Our Story
Dan Fowler is the Founder and Chair of HSCCC. Dan’s commitment to improving his community through public service began early in life. Coming of age in the 1960s in West Linn, Mr. Fowler was deeply influenced by the hope and vibrancy he witnessed in the leadership of President John F. Kennedy, Sen. Robert Kennedy, and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. “Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country,” became a personal rallying cry for Mr. Fowler and a charge that has inspired his own public service journey.
In the midst of a successful career as a real estate developer focused on restoring historic buildings in the region, Mr. Fowler took on a string of unpaid administrative roles to support the City of Oregon City after seeing an unfilled need. At the urging of colleagues, in the 1990s, Mr. Fowler successfully campaigned for Mayor of the City where he served for eight years. In both his business and political endeavors, what stood out as paramount was the power of strong partnerships.
Today, former Mayor Fowler continues to pursue his calling to give back to his community. In 2016, after seeing the dramatic rise in unhoused homelessness county-wide, he was compelled to find a way to make a change. He began organizing with colleagues and neighbors to learn more about the homelessness crisis and how to mitigate it. What began as a small listening tour has blossomed into a burgeoning nonprofit organization, the Homeless Solutions Coalition of Clackamas County (HSCCC), with more than 400 diverse supporters and/or partners from educators to law enforcement to outreach workers and lawmakers. Today, HSCCC connects direct service providers with additional resources to enhance the vital work they are already doing to prevent and end homelessness in Clackamas County.
HSCCC History Timeline
Fall 2016 – Community members first meet to learn about homelessness and how to help address it in Clackamas County.
2017 – The HSCCC forms an all-volunteer Advisory Committee and creates Executive Team
2017-2023 – Identifies needs for addressing homelessness issues and forms Work Teams
to address issues like warming shelters, needle exchange resources, showers and hygiene capabilities, and others.
2016-2019 – Advisory Team meetings create opportunities for collaboration among others involved in Homelessness services including The Fathers Heart, LoveOne, Clackamas Service Center, Clackamas County Government, Oregon City Police Department, Homeless Liaison officers at the Oregon City School District, youth homelessness organizations, and others.
2020-2022: HSCCC registered as a nonprofit with the State of Oregon and received 501c3 status with the IRS so that donations are tax exempt.
2021-2022 – HSCCC applies for and becomes registered as a 501©(3)
Winter 2022 – HSCCC received a significant grant to build out its staff and hire its first Executive Manager.
Winter 2022 – HSCCC receives grant for developing its revised website.
Dec 2022 – Organized the Counties first “Longest Night Event” to remember our unsheltered neighbors who lost their lives during the past year
January 2023–Joe Wedding is hired as first Executive Manager of HSCCC.
Spring 2023–HSCCC holds “Community Conversations” to discuss HSCCC and its vision to build a Navigation Center in the Two Rivers neighborhood of Oregon City.
