By Co-Founder, Nancy Brown
As we close out another year, it’s hard not to reflect on just how much has happened. This time last year, we faced the sweeping of the last encampment on Commercial Street, forcing us to shift focus. With many of our friends moving into the Portland shelter, and scattered on the streets, we adjusted our efforts to meet their changing needs. This pivot marked a significant transition for our team as we began serving a new area, one with its own challenges but where our work complements that of other community partners.
This year has also brought milestones. We officially became a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit, a testament to the trust and support we’ve garnered from our community. The interest in volunteering has been remarkable; in just the past year, 15 new volunteers have joined our mission, bringing fresh energy and ideas to our work.
Looking ahead, we face the familiar concerns of winter, Portland’s shelter is out of beds. For those that remain unsheltered, the City of Portland offers no daytime warming centers or, even, consistent nightly options to provide refuge from the cold. The absence of these critical resources underscores the importance of what we do: meeting people where they are, offering love, support & sometimes, life-saving resources.
This work can be incredibly challenging, and seeing friends suffer is heartbreaking. Sometimes, with so many daunting challenges, we wonder if we are making an impact. Folks getting housed, seeking treatment, finding help for a medical issue – they are all wonderful things to celebrate but for us, results are not measured in traditional ways. But instead, they’re measured by the smiles we see as we arrive at outreach, or when one of the shelter residents says “we have been counting down the days until we see you on Fridays.” This reminds us that building trusting, loving relationships is the only result that matters.
Looking to the future, we’re excited about expansion efforts that are currently in the planning stages. Thanks to two grants, we anticipate being able to extend our reach and impact throughout 2025. These new initiatives will allow us to serve even more people, deepening our commitment to this vital work, and working more closely with our Community Partners.
As we move into the new year, we do so with gratitude for all we’ve accomplished together and hope for what’s to come. Your continued support enables us to meet people where they are and help them envision a better future.