Building mutual support and resilience
in our corner of Oak Grove.
We're a small but growing community of neighbors who live along and near Riviere Drive. Our goal is simple: know each other, share what we have, and show up for one another — especially when it matters most.
Community Updates
When there's something urgent or time-sensitive — a neighborhood alert, an event, or news Daniel or Elie want to pass along — it will show up here.
Our first neighborhood practice drill. The scenario: a major earthquake has just hit, and power and cell service are down. Everyone starts at home with the first steps (check your household, shoes and gloves on, check the gas, post your OK or HELP sign), then we meet at our gathering site, form small teams, and report back. A few households will put up HELP signs for the teams to find. About 30 to 60 minutes. Gathering site details are on the private Neighbors site, and more details will come by email.
Thank you to everyone who came out, in person and on Zoom. We reviewed the Map Your Neighborhood steps for earthquake response, confirmed our gathering sites, and planned our first practice drill for Saturday, October 24 at 10am. Daniel demonstrated the Meshtastic off-grid radios (see the new Neighborhood Radio Network page), and neighbors shared what they have on hand: generators, solar setups, water filtration, and rain catchment. Project ideas included seed saving, water storage, Stop the Bleed and CPR training, and possibly a shared freeze dryer.
The follow-up from the meeting went out by email on October 11. Members can find the meeting recording, the follow-up notes, and printables (HELP/OK sign, 9 Steps card, and to-do list) on the private Neighbors site. See Get prepared below for the checklist.
We held our first neighborhood preparedness meeting on May 30th. Neighbors from across the A and B lots came together, walked through the Map Your Neighborhood framework, shared skills and resources, and started building the kind of trust that makes neighborhoods resilient. Thank you to everyone who came out.
An argument that individual prepping is a poor substitute for community resilience — and why knowing your neighbors matters more than stockpiling supplies.
Who We Are
River Road Neighbors is a small, self-organized community of people who live along Riviere Drive and the streets connected to it. We're not a formal organization — we're just neighbors who believe that knowing each other is the first step toward taking care of each other.
Put names to faces. Know who lives nearby, what they're good at, and what they might need.
From chainsaws to childcare, we have more between us than any of us has alone.
Regular neighbor-to-neighbor connection, especially for those who could use an extra set of eyes.
Our first preparedness gathering took place on May 30, 2026. We met, shared what we have and what we know, and started building the kind of trust that makes neighborhoods resilient.
Community Organizer · Yoga Teacher · End-of-Life Doula
Daniel is a West Point graduate who found his way into contemplative practice, end-of-life care, and community building. He teaches mindfulness at Reed College and has spent years working at the intersection of wellness, presence, and service. He's the one who'll remember your name and show up when you need him.
Doctor of Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine · Integrative Health
Dr. Elie holds a Doctorate in Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine and runs an integrative health practice serving Milwaukie and Oak Grove. She thinks about health the same way she thinks about neighborhoods: whole systems, real relationships, long time horizons. She believes resilience happens in community — and brings that same attention to beauty in her garden.
Why This Matters
Just off the coast of the Pacific Northwest runs the Cascadia Subduction Zone — one of the most significant fault systems in the world. Scientists expect a major earthquake, likely between magnitude 8.0 and 9.2, within our lifetimes. When it happens, first responders will be overwhelmed for days.
That's not meant to frighten you. It's meant to orient us. The people nearest to you — the ones who can walk to your door — are likely to be the first help you get. Not because 9-1-1 won't try, but because they simply can't be everywhere at once.
This is exactly why programs like Map Your Neighborhood (MYN) exist. MYN gives neighborhoods a simple, proven framework for figuring out who has what, who needs extra support, and how to function as a unit when systems are down. Watch an introduction on YouTube →
Our first gathering — on May 30, 2026 — brought neighbors together for exactly that: no uniforms, no drills, just neighbors getting to know each other and thinking together about what it means to have each other's backs. More gatherings to come.
People know each other's names. There's a shared map of who has what — a generator here, a first aid kit there, a neighbor who speaks Spanish, another who's a nurse. Vulnerable neighbors are known and watched over. Someone has a battery radio. A few people know how to shut off gas.
None of this requires a budget or a committee. It requires exactly one thing: neighbors who know and trust each other. That's what we're building.
The MYN program offers a free, step-by-step guide to getting your neighborhood organized. Oregon's Office of Emergency Management also has excellent region-specific resources.
From our October 10 meeting. Pick one thing and start this week.
Neighbors: the printable signs, the 9 Steps card, and the full list are on the Neighbors site.
The Heart of This
This form is how we start to know each other. Fill in what you're comfortable sharing — nothing is required beyond your name and a sense of where you live. All of this stays within our neighborhood.
You're officially part of the River Road Neighbors community. We'll be in touch when there are updates or events. Until then, feel free to say hello next time you see us on the street.
— Daniel & Elie
Further Reading
A short list of the best materials we've found for neighborhood preparedness. Quality over quantity.
The program that inspired us. A proven, step-by-step framework for organizing your neighborhood before an emergency. Free to use.
Visit MYN websiteA 20-minute walkthrough of the Map Your Neighborhood process. Great to watch before our first gathering, or share with a neighbor.
Find on YouTubeFree training in first aid, search & rescue, and emergency operations. Recommended by our local CERT team for information and to sign up for training in Milwaukie.
Sign up for local CERT training About CERT nationallyOregon-specific preparedness resources, Cascadia earthquake planning, and community resilience programs from the state OEM.
Visit Oregon OEMFEMA's household preparedness guides. The earthquake section is especially relevant for Cascadia Subduction Zone planning.
Visit Ready.govFirst aid and CPR classes, disaster preparedness guides, and local volunteer opportunities in the Portland metro area.
Red Cross Oregon