To Serve Those Most In Need 

by Rae Richen

To Serve Those Most In Need is a tale of hard-headed pragmatism, yet of religious vision--a tale of driven creativity--the story of one of the most prodigious human service efforts in the West.  In 1907, men and women of remarkable perseverance and flexibility created a system of nurture for fellow humans.  They were the generating influence for work throughout Oregon, Washington, California, and, for a time, even Idaho and Alaska.  During ninety years, through world wars, economic depression and great social upheavals, their successors kept their sights on the pledge "to serve those most in need."  This is the story of the Albertina Kerr Centers and of the thousands of persons they have served.

Rae Richen is a writer and interviewer with a special interest in history.  Because of that keen interest--and to conserve an important piece of social service history--Richen assisted the Albertina Kerr historians in collecting and preserving the material housed in the Ruth Kerr Archives.  These archives, located at The Old Kerr Nursery, eventually became an important resource for this book. 

Rae Richen's poetry, short stories and articles have appeared in Oregon Writers Colony anthologies, in Pacific Northwest newspapers and in the Writer's Northwest Handbook.  She leads critiquing at OWCs Spring and Fall Conferences, and is the editor of the Colonygram.

Rae Richen lives with her family on the frayed fringes of Portland's historic Irvington neighborhood.

Available in the Albertina Kerr Center Gift Shop & the Oregon Historical Society Bookstore

Paper, 190 pages, $12.95

Published by Albertina Kerr Centers, 424 NE 22nd Ave. Portland OR 97232