Author: Chris Waldmann

News from the President

As I write this, we’re still waiting on judicial decisions about whether or not federalized troops will be walking our streets. Given the courts today, I don’t have optimism in the ultimate ruling. With that in mind, I’ve been thinking about mutual aid, how we can help each other in the best way possible, neighbor-to-neighbor. Here are just a few tips to get you started:

1. Talk to your neighbors! Make a list of who is on your block, who may have special needs and who has special skills that they can share in an emergency. Get a phone tree or a texting list together.

2. Be prepared yourself. We all know we live in the looming shadow of a disaster. Have your plan and supplies ready.

3. Keep an eye out. Maybe you live near an immigrant family who feels vulnerable in the current environment or you know that an elderly neighbor may be vulnerable to door-to-door scams. If you’ve done #1, then you can warn them if you see something strange going on. Don’t jump too fast to conclusions, but forewarning is a great start to self defense.

We’ll have an opportunity to discuss this further and learn more at our November 12th General Meeting, where members of our local NET (Neighborhood Emergency Team) will share valuable information about how we can all get through potential disasters, natural or not. We will continue with a discussion surrounding what we as residents can do to respond safely and responsibly to the new sight of troops in Portland.

Lastly, you’ve probably heard about the SNA’s very own Sunnyside Shower Project. Would you like to learn more about how we are doing mutual aid for our less fortunate neighbors? We’ll be hosting an open house and forum at the Sunnyside Community Center, the former Methodist church at 35th and Yamhill, on Sunday, November 16th from 3-5 p.m. Come see what we do, ask questions, and maybe you’ll decide to volunteer!

Also, keep an eye out for drop boxes at businesses in Sunnyside where you can drop off donations of clothing and gear for our annual Winter Gear Drive. This annual drive brings gifts of clothing and cold weather equipment to help our neighbors survive the cold months.

One last request, if you are coming to the General Meeting on November 12th at 7 p.m., please bring donations of non-perishable food. SNA will bring all donations to the Oregon Food Bank. The cuts in federal food aid are going to start taking a bite just as prices are set to rise because of other policy decisions. So, please help your neighbors if you can!

News from the President

Hi neighbors! Can you feel the crisp in the air? This time of year is built for colorful strolls in the forest, apple-picking in the Gorge, and cozying up with warm cider by a fire-pit. It’s also a great time to get involved with your neighborhood, whether that is helping a less able neighbor take care of their leaves or organizing a cleanup on your block!

Have a community-focused project that could use some funding? Whatever your idea, the SNA in partnership with SE Uplift is here to help! The SE Uplift Community Small Grants program is open for applications through Sunday, November 2nd. Winning projects may receive up to $3000 to execute their vision to build community and increase civic engagement in the District 3 community. Projects must be sponsored by a nonprofit organization. Not a nonprofit? SNA can sponsor your project using our nonprofit status. More details are found at seuplift.org/grants.

Have you been the victim of a crime? I’m sorry. Did you know that there is a new option in Portland for victims of crime to seek justice outside the bounds of the traditional court-based system? The Portland Community Justice Program (PCJP) is a new option from a partnership between Lutheran Family Services and the Portland Police Bureau. The PCJP  focuses on the victim of a crime and seeks to repair the harm done to them through relationship building, respect, responsibility, repair and reintegration. When filing a police report, tell the officer that you want to use the restorative justice program and they will contact PCJP to get the process started. You can read all about this innovative program at lcsnw.org/program/portland-community-justice.

Thanks to the activism of local neighbors, there’s a new crosswalk coming to Sunnyside. PBOT will install the new crosswalk across Stark St. at 43rd by the Multnomah Friends Meeting and the Mazamas. Hopefully this will help tame some of the out-of-control speeds on that stretch of Stark and provide an improved measure of safety to all who use it. Kudos to Sunnyside residents for getting this done!

Autumn is a great time to plant a new tree that can spend the winter soaking up all that rain before the next dry season. The city of Portland is giving them away for free! Urban Forestry will give out 300 trees every Saturday at community events around the city, so go plant a tree at no cost! Full program information is at portland.gov/trees/tree-planting/find-your-free-trees.

Did you know Sunnyside has a new farmer’s market? Stop by the Asian Community Farmers Market on Saturdays through November 1st from noon-4 p.m.at the parking lot at SE Uplift (3534 SE Main St.) for all of your fall produce needs! All forms of payment are accepted, including EBT and WIC.

Want to see a film by a local documentarian? NW Documentary launched a monthly series of screenings, “Watch a Doc,” at the Sunnyside Community Center (3520 SE Yamhill). Events are on the second Thursday of every month. October’s film will be October Country, a “beautiful, spooky portrait of a family” from Portland-based filmmakers Michael Palmieri and Donel Mosher. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.; films start at 7 p.m.. Drinks and snacks are provided. More information at nwdocumentary.org.

That’s it for this month! We hope to see you in person in November for our next General Meeting on Wednesday, Nov. 12th.

