The Columbian

‘We gather as a beloved community to say that we dare to be different’: Clark County religious, community leaders speak out on Transgender Day of Remembrance

Community members gathered on Monday to honor Transgender Day of Remembrance hosted by the Community Foundation.

Nikki Kuhnhausen. Brent Wood. Mac Ohana. Natalie Nguyen. Rikkey Outumuro. Summer Taylor. Zoella Rosa Matinez. Aja Raquell Rhone-Spears. Chloe Sagal. Colin Smith. Gigi Pierce. Jessi Hart. Kenna Leigh Gillock. Loni Kai Okaruru. Oliver Taylor. Rani Baker. Serena Brenneman. Titi Gulley. Read story

Third Safe Stay opens in Vancouver: ‘I hope we can save some lives and make things safer for folks’

Outsiders Inn Co-Director, Adam Kravitz hugs Sabrina Thayer, a “success story” graduate of the previous iterations of the housing program. Sabrina’s husband, James Thayer is at right, and Co-Director Ren Autrey is at left.

November 20, 2023, 4:00pm Clark County News

Outsiders Inn outreach team members arranged a Home Sweet Home front door mat and a blanket on a bed before closing the door of the downtown pallet shelter — decorated with a wreath handmade by the city of Vancouver’s homeless response manager, Jamie Spinelli, and her daughter. Read story

A sign near Vancouver City Hall depicts development plans for the area as some residents begin to pack their belongings and leave.

One of the cleaner and safer homeless camps, ‘City Hall camp’ to be removed to make way for Vancouver development

November 14, 2023, 6:05am Business

One of Vancouver’s most visible encampments — dubbed the “city hall camp” by some locals due to its proximity to the building — will be largely removed Thursday to make way for development on the site. Read story

Lonny Klugman, a member of the city of Vancouver's Homeless Assistance and Resources Team, talks to an encampment resident outside Vancouver City Hall. Klugman is a veteran who experienced homelessness and uses his experience to help others.

From service to civilian: Veterans with lived experience now confront homelessness in veteran community

November 11, 2023, 6:14am Clark County News

Today is Veterans Day, which since 1938 has been a day set aside to honor military veterans. Today is also a day when, in Clark County, an estimated 83 veterans are without homes. Read story

More than half of the population of homeless students in Clark County are people of color.

New study finds a majority of Clark County’s homeless students are students of color

November 11, 2023, 6:08am Clark County News

A new study released last month shows a majority of Clark County’s homeless students are students of color. Read story

Shelter beds are ready in the Winter Hospitality Overflow shelter at St. Paul Luther Church in Vancouver. Congregations and nonprofit organizations in Clark County are working to expand the number of winter shelter beds available with Satellite Overflow Shelters at Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church, Immanuel Lutheran Church and River City Church. Other locations will provide more beds in the event of extreme winter weather.

Vancouver service providers add 100 more beds to winter shelters; they hope to ‘make a difference’ for families

November 10, 2023, 6:01am Clark County News

Various faith congregations and nonprofit organizations have joined together to expand the number of emergency shelter beds available to community members. Read story

Vancouver’s Homelessness Response Coordinator Jamie Spinelli (Amanda Cowan/The Columbian)

Vancouver officials explain emergency declaration for homelessness

November 7, 2023, 7:37pm Clark County News

In a Tuesday interview with The Columbian, Vancouver City Manager Eric Holmes, Vancouver’s Homelessness Response Coordinator Jamie Spinelli and Vancouver City Councilor Ty Stober spoke in more detail about why a civil emergency for homelessness was declared and plans for addressing the issue. Read story

Stories by Mia Ryder-Marks

Columbian staff reporter