The Privilege of Self Care

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Image courtesy of J-Store Daily


As of January 23rd, 2019 4015 people were counted as experiencing houselessness in the Portland metro area (1). 2037 of that 4015 were unsheltered. That’s 2037 of our neighbors without immediate access to shelter, clean water, electricity, heat, and many of the amenities that the rest of Portland has the privilege to access. 


An article featured on J-Store Daily recently piqued my curiosity “What Leisure Means for People Who Are Homeless” (2). The article outlines the downtime, leisure, and pleasurable activities for those without a permanent residence. It also includes a sharp critique of those that consider people in this situation to be on ‘permanent vacation’ or making statements to the tune of “Don’t they have more pressing needs?” (2). 


In January of 2015 Oregonlive did an in depth piece about homelessness in Oregon, with a specific focus on Portland. (3) One thing that stuck out to me is the constant work it takes to be homeless. Resources are spread throughout the city, shelters are limited, and finding a place to settle in for a short or extended period of time is difficult when one is forced to keep moving. This leaves limited time for leisure let alone self care. 


Our neighbors living unsheltered deserve the dignity and respect of housing, running water, electricity, and a day off from worrying about access to food, shelter, and safety. While some may believe that self care is an amenity only needed by those with a permanent residence and a job, I’m of the opinion that they go hand in hand. Hygiene and self perception are crucial when it comes to the confidence it takes to maintain a healthy living situation and work. 



Resources


1 Count of Homelessness in Portland/Gresham/Multnomah County, Oregon


2

What Leisure Means for People Who Are Homeless - JSTOR Daily


https://www.jstor.org/stable/26151078?mag=what-leisure-means-for-people-who-are-homeless&seq=10#metadata_info_tab_contents


3

Our Homeless Crisis | OregonLive.com


4

Homelessness Statistics | Resources | The City of Portland, Oregon


Resources to help


https://impactnw.org/


https://www.seuplift.org/se-uplift-houselessness-resource-guide/


https://blanchethouse.org/get-involved/


https://portland2.salvationarmy.org/portland2/all-about-kids/


Published by Aaron Bergeson

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