Ray is just one of hundreds of volunteers who do everything from serving meals to helping men and women in our recovery programs to playing worship music and bringing hope to thousands of people each year. Ray volunteers each month at The Harbor, working alongside the men during their 12-month recovery process. “I’m sure you…
Read MoreSpecial thanks to CarMax and KGW for teaming up to raise money for hurting, homeless people through us at Portland Rescue Mission! On Thursday, CarMax hosted the grand opening of their Clackamas store, inviting local TV station personalities to do a series of competitions on behalf of a charity of their choice. KGW chose us…
Read MoreQ: For those who don’t know your story, could you summarize your journey to the Mission? J: I was born and raised in the church. My family moved up to Oregon in 1996 when I was most of the way through high school. I failed to get plugged in to church, I failed to get…
Read MoreVida Trout, a longtime supporter of Portland Rescue Mission, turned 102 years old this week! SEE ALSO: Trimet Surprises Vida With “Birthday Bus” Vida has always been very mission-minded, and was actually good friends with the Van Diest family when they founded Portland Rescue Mission in 1949! Vida’s compassion for people in need is evident:…
Read MoreHave homeless people become so invisible we wouldn’t notice our own family members living on the street? In a social experiment done by New York Rescue Mission, several people agreed to pose as homeless men and women sitting on the sidewalk. Then they had their unsuspecting family members walk by them. Check out the video…
Read MoreIt’s pretty safe to assume that everyone has encountered someone on a street corner asking for help. They often ask for money, prompting the thought, “What do I do? I don’t want to give them money, but I don’t have anything else to offer them.” Melody ran into this predicament several months ago. A man…
Read MoreFor the past 20 years, Willie Baronet has stopped his car to ask homeless people on street corners, “Can I buy your sign?” He first asks how much the person wants for the sign, and then negotiates a price. He buys most signs for about $10. After two decades of collecting signs, Baronet has amassed…
Read MoreTo must of us, getting handed $100 would be exciting. To a homeless person, it’s a lifeline. Check out this powerful video from “Give Back Films.” While giving large amounts of money isn’t necessarily the best way to help a person on the street, this example of radical generosity reveals important truths: To someone in…
Read MoreA team from New Seasons Market volunteered last Thursday, cleaning the gardens and planting seeds at Shepherd’s Door, our women’s and children’s ministry. The team consisted of twenty department and store managers from the Seven Corners location. “We are working with our Lend a Hand program in which every New Seasons staff member gets 8…
Read MoreEarlier this month, a team of students from Multnomah University spent the day here at the Mission cleaning, raking, landscaping, organizing, and working hard to keep our facilities running smoothly! Once every spring and fall, the school cancels classes and students help out a local nonprofit or charity with whatever needs they may have. This…
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