have to be more proactive about collecting donations at the new, less visible facility. He also hopes attendance at beneficiary alumni meetings does not wane because of the location change. Great new path ahead For now, the excitement and contentment that comes with a new facility will keep everyone happy. Wilkerson says the old building will continue to be used for storage until it is sold, and that local and neighboring Salvation Army groups are lining up to use the new facility for events. If one thing is clear, it is the mindset of everyone at the center is of renewal and fresh life - a perfect fit for those working to recover. Wilder says the new facility allows the organization to better help those in need, which is all that matters. The beauty of what we get to provide and do is pretty overwhelming, she adds. Program with a purpose The Salvation Army was started by William and Catherine Booth in the later part of the nineteenth century on the premise of bringing salvation to those in need, with the hope that the people they served would continue to do the same. While the intentions have not changed, Topness says the original slogan for the organization of soup, soap and salvation is no longer adequate to describe what they do at the rehabilitation center. The six-month residential alcohol and drug treatment program includes work therapy, counselling, education, 12-step meetings, and re-entry support and chapel services. Some beneficiaries can extend their treatment time beyond the required six months. The Portland ARC is one of the Salvation Army's largest. |
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