Family Resources

They say it takes a village to raise a child. We are your village.

Everyone needs a little help sometimes. Sitton School serves a strong, supportive community that works together and relies on one another for support. We hope that you see your child's school as a resource, especially in times of need. In an effort to alleviate some of the stress that sometimes comes with trying to stay connected and make ends meet, we have created this list of resources that are available to our community.

Free Food

Free Food Market
The Oregon Food Bank's Free Food Marked is hosted by Sitton School and the SUN program. It is on the first Friday of every month at Sitton School, 9930 N Smith St., from 1:30 - 3pm in the upper playground. All community members are welcome to come, regardless of their income and even if they do not have students at Sitton.  Attendees receive free fruits and vegetables from the Oregon Food Bank and when available, vegetables from our school garden. Please bring your own bags.  For more information call Sitton's main office at 503-612-6277. To volunteer, please call Luis at 503-916-5654.

Food During the School Day
All Sitton students get free breakfast, lunch, and a healthy snack while at school.  Students who stay after school for SUN school are also provided with a free supper. Thanks to the Healthy Schools Campaign each student gets a healthy snack to get them through their day.  The snack is always a fruit or vegetable and students are taught about the health benefits of their snacks.

The Sunshine Division
The Sunshine Division provides free food and clothing assistance to Portland families at  687 N Thompson St., 97227. Families receive three food store visits and two clothing store visits a year. Hours: 9:30 am to 11:30 am and 12:30pm to 3:30pm (Monday through Friday); 9:00am to 1:00pm (Saturdays). www.sunshinedivision.org or 503-823-2347.

Meals During Breaks
For families who rely on the free meals provided by the school, there are some options during breaks when school is not in session. When school is out for the summer we serve free lunch five days a week to any community member who wants to join us. For thanksgiving and winter breaks we do our best using staff donations to make sure families have enough food to last until school starts again. To see a list of local pantries and hours please visit this website: https://www.foodpantries.org/ci/or-portland and on the left side of the page click on 

Free Clothing

Portland Council PTA Clothing Closet
Sitton receives donations of quality clothes for our clothing closet on a daily basis. Please contact the office if you or your student are in need of clothes.

The Portland Council PTA Closet provides clothing to families in need. The Clothing Closet is on the Franklin @ Marshall Campus, 3905 S.E. 91st Ave., Room C-56. 

Hours of operation: Aug. 31 - April 28, Mondays and Thursdays, 10 am to 1 pm. Families fill out a form in their school office, which must be signed by a school official. Families then bring the form to the Clothing Closet to select free clothing. Find more information here.

The Sunshine Division
The Sunshine Division provides free food and clothing assistance to Portland families at  687 N Thompson St., 97227. Families receive three food store visits and two clothing store visits a year. Hours: 9:30 am to 11:30 am and 12:30pm to 3:30pm (Monday through Friday); 9:00am to 1:00pm (Saturdays). www.sunshinedivision.org or 503-823-2347.

Health Services

Roosevelt High School Student Health Center

Multnomah County Health Department partners with Portland Public Schools to provide high-quality primary and mental health services at Franklin High School. The Franklin Student Health Center is like having a regular doctor’s office at school. We serve all K-12 Multnomah County youth ages 5 to 18 with or without insurance. There are no out-of-pocket costs for our services. We welcome all colors, all genders, all sizes, and all cultures regardless of immigration status.

Regular Hours: 7:45 am - 3:45 pm. Closed for Lunch: 12:40 pm - 1:10 pm
Open Late Tuesdays: 9:15 am - 5:15 pm
Closed for Lunch Tuesdays: 1:30 pm - 2:00 pm.

Roosevelt Student Health Center Website

ViDA (Vision, Dental, and Audiometric Screening)
The ViDA (Vision, Dental and Audiometric) Program is a unique collaboration that brings together a variety of organizations to provide free vision, dental and audiometric screenings at 11 elementary or K-8 schools, including Sitton, each year.

Students who need more extensive care receive referrals and, if needed, financial support. Click here for more information about ViDA.

Friends of Creston Dental Clinic
Free dental care for qualified families in PPS schools, 4701 SE Bush St. in Creston School.crestondirector@gmail.com or 503-916-5808.

