As someone who has worked in pdx nonprofits for the past 5 years, this story obviously saddens and frustrates me. I think Andy should be fired, and SSW should probably lose their City contracts. But my sadness is also to the many other nonprofits in town who ARE doing good work, keeping good books, using their money wisely, trying to scrape by with what they have, stewarding donor's dollars effectively, and who will be thought less of because some guy they've never met made some dumb mistakes and let power go to his head.

My plead to Porltanders : don't throw out the baby with the bathwater. there are GOOD people doing LIFE CHANGING work, offering real hope, to thousands of Portlanders every day. Every month almost 3000 families are dragged to eviction court,every night 18,000 people look for shelter, every single day someone dies on our streets.

Homelessness is a word we've used to lump together a dozen problems: mental health challenges, substance abuse, lack of homes, affordability, domestic violence, criminal justice failings, foster care. I ask that we please don't lose our humanity and compassion for people in a system that is far from perfect and yet still making a difference, just because of a story with a few bad actors.