24 Hours. 1 Bench. Countless Conversations

Join us October 8-9 as we help rehumanize the conversation around homelessness, one conversation at a time.

What if one conversation could change the way someone sees homelessness? 

That's the heart behind Conversations on a Bench, a 24-hour livestream event happening across North America on October 8-9, leading into World Homeless Day on October 10th. Hosted by Citygate Network, this nationwide storytelling initiative invites people to slow down, take a seat, and hear stories that too often go untold. Together, participating ministries are working to shift public perception, foster understanding, and remind our communities that every person has inherent dignity and worth. 

Beginning at 12:00 p.m. on Thursday, October 8, Portland Rescue Mission’s Interim Executive Director, Erin Holcomb, will spend 24 hours on a bench outside our Burnside Shelter, welcoming guests from every corner of our community. The Livestream will be available to watch on Youtube and Facebook during the event. 

Throughout the day and night, neighbors experiencing homelessness, program graduates, donors, volunteers, pastors, community leaders, first responders, business leaders, and ministry partners will stop by the bench for authentic conversations about homelessness, recovery, hope, and life transformation. Every conversation is an opportunity to listen, learn, and see one another through the eyes of Christ. 

The event will be livestreamed throughout the entire 24 hours, allowing viewers to join the conversation from wherever they are. As one of nearly 100 participating ministries, PRM is proud to be part of a unified movement shining a light on the hope and transformation taking place in communities across North America. 

We'd love for you to be part of the conversation. Watch the livestream, share it with your friends, and send us the questions you'd like to hear discussed on the bench. Together, we can replace assumptions with understanding and stories of despair with stories of hope.