~By Stuart Smith~ Years ago, my mom was a caretaker and had the opportunity to move into a nice apartment in downtown Portland to be closer to her work. So my parents decided to rent out my childhood home to my wife and I to live and raise our son in. One dark winter evening while we lived there, I came home from work to find our power was out. The odd thing was, only our house didn’t have power...

~By Stuart Smith~ It is important in this month's topic to resist the temptation in thinking that poverty equals crime. And all those in poverty have or will commit a crime of some kind in their life. The truth is every class (socio-economic), race, and culture, has to deal with crime. Rich and poor commit crimes in our cities and neighborhoods. Most of us have people we can turn to when life gets hard. I know I do.

~By Stuart Smith~ So how can we affect change or promote good health practices in our community and among individuals? I want to focus on three practical steps we can take to lead change for a healthier community...

~By Stuart Smith~ Poverty and poor mental health are deeply intertwined. Poverty often means constant stress—worrying about housing, food, and other basic needs. This can lead to or worsen mental health challenges...

~By Stuart Smith~ At Love INC of Clackamas County, we believe that the church of Jesus Christ is the solution to the challenges and struggles in our community. Our active partner churches are ready to help families experiencing the stress of poverty, no matter their circumstances. We are committed to...