“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 MoreTake a tour of our facilities, all from the comfort of your own home! You may be surprised. Many people think we are a soup kitchen, but Portland Rescue Mission functions as a multi-facility program that serves men, women and children facing addiction, homelessness and hopelessness. Since 1949 Portland Rescue Mission has been giving hope…
Read MoreHer name means “little fighter.” And no surprise. “I’ve never met someone so resistant to God’s grace,” shared her Growth Leader, Julia. “I always thought I had to earn my love,” said Marci. Marci learned a defining truth when she came to Shepherd’s Door, the women and children’s program at Portland Rescue Mission. “God is…
Read More“The day I arrived here, I knew the second I walked in the door, my life would never be the same,” said Sarah. She came to Shepherd’s Door fresh out of jail. “I spent 13 years addicted to drugs and all the destruction that comes with that.” But her life radically changed. Shepherd’s Door provided…
Read MoreWho Tara is today, is nothing short of a miracle. After years of drug use, her heart went emotionally numb, even to the pain she was masking. “I started to feel and act like I no longer had a heart. I couldn’t even love,” she shared. All of this changed when she came to Shepherd’s…
Read MoreMiracles are common at the Mission. And there is nothing greater than attending a graduation to come face-to-face with the stories of men and women who have fought hard and come through a dark night to find life and hope restored. Sherri is a recent graduate from our women and children’s program, Shepherd’s Door. …
Read More“Portland Rescue Mission pretty much saved my life,” said Cornell. This summer marks a year since he became homeless. “Every day that I woke up, I kept telling myself that ‘if you slept in the rain last night, and you survived sleeping in a wet sleeping bag, then obviously there is something out there for…
Read MoreFreedom and independence … it’s what this time of year is all about when we celebrate the Fourth of July. And for the many men and women that come through our New Life Ministry at The Harbor (for men) or Shepherd’s Door (for women and children) and graduate from the program, that means freedom and…
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 MoreBradley laughed at the dark irony. For the last 30 years, he justified his growing addiction with the shallow, comforting thought. “I might be an alcoholic. But no matter how bad it gets, I won’t be living in a tent or under a bridge.” But he was wrong. Walking out of the hotel with just a…
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