Bienestar de la Familia, a Multnomah County program promoting opportunity and wellness in Portland’s Cully neighborhood, will celebrate 20 years of service on Friday, Aug. 24. Special guests will include Multnomah County Chair Deborah Kafoury, Commissioner Jessica Vega Pederson, and Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler.
When Bienestar opened its doors in 1998, staff delivered services in laundry rooms and mobile trailers. Today, it’s grown into one of the most trusted resources for Multnomah County’s Latino and Somali communities - especially for youth and families. In fiscal year 2018, the Bienestar program served nearly 1,500 Multnomah County households.
Bienestar partners with community agencies to provide health and legal support. Bilingual and bicultural staff are available to help participants navigate social and language obstacles. Its goals include:
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Reducing poverty
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Providing employment support
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Helping families with housing
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Supporting educational success
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Promoting health and wellness
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Reducing substance use disorder and providing mental health services
The program works side by side with its neighbor, La Clinica de Buena Salud, a Multnomah County clinic which delivers comprehensive, culturally-appropriate primary care services. The clinic welcomes over 2,000 patients and receives over 7,400 patient visits per year.
Every month, Bienestar also operates “Mercado”, a public market, in partnership with the Oregon Food Bank, Franz Bakery, and the Northeast Emergency Food Program. The Mercado makes fresh food and produce available to households with limited income and access to nutritious food.
Nabil Zaghloul, supervisor for Bienestar, says the program fills a critical need for diverse communities in Multnomah County, especially the Latino and Somali populations.
“We’re here to help people overcome barriers,” Zaghloul said. “We strive to meet the needs of anyone who comes through our doors, whether that means supporting someone with rental assistance, helping families put food on the table, or connecting folks with educational and legal resources.”
The anniversary celebration will run from 2:30 to 6 pm and take place at the Baltazar Ortiz Community Center in NE Portland. During the celebration, the program will honor some of its original participants, who received services as children 15 to 20 years ago.
“Bienestar has a long history as an award-winning program benefiting our diverse communities,” said Peggy Brey, who directs the Department of County Human Services. “We are thrilled to celebrate 20 years of outstanding service and look forward to what this team will do next.”
Contact: Ryan Yambra, ryan.yambra@multco.us, 971-337-5705
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