Blanchet House is a Portland-based non-profit social services organization, but like many others, it suffers from the effects of inflation.

According to employees, the non-profit organization faces a growing need with rising costs, disrupting their operations.

Blanchet House

The non-profit organization was founded by students from the University of Portland in 1925.

The students founded the Blanchet House with the encouragement of their priest, who urged them to take to the streets and help people.

Initially, it began as a fraternity called the Blanchet Club, named after Oregon’s first pioneer Catholic priest, Reverend Francis Norbert. Blanket.

The club found a building to perform its services and eventually named it Blanchet House.

Read also: Apple to see iPhone 14 models shipment setback

The situation

The executive director of Blanchet House, Steve Kerman, points to the state of the economy as a source of problems.

“Goods and services are costing us more, and part of that is insurance,” said Kerman.

“It takes a lot of insurance to operate, to do what we do – housing and meal services – and those costs are going up about 20 percent.”

Additionally, Scott Kerman revealed that Blanchet House has enough private money to make ends meet but is worried about the rest of the community.

“What I’m really trying to do is just speak up for the non-profits in our community who have been doing extraordinary work under exceptional and unprecedented circumstances and are dealing with the financial challenges as a result.”

Factors

According to the Northwest Insurance Council, many factors explain the rate hike.

President Kenton Brine said recovery from recent fires and rising repair costs are among the rate hike factors.

“I know that insurers are doing their best to keep cost increases as minimal as possible,” said Brine.

“But inflation and these other cost increases can’t help but begin to show up in premiums that people pay for – home, auto, and business insurance in Oregon.”

Read also: Lyft announce plans of workforce layoff

Policy solutions

The president of the Northwest Insurance Council recommends seeking a policy, suggesting that there is still competition for coverage in places, including downtown Portland.

“Then do other things that you can to try and reduce your risk. If you can protect windows from being smashed, try to do that,” Brine offered.

“If you can keep flammable materials and debris from piling up outside your business in an alley, try and prevent arson – all those things help make you a better risk for insurers to insure.”

According to Brine, crime’s impact is still hard to overlook. 

“It’s certainly going to be helpful if local leaders try to attack the crime problem more aggressively,” suggested Brine.

“And as crime rates go down and people aren’t experiencing as many claims, you’ll see insurance rates stabilize.”

Reference:

Portland non-profits struggle with rising insurance rates