Meet Tyler
Tyler McClure wants to make a difference in the world. The 22-year-old receives support from our Supported Living Program and recently started working with our Employment Connection Program.
In December 2024, Tyler visited Community Vision’s office to talk about his life. Andrew Burns, Tyler’s Supported Living coordinator, also took part in the conversation. We invited Tyler to share his experience of being part of the Supported Living Program for our 2024 Impact Report. We hope Tyler’s story helps more people understand the kind of work that Community Vision does.
Tyler Gets Involved
Over the summer Tyler moved out of his parent’s home in Beaverton, where he grew up, and into an apartment that he shares with a roommate in Portland’s Hollywood neighborhood. Like most people his age, he wanted more independence.
“I like living in the city more than in the suburbs,” Tyler says of his new place. He gets out often and can list many restaurants in his neighborhood where he enjoys eating. He also likes to be involved in the community, volunteering three to four days a week. “I can’t just sit around all day,” he says.
Tyler has regular volunteer shifts at William Temple House and Our Streets, where he packages food for people in need. He also sometimes volunteers at other organizations like the Oregon Food Bank and Outside In. “He’s passionate about helping people,” Andrew says.
He receives in-person support from the Supported Living Program on weekdays. This ranges from just a quick check-in to make sure he is taking his medication to spending 4 or 5 hours with him. The support includes rides to and from his volunteer shift and support while he’s volunteering, going to appointments, paying bills, cleaning the apartment, and grocery shopping, which he usually does on his own. Andrew explains that he also assists Tyler with adjusting to living with a roommate, which covers things like having conversations and sharing chores. Tyler also gets phone call reminders on evenings and weekends to take his medications.
Tyler says of his team, “They’re someone to lean on when there’s something I’m unsure of. They also can offer resources.”
“We are seeing more young people who want to move out from their family homes but want an alternative to group homes,” says Kim Elliott, CV’s Director of Programs and Services. “Supported Living gives them the support they need to live the life they choose. We love getting to know Tyler and what his unique interests are for creating this next chapter of his life.”
What’s Next for Tyler?
Tyler recently completed job exploration with Community Vision’s Employment Connections Program. When he was living with his parents, he had a job working at Fred Meyer, but he didn’t find that kind of work very meaningful. He is interested in jobs that are oriented toward benefiting society. He’s currently very committed to his volunteer work. And he’s still adjusting to living on his own. When he’s ready, the Employment Connections team will work with him on the next steps to finding a job.
Tyler said that he wants people to know that he’s “kind and courteous.” He emphasizes that he values being polite and helpful. “I will hold the door open for people,” he says.
Andrew comments about how smart and well-informed Tyler is. Tyler says he likes to read books about a wide range of topics and is very interested in politics. During his visit, he leads a long conversation about what makes good journalism. He also likes comic books and exploring Portland on TriMet. He says he thinks Trimet’s logo is very well designed.
When asked about what he has planned after his visit to the CV office, he says, “I’m itching to do something. Maybe I’ll finish up a video game. Or maybe I’ll take the bus somewhere, like to the Japanese Gardens.” Andrew then checks in with Tyler to make sure he knows which bus to take. Whatever Tyler ends up doing, he’ll be the person deciding where to go.