September 10, 2025 SNA General Meeting

Join the SNA tomorrow, Wednesday September 10th, at 7 PM for our first meeting of the fall! We will hear from Lutheran Family Services about dispute resolution and mediation services they can provide to help neighborhoods live together in community. We will also have time for open discussion, so if you have issues affecting Sunnyside you’d like the SNA to help out with, bring them and let us know!

Meeting will be held at SE Uplift, 3534 SE Main St., and online at https://us06web.zoom.us/j/85776168096?pwd=dTU3V0wycWZxTmhSVGNjNjJxdjNldz09

The full agenda is available at https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Ovh1Ssobmbu9PMPcBszLxt-IOCAXIv4PZ7fofPF70Iw/view?tab=t.0#heading=h.7nze0dyg5b25

News from the President

Hi Friends. Thanks for taking the time to read the SNA newsletter, despite what I’m sure (using my magic predictive powers) is a beautiful July day! In the spirit of the long summer evenings with the kids out of school and perfect weather for picnicking in the park, I thought I’d use this space to share some free, fun summer events happening in and around the neighborhood. These are just a handful of all that is going on around town. Check out portland.gov/parks/arts-culture/summer-free-all/cultural-events for more events.

Lights! Camera! It’s Movie in the Park!

The Buckman Community Association will have a viewing of Galaxy Quest on July 17th at 7:30 p.m. at Colonel Summers Park. Truly one of the great sci-fi comedies of all time!

The SNA, in partnership with the Richmond and the Hosford-Abernathy NAs, will host an Oregon classic with The Goonies on August 16th at 7:30 p.m. in Sewallcrest Park.

Music to Fill the Night!

Get your dancing shoes on for an evening of salsa, cumbia, merengue and more with Sons de Cuba at the Mt. Tabor Amphitheater on July 10th at 6:30 p.m.

In the mood for roots and a bit of country to while away the dog days? Hear Rogue Moon perform the acoustic, folk and bluegrass sounds of the Pacific Northwest at Hoyt Arboretum Stevens Pavilion on August 28th at 6:30 p.m..

Theater and Comedy to Beat the Heat!

Last summer I stumbled upon the Original Practice Shakespeare Company. They bring the Bard’s words to new life in riotous performances that mix the original plays with a dose of comic improv that helps you understand everything that’s happening. The result is magical. They have three performances in Laurelhurst Park. On July 11th is Hamlet at 7 p.m. The next day, July 12th, they perform two additional plays — Twelfth Night at 2 p.m. and Love’s Labour’s Lost at 7 p.m. Find the full calendar at opsfest.org.

Kickstand Comedy is back for another hilarious season of stand up comedy in Laurelhurst Park. Shows start at 6:30 p.m. on Fridays all summer, except July 11th and 25th.

Street Fairs!

The beloved Portland tradition of closing our commercial corridors to traffic in the name of family fun returns with the Hawthorne Street Fair on August 24th from 12-5 p.m. and the Belmont Street Fair on September 13th from 12-5 p.m. The SNA will be at both, so come say Hi!

One more event to share with you and we will need YOUR help to make it happen! We’ll be repainting the Sunnyside Piazza at 33rd and Yamhill on August 16th. We’ll have more details on the event and how you can volunteer to make it a success coming soon, so keep an eye on the Sunnyside Neighborhood Association’s Facebook group (Sunnyside Neighborhood Association) and our Instagram feed
(@sunnysidepdxna), for ongoing updates!

That’s it for now. Get out there and enjoy the summer!

News from the President

Hi neighbors. Welcome to June! In May, the SNA wrapped up our General meeting season with the annual review and Board elections. I’d like to welcome two new Board members to the SNA team – Sophia Babb and Connor Lirot. Sophia and Connor are recent arrivals to our neighborhood; Sophia comes to Portland from Fort Collins, CO, and Connor via Dallas, TX. We’re excited they’re driven to be involved in their new community and the passion they bring to improving this already great neighborhood. Remember, even if you aren’t serving on the Board, the SNA depends on you, its members, to volunteer at events, work on our committees, participate in meetings and bring issues to light. Together, we can build an even better Sunnyside.

This past year, the Board focused on Portland’s new form of government, including learning how to cast ranked-choice ballots and getting to know the councilors we elected. We also helped usher in the new pedestrian plaza at 37th and Hawthorne, and continued to serve our unhoused neighbors through the Sunnyside Shower Project. We’ll build on these efforts even as we seek ways to engage the neighborhood in new endeavors, such as programming for the Hawthorne plaza, repainting the Sunnyside Piazza and helping you work with your neighbors, local businesses and your government when you need us. For the full Annual Review presentation, please visit tinyurl.com/yzdj49we.

The new Board will meet in June to get ourselves organized. Our next General meeting isn’t until September, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t a ton of opportunities to stay involved, including volunteering at our local street fairs, bringing your family out to movie night in Sewallcrest Park, and helping out with all of the upcoming street painting projects! So, we’ll be seeing you!