Vulnerable People and Places Blog

Empowering Marginalized Individuals with Tangible and Supportive Outcomes  Envisioning an opportunistic future for underserved individuals and communities. Portland provides a wide range of entertainment, activities both indoor and outside and communal understanding to keep Portland safe, fun and supportive. Among the hundreds of non-profits run from Portland, some small groups can be found tucked away in the inner east side boroughs nestled with community. One of this non-profits is Cultivate Initiatives. At this organization, their mission stands to ensure and set a vision for safe, supportive communities for underserved groups. Giving people more opportunities and resources when in housing or economic crisis.  Their missions is to work with people and businesses within East Portland who can help support and empower individuals and communities in need through an inclusive range of services.  To support those in financial and housing hardships, their initiatives focus on...

1 of every 14 Oregonians is a veteran, and 40% of homeless men nationally are veterans. In 2023, veterans made up 7.8% of Oregon's homeless population. Do Good Multnomah is a sober housing community for homeless veterans that centers underserved veterans as a marginalized community. They offer low-barrier, alternative shelter, and permanent housing through various programs such as  Veteran's Village in Clackamas County  and  Findley Commons 35-unit Veteran apartment complex . Part of Do Good 's mission to provide permanent housing includes assistance with Portland's  Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) Program. Per their website: As of 2026, Do Good's North Portland drop-in center has referred nearly   half of St. Johns' documented houseless population to long-term shelter or housing. Do Good Multnomah: sober housing for homeless veterans in North Portland by Rodney Garcia-Goubert Sources: https://www.dogoodmultnomah.org/about https://digitalcommons.law.seattleu....

Have you ever wondered why there are so many unhoused people across Portland, Oregon? Most of us have, because Portland’s homelessness crisis is constantly discussed in statistics, policy debates, local media, and everyday conversations. But the issue with this widespread attention is that it often minimizes the complexity of real human experiences. Curiosity alone can’t answer the deeper questions, only the people who have lived through homelessness can. One helpful initiative addressing the matter is the creative content produced by Welcome Home Coalition , a local network of organizations, advocates, and neighbors. The short film Finding Home: Portland's Homelessness Crisis from the People Who've Lived It , available online, reminds us that the most powerful understanding comes from listening directly to those with lived experience, showing how creative content can serve as a tool for public education and empathy. It’s also a form of justice, a shared space for storytelling,...

Your old vehicle is worth more than you think! How ‘Drive Away Hunger’ can turn your car into meals, shelter, and vocational training for the disadvantaged. Since 1949 Portland Rescue Mission has been helping people struggling with hunger, homelessness, and addiction take steps towards recovery. Too often individuals facing job insecurity and housing instability are neglected and undervalued for the intrinsic value and capability they possess. WIth programs such as ‘Drive Away Hunger’, Portland Rescue Mission helps rehabilitate individuals facing systemic failure through direct vocational training, while providing regular meals and shelter. About 81% of  participants in restoration programs by Portland Rescue Mission remain free from addictions and in housing up to four years after program graduation. Each Portland Rescue Mission program meets people where they are at. Drive Away Hunger is no exception. Drive Away Hunger is a car donation and sales nonprofit dedicated to changing l...

In the back of everyone's mind sits the question, what is my potential? What is my purpose? Whether you are a successful person in the eyes of society or someone who has not accomplished much during their time here, this question is always there.  Abraham Maslow was an early psychologist who developed the concept that people are motivated by a hierarchy or needs. Maslow believed that human needs must be met in a certain sequence in order to obtain self fulfillment. These needs go as ordered: 1. Physiological Needs: Food, water, shelter, sleep. 2. Safety Needs: Security, stability, health. 3. Belongingness and Love: Friendship, intimacy, family. 4. Esteem Needs: Confidence, achievement, respect. 5. Self-Actualization: Achieving one’s full potential and personal growth As Maslow shows in this chronological list of human needs, physiological needs sit at the bottom of the pyramid. This lowest level of the pyramid is the absolute basic needs of humans, including food, water, shelter, a...

Skills and Potential of an Overlooked Community: Portland, a city located in Oregon, is often described as a city of progression, creativity, and innovation. The city houses various types of businesses ranging from large corporations to small family or single owned businesses. The people of the city love to support any type of local businesses or ideas. Overall, the community within the city value their self-expression and socially conscious agenda. Although these traits are valued by many, unfortunately they often leave out one group from their community, which is the unhoused or homeless population. The public often has discussions about homelessness and often debates why or how they ended up like this. These are all important discussions because they often discuss housing problems, systemic problems, or even drug use. While these possibilities may or can be true, we often forget our morality. These homeless are still human beings whom which we share the city with and are often look...

Low-Barrier Pathways into Entrepreneurship in Portland: Building Businesses From the Ground Up