What it does
The organization collectively works alongside those on the margins to empower individuals and communities through an inclusive range of services and support in east portland.
Workforce development:the organization's workforce development initiative is designed to create meaningful, paid opportunities that help community members move toward stability and long-term employment. We know that many of our neighbors experiencing homelessness or financial hardship want to get back on their feet through purposeful work, and this program provides a structured pathway to do just that. (see continuation on schedule o).at the heart of this initiative is the internship program, which offers participants five days of paid, hands-on experience shadowing our beautification teams. After completing the internship, participants meet with an employment specialist and may continue on through the employment pathways program. This program provides individualized support such as resume building, interview preparation, job applications, and access to additional training.employment pathways has two tracks: external pathway - focused on preparing participants for careers in various trades and training outside of cultivate initiatives. Internal pathway - offers time-limited trainee and apprenticeship positions within the organization. Graduates of the internship program are eligible for six-month or one-year positions on the showers & hygiene team or property stewardship team. These roles emphasize professional growth through soft skills development, accountability, time management, relevant certifications, and opportunities for advancement both inside and outside the organization.a distinctive feature of the workforce development program is that interns, trainees, and apprentices work directly alongside our property stewardship team, which completes paid contracts and one-off jobs to deliver community beautification services such as landscaping, debris removal, and property maintenance. These services are provided for local businesses, private residents, and municipalities including portland, troutdale, fairview, and wood village. Importantly, the program is led an
Supportive sheltering:the organization provides supportive sheltering services to people experiencing houselessness and housing insecurity. The organization operates the menlo park village through the city of portland's safe rest village program. This is a low-barrier transitional emergency shelter that provides case management, peer support services, connection to mh/sud resources, all while providing the community enough support to ensure a transformative experience. In fiscal year 2025, the origanization broke ground on the development of the workforce village, a 20 unit low-barrier, transitional emergency shelter. (see continuation on schedule o.)once completed, the workforce village will provide a safe space for neighbors to receive case management, peer support services, connections to employment resources, health services, barrier removal support, and community development. Additionally, the organization operates cooling and warming shelters when the weather meets extreme weather thresholds as determined by multnomah county emergency management services.
Housing and homemaking:this initiative helps individuals experiencing homelessness or living in shelters transition into supportive housing, providing retention services and guidance towards long-term stability. The organization partners with multnomah county and other funding sources to provide houseless individuals access to housing. We offer a range of supports to meet different circumstances. Our rapid re-housing programs, including housing multnomah now and oregon all in, provide short-term financial assistance for individuals to quickly exit homelessness or retain their current housing. (see continuation on schedule o).the supportive leasing program enables high-barrier individuals with opportunities for housing while building landlord relationships and positive rental history. The in-reach program is dedicated to support individuals moving directly from shelter into supportive housing. Beyond financial support, the homemaking team plays a critical role in ensuring long-term success for rehoused individuals. Homemaking specialists work one-on-one with participants to help them acclimate to their new living environments, teaching essential skills such as budgeting, home maintenance, and community building. The team also provides connections to resources for employment, governmental benefits, medical and mental health help, and addiction recovery services. We walk alongside individuals throughout their housing journey, helping them build a foundation for stability, independence, and improved quality of life.