× Close
I Need Help Donate

News, Stories, & Events

When no bed is available, blankets are a lifeline for Portland’s homeless

It’s evening and shelters are at capacity. It’s raining, it’s cold and it’s time to seek out a place to sleep. Where do you go if you have nowhere to go? How do you stay warm? Will you find somewhere safe and comfortable to sleep? For anyone dealing with the troubling reality of life on…

123 March 8th, 2016 0
Read More

Xavier finds hope at The Harbor after 20 years homeless

Xavier never dreamed that he’d end up homeless. But at age 13, life on the streets seemed easier than enduring more abuse at home. “It was scary, because you never know where your next meal’s going to come from. It was hunger pains. Not having clean clothes. It felt like hopelessness.” Along with the pain…

94 March 3rd, 2016 0
Read More

Glimmers of hope from residents at Shepherd’s Door

I still love you A little over a year ago, Lisa was at her lowest. “I figured that nobody needed me anymore, nobody cared. So I decided to end my life. I was in a coma for three days.” Then, the God of second chances intervened. “While in my coma I literally heard God say,…

99 February 26th, 2016 0
Read More

‘Tales from the Lighthouse’: Generosity, transformation at the Burnside Shelter

Life on the ‘other side of the yellow door’ at the Burnside Shelter can be life-changing for those who come through Portland Rescue Mission and take steps toward a new life. It’s where guests off the street can start to receive the hope and restoration they’ve needed for many years. We wanted to give you…

109 February 25th, 2016 0
Read More

Meaningful work that you love (job openings at Portland Rescue Mission)

Doing meaningful work is something we all strive for. It’s also the type of work that is a whole lot of fun to do day in and day out—which is exactly what’s available at Portland Rescue Mission. So, join the fun! Do you have a knack for fixing cars? Is it something you do on…

115 February 19th, 2016 0
Read More

Tony loses shoes and nearly everything else, finds stability at Connect

Tony’s work shoes “split wide open.” That was the final straw.  After working out of his car for about three years at a McDonald’s in Bakersfield, California, it wasn’t losing his car, or even losing an apartment to bedbugs that did him in. It was the shoes. “I hit a couple of hiccups,” he said. “[After…

111 February 18th, 2016 0
Read More

Art at the Burnside Shelter inspires hope, encourages creativity and dreams

It’s noon on a Thursday at the Burnside Shelter. Thursdays are a good day. The Guest Care Center door is open and art and color and the sharing of life takes place. Step inside and you’ll meet Andrew and Erin. Both on staff at Portland Rescue Mission, the two wanted to create a place where…

107 February 12th, 2016 0
Read More

From Hawaii to Portland with nowhere to go, Megan finds safety at Connect

Little things make a huge difference for the women in our Connect program. Often coming from very difficult situations, and incredibly challenging circumstances, the women at our Burnside Shelter find blessings in the unlikeliest of places. “Just sitting on a couch compared to a hard chair is a luxury,” Megan described. “A hot shower is…

107 February 10th, 2016 0
Read More

After ‘dying,’ Christine lives again at Shepherd’s Door

The fact that Christine is here today is nothing short of a miracle. “I’ve struggled with drug abuse and alcoholism most of my life along with the destruction that comes with that,” she said. “Jails, hospitals, psych wards, all of that. I’ve been suicidal most of my life.” But the pain Christine was feeling was…

101 February 3rd, 2016 0
Read More

One family makes a difference, inspires a Portland school to make care kits

Did you know there are about 4,000 people on the streets of Portland experiencing homelessness? Did you know that YOU can change that statistic? There are many creative ways to join the fight against homelessness. Every time you volunteer, give or even talk about Portland Rescue Mission, you make a difference. IT ALL STARTS WITH…

97 February 2nd, 2016 0
Read More