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Portland
Shanon Tudela is one of the lucky ones. After leaving home because of sexual and physical abuse, she lived on the streets of Portland, where she developed “an outrageous” heroin habit. When she discovered she was pregnant, she sought help from The Salvation Army Greenhouse, a program for homeless street teens.
Clean and sober for three years now, she has completed her GED at the Greenhouse Alternative School, has a job and apartment, and is attending a local community college on a Greenhouse scholarship. “I wanted to do it differently for my daughter,” said Shanon. “And Greenhouse was how I stayed alive. If it weren’t for that, I honestly don’t think we would have made it.”
Shanon was one of three young speakers featured at the “All About Kids” fundraising luncheon held by the Army in Portland. Akala Rice and Ben Moseley also spoke about the impact The Salvation Army has had on their lives.
Attended by 700, the event raised more than $107,000 for the Army’s services in the Portland metro area. Local TV news anchor Paul Linnmann emceed the event and The Singing Company, from Portland Tabernacle Corps, brought down the house with their two songs.
“Although successful as a fund raiser, the luncheon’s primary goal is to educate the community about The Salvation Army’s services,” stated Rowanne Haley, city programs coordinator. “It also serves as a wonderful witness to the healing power of God’s love as demonstrated by an organization yielded to him.”
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