If you want to help your neighbors in need

• Rahab’s Sisters | Help at weekly gatherings that build community with and for women, trans, and nonbinary folks marginalized by poverty and houselessness through meals, clothing, hygiene products, access to health workers and street librarians, activities like bingo and tie-dying, and more.
• Meals on Wheels People | Deliver meals to homebound seniors, help alleviate social isolation, make wellness check calls, or help with home projects.

For the outdoorsy types

• Friends of Trees | Plant trees across urban and rural areas or lead a team of planting volunteers.
• Trailkeepers of Oregon | Join a Trail Party, become a Trail Ambassador, or enroll in Trailkeepers University to help maintain trails on public lands for others to enjoy.

If you’re passionate about supporting local minority groups

• Urban League of Portland | Make a positive impact in the Black community by pledging your time to one of Oregon’s oldest civil rights and social service organizations focused on housing, health, education, and jobs.
• Wild Diversity | Connect BIPOC and LGBTQ2S+ communities with the outdoors through adventures, education, and workshops.

If you’re interested in healthcare

• Cascade AIDS Project | Lend a hand with fundraising events (like Art Auction and AIDS Walk Northwest), HIV testing, furniture delivery, social media, internships, and more.
• American Red Cross Cascades Region | Donate your time and compassion through blood collection support or by joining the disaster action team, supporting the organization’s mission to provide disaster relief and emergency care.

• Viking Beer Fest 2023 | Friday, Aug. 25-Saturday, Aug. 26 | 3-10 p.m. | Nordic Northwest, 8800 SW Oleson Rd., Portland | $45 | Say skal to a cultural festival featuring Scandinavian food and ale, live combat reenactments, ax throwing, Kubb, a costume and beard contest, and more.
• 23rd Annual Vancouver Wine & Jazz Festival | Friday, Aug. 25-Sunday, Aug. 27 | Times vary | Esther Short Park, 605 Esther St., Vancouver | $25 | See acclaimed performers like Spyro Gyra, Grace Kelly, the Norman Sylvester Band, and more at this celebration of jazz, blues, and gospel music paired with Northwest wines, fine art, and food.
• Make a Lavender Teddy Bear Workshop | Friday, Aug. 25 | 5-6 p.m. | Triskelee Farm, 29700 SW Mountain Rd., West Linn | $35 | Kids will make their own lavender-stuffed teddy bear and personalize it with a heart containing a secret wish; parents can shop craft vendors and enjoy food and drinks at the Last Friday Market.

• Portland Saturday Market | Saturday, Aug. 26-Saturday, Dec. 30 | Times vary | 2 SW Naito Pkwy., Portland | Free | Shop more than 150 booths showcasing a variety of arts, crafts, and food sold by local artisans at this historic open-air market.
• Open-Air Train Rides | Saturday, Aug. 26-Saturday, Oct. 14 | 1-5 p.m. | Oregon Rail Heritage Center, 2250 SE Water Ave., Portland | $10-$14 | Journey through the Springwater Corridor on the east bank of the Willamette River while riding in an open-air car with a shade cover, pulled by the historic UP96 diesel locomotive.

• Hawthorne Street Fair | Sunday, Aug. 27 | 11 a.m.-5 p.m. | Southeast Hawthorne Boulevard, Portland | Free | You’ll find tasty treats and vendors selling wares up and down Southeast Hawthorne Boulevard, while musicians perform at two different stages at Southeast 38th and 31st avenues.

• A permanent replacement for the temporary outdoor dining permits issued to restaurants during the COVID-19 pandemic will go into effect in 2024. Portland City Council voted to accept PBOT’s proposed Outdoor Dining Program, which will expand on the current Healthy Business Program. Guidelines will be finalized in September. (KGW)

• TriMet will expand some bus routes and make cuts to others starting Sunday, Aug. 27. The changes — part of TriMet’s Forward Together initiative to bring more service to low-income areas — include adjustments to routes that serve OHSU’s main campus and new temporary stops for lines 75 and 77. (The Oregonian/Oregon Live)

• If you’re ready to relish pickleball, then head over to 2700 NE 82nd Ave. — the home of The People’s Courts, which officially opens today at 5 p.m. The 48,000-sqft space features six outdoor and five indoor pickleball courts, along with food, drinks, an arcade, and games like cornhole and disc golf.

• Middle and high school students in the Portland Public Schools district will be required to wear ID badges when they return this fall. The badges are meant to keep campuses safer by making it easy to spot someone who isn’t wearing one and take steps to quickly ascertain their purpose. (KGW)

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