Access to Technology

Internet Essentials
We believe that every family should have access to the opportunities presented by having the Internet and a computer at home. Internet Essentials is an organization that provides affordable Internet ($9.95/month) and low-cost computers ($149.99) to low-income families. All Sitton families are eligible as long as they do not have Comcast debt that is less than one year old and have not subscribed with Comcast in the last 90 days.  The program also provides free computer classes and online tutorials.  Click here for more information or call (1-855-8-INTERNET or 1-855-846-8376) to apply.

Free Geek
Free Geek has a variety of ways for students to access free and low-cost technology. From their Plug Into Portland program where K-12 Portland students can volunteer anywhere in Portland and earn a free desktop computer from Free Geek, to 20% Student ID Saturdays in their Thrift Store — they will help get your student the technology he or she needs to succeed in school. Free Geek is located at 1731 SE 10th Avenue. Their phone number is (503) 232-9350 and they provide free tech support Tuesday-Saturday from 12pm to 5:45pm.

Parent Advocacy and Support

Lifeworks Northwest
LifeWorks NW supports people who are working towards a better life. Through their recognized, culturally responsive prevention, mental health and addiction services, their team delivers individual and group treatment—benefiting children, teens and families, adults, older adults and the community as a whole.Click here to find a service.

Children's Relief Nursery
The Children's Relief Nursery, a service provided by LifeWorksNW, provides a range of services that “wrap-around” the child and their family to reduce parental stress and social isolation. This service is intended four children age five and under. They teach parenting skills, strengthen bonds between parents and their babies, provide targeted services, reduce child behavioral problems and improve social-emotional development in very young children. Some of the services they provide are: mental health services, parenting classes, traumatic stress therapy, respite childcare, and music therapy. Click here for more information or contact the Children's Relief Nursery at 8425 N Lombard Street or by calling (503) 283-4776.

Black Parent Initiative
The Black Parent Initiative assists parents and caregivers to become and or enhance their involvement in the lives of their children.
The program is built upon, and connected to the cultural values and traditions of Black and African people. It is designed to preserve and instill historical values that contribute to optimal health and well-being, and reorder, change, or greatly modify behaviors or practices that are harmful/detrimental.  The structure and design of the program illuminates and promotes the positive cultural and racial identity of Black people.Click here for more information.

The Latino Network
The Latino Network provides opportunities, services and advocacy for the education, leadership development and civic engagement of Latino youth and families in Multnomah County. Their work springs from the core belief in Latino community self-determination—that is, the ability of community members to participate meaningfully in the decisions that affect their lives and the lives of their families.  Their programs for children and parents, youth and adults help improve community livability, foster civic participation, and prepare for educational and life success. Click here for more information.

The Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization (IRCO)
The Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization (IRCO) supports immigrants, refugees and mainstream community members to become self-sufficient. They strive in through programming, outreach and education to foster understanding, compassion and communication between Oregon’s established communities and newest arrivals. Click here for more information.

The PPS Parent Academy
The Portland Public School’s Office of School-Family Partnerships has engaged with a diverse team of educators and community members throughout Multnomah County to bring you the Parent Academy, a program offering free workshops and family learning events at schools throughout the PPS community.  The program has classes on Culture and Community, Leadership, Decision-Making, School-Home Communication, and more.  Click here for more information on the Parent Academy.

Classes at the St. Johns Library

For Children
The St. Johns library has more than books! Click here to see a calendar of upcoming events such a family storytime, la hora de aprender, teen council, and other activities that will provide your child with fun learning opportunities. 

For Adults
Did you know that the St. Johns Library provides free classes for adults? They offer a wide-variety of options including a book club, tech help, English language classes, art classes, how to find health information online, and more.  Click here to see upcoming events.

Community Events & Neighborhood Groups-

St. Johns Community Center
The St. Johns Community Center offers affordable after school care, sports, special interest classes, parent/child activities, and camps for Winter and Spring break. They also provide a scholarship for families who need assistance to attend. Click here to learn more.

St. Johns Main Street Community Calendar
Below is a list of neighborhood groups that meet monthly.  Join one to get your voice heard!  Click here to see a list of upcoming events.