Vulnerable People and Places Blog

    In a revolutionary breakthrough for oncology, scientists have declared that a new mRNA-based cancer treatment had a 70% success rate when reducing tumors observed during early clinical trials. This treatment uses messenger RNA for cells to produce specific proteins to target and destroy cancer cells and is now being heralded as a potential breakthrough in fighting late-stage cancers. This approach uses the same mRNA technology that developed COVID-19 vaccines, but in this case , applications focused on harnessing the immune system and improving the body ' s ability to identify and attack malignant cells . Traditional chemotherapy usually destroys non - cancerous cells and targeting cancer cells can be difficult . The targeted nature of mRNA therapies better direct treatment to the cancer and eliminate or reduce side effects from treatment and improve patient quality of life.      Many...

(Photo on left by Evan Vucci/AP Photo; photo on right by Levi Meir Clancy) Portland, Oregon has been grappling with a substantial homelessness crisis for an extended period. Recent federal policy shifts under the Trump administration have introduced new challenges, influencing local strategies and resources.  Federal Funding Cuts and Freezes In February 2025, the Trump administration moved to cut approximately 84% of staff in the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Office of Community Planning and Development. This office is pivotal in distributing over $3.6 billion annually in homelessness assistance grants. This reduction has delayed critical grants to Portland-based nonprofits, slowing shelter expansions and outreach programs that serve our unhoused neighbors. Local Budget Shortfalls and Service Constraints Under the Trump administration there has been a major budget Shortfall in Homeless Services. Federal funding contributed to a projected $104 million...

  In Portland, individuals experiencing housing instability also have barriers prohibiting opportunity to enter the workforce. One of the least acknowledged, yet damaging, barriers is the narrow definition of “professionalism.” According to the article from Stanford Social Innovation Review, professionalism often reflects white, middle class cultural norms favoring unspoken cultural cues, dress codes, and communication styles of speaking. Timely availability for interviews, consistent communication channels, and certain interpersonal skills are assumed standards not accommodations. This bias excludes qualified, capable people based on their inability to perform an aesthetic ideal. Worse still, it reinforces the idea that people without stable housing are less capable or less deserving of meaningful work, which only deepens the cycle of poverty and exclusion. Many hiring processes are built around assumptions like having reliable access to email, a working phone, or a quiet space fo...

Being pregnant should be a time of care and preparation for bringing new life into the world. For many women experiencing homelessness, this time is instead filled with fear, instability, and survival. This blog post will shed light on the challenges that pregnant women face while being homeless and what can be done to help homeless women in Portland. Pregnancy and Homelessness: A Dangerous Combo Pregnant women who are homeless face a dangerous intersection of health risks and social vulnerability. According to the National Healthcare for the Homeless Council, homeless pregnant women are more likely to suffer from complications such as preterm birth, low birth weight, and inadequate prenatal care. Several other findings, such as comorbidity, substance use disorder, mental health conditions, infectious disease, and severe maternal morbidity and mortality, were associated with unhoused status in pregnancy. These individuals were ten times more likely to die during childbirth.  These ...

R2D2’s current location at 999 N Thunderbird Way, near the Moda Center. Right 2 Dream Too is a nonprofit organization that has been providing a place to rest and sleep for unhoused folks since 2011. With a mission statement to “awaken social and political groups to the importance of safe undisturbed sleep,” R2D2 plays a critical role in Portland’s ongoing houselessness crisis. While R2D2 may lack many of the resources and amenities of more traditional shelters in the city, what it does provide is priceless: a place to sleep in peace. According to its founder, Ibrahim Mubarak, R2D2 “is a place where people just get a safe, dry, warm place to sleep—that’s one less thing they have to worry about. … With proper rest you can think clearly and then you can think about how to become productive.” This direct approach to the problem of sleep is made possible by a team of volunteers who themselves have experienced homelessness. This firsthand experience gives volunteers an awareness and sensitiv...

  Affordable housing is one of the key concerns for the city of Portland. To really paint the picture of how grim the situation is, out of every state in the nation, Oregon ranks FIRST for the number of families with children experiencing homelessness. This amount is 14 times more than the national average. Almost three times higher than Hawaii, which has the second highest rate.  One of the large reasons for this situation is the housing crisis. The Portland Metro Chamber, and an independent firm DHM Research conducted a local poll asking citizens about the top issue the area is currently facing. 35% answered homelessness, 18% answered affordable housing, 7% answered cost of living or inflation. The three of these all go hand in hand, and together they account for 60% of the respondents!  The City of Portland estimates homelessness has increased by 65% from 2015, and it’s only getting worse. As the home and rent prices continue to increase disproportionately to the wages...

     The beneficial link between homeless shelter availability and improved mental health is clear. In Portland, shelters like Clinton Triangle, Behavioral Health Resource Center (BHRC) and other motel-based shelters are giving people a place to care for their mental health. They offer more than just a bed, they offer safety, support, showers, laundry, addiction and mental health support. Many don't require identification or sobriety, making it easier to access the services. Studies have shown that a stable and supportive place to stay, even if it’s temporary, can help reduce stress and give people the ability to start healing from mental illness, trauma and addiction.       Other programs like Project Homeless Connect go a step further and offer group support, job training, and addiction recovery services. These services help empower individuals, making them feel less alone, and providing motivation and hope. The results are more people off the street...