Andrew

$2 portrait project began with Thomas Hawk.

Andrew approached just as we were about to cross the street. He was happy to have his portrait take in exchange for the $2. And then, he started to ask a few questions of us. He's from Los Angeles and loves Portland. He thought it was a great place to raise a family, but he never really mentioned that he had one.

He immediately began talking about a vision he has. He said that the people on the street don't want a hand out, but rather a hand up. He said that if only they could get a building with security for people to stay at.

He had ideas about how he would organize it. The first floor would be segregated, men on one side, women and children on the other. People could stay there for 60 days and kind of "re-group". A nurse would always be available.

The second floor would be for education so that people could be prepared to go back out into the work force. If they couldn't cut it on the second floor, they would go back to the first floor.

Andrew was so passionate about his idea, I think he could have talked for days about it.