We’re excited to announce 2024 Fall Newsletter has been released! We believe this newsletter is a great way to stay connected and informed, and we hope you find it both engaging and valuable. To read the full newsletter, click the button below. Enjoy! Read Our Fall Newsletter Thank you for your continued support and engagement.…
Read MoreBeing homeless in the summer is no vacation. For people living on the streets, life is a constant threat of dehydration, heat stroke, hunger, sickness and violence. There’s no rest, only survival. There’s little dignity, only despair. Thanks to generous supporters like you, we have a chance to meet these urgent needs and give hope…
Read MoreAlmost 70 years after John Van Diest, our founder, served home-cooked soup to hungry people facing hard times, Portland Rescue Mission holds true to that first vision. Begin by meeting people’s most urgent needs. Show them that they matter, that they are loved by God. They are not alone. Then, as hope emerges in their…
Read MoreSoft morning light gently wakes Anthony from a restful sleep. “Good morning, God,” he whispers. “Thank you for the chance to live this day.” It’s been a year since Anthony stepped out of his old life. In the soothing cascade of a hot shower, he remembers the stark contrast of life on the streets. Showers…
Read MoreLast fall, America held its breath as the Chicago Cubs battled the Cleveland Indians in the World Series. After a 107-year drought, the Cubs emerged with a hard-won victory, breaking a century-old “curse” of loss. Even people who weren’t die-hard Cubs fans had to smile at their dramatic turn. It was a Disney movie feel-good…
Read MoreIt’s 3:00 a.m. and he’s wide awake. The cold, misty light of a street lamp casts a long shadow over a lonely park bench and Brian’s slumped silhouette. The city is sleeping, but there’s no way he can rest. Fear pierces his heart like the icy winter wind chilling his tense body. Regrets echo endlessly…
Read MoreDrive by the west end of the Burnside Bridge any morning and evening, and you’ll likely see hundreds of men and women lined up to get a good hot meal at the Mission. For me, that sight is full of heartbreak and hope. I grieve to see so many people suffering in desperate situations. Yet I’m…
Read More“You look like a guy who could use a cup of coffee.” Shivering from Portland’s winter rain, Don* gratefully accepted the hot mug, treasuring its warmth in his cold, stiff hands, feeling it radiate through his body. The simple, kind gesture by a Mission staff member grabbed Don’s heart. Once again, he was amazed. These…
Read MoreSix months ago, Stewart was homeless, lost and hurting. He came to our Burnside Shelter for meals and was grateful for everything the Mission provided – restrooms, shelter, socks, toiletries and mail service. But he didn’t expect an art class. Every Thursday afternoon, our Guest Care Center offers an open workshop with free art supplies…
Read MoreWe don’t always know what we need. But we usually know what we want. Men and women like Bradley, our featured story in our 2016 Summer Newsletter, want more than anything to their agony. Usually, long before people become homeless, they experience loss and trauma. In a desperate attempt to deal with the pain, they turn…
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