Portland, OR
August 18, 2022
6:00 PM
Patricia Whiting Hall
Metzger Park
8400 SW Hemlock St
Portland, OR 97223
The Living Undeterred Tour is a nationwide exploration aimed at bring attention to the mental health and substance use epidemics in our nation.
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Keynote Speaker: Jeff Johnston
Better, Not Bitter: The Living Undeterred Mindset
On October 4, 2016, the trajectory of Jeff’s life changed with one phone call. Prior to that day, Jeff was living the American Dream. He had a great family, was a successful entrepreneur running a financial services firm in Iowa, and was seemingly coasting through life. The morning of October 4, 2016 Jeff received the phone call that is every parent’s worst nightmare. His oldest son, Seth, had died from fentanyl poisoning. He was 23 years old.
Jeff soon realized that he had two options. He could go down a road of anger and despair and become bitter, or he could use his situation as motivation to become better. And while it was not an easy journey, Jeff chose the road of better. Jeff's resiliency would again be tested in June 2021, when he lost his wife, Prudence, to alcoholism.
Jeff shares his experience through grief, addiction, and battling with his own mental health and the coping mechanisms he has developed to remain, undeterred.
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About Portland Refugee Support Group
The Portland Refugee Support Group (PRSG) is a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization. Since being founded in 2016, PRSG has grown by leaps and bounds. Our amazing team of volunteers helps over 200 refugee families of 12 different ethnicities throughout the Portland area & Salem, Oregon, and Vancouver, Washington. They offer support services to refugees who come through resettlement agencies like Catholic Charities.
PRSG is dedicated to working with refugees by empowering them to become independent and effective members of society through education, psycho-social support, and life skills training. At PRSG, they understand the difficulties refugees face trying to acclimate to a new life. They believe that with the right support, refugees will adjust faster and be able to survive on their own in their new homes.