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Find Help

If you or someone you know is experiencing hunger and homelessness, please feel free to use this list of resources. If you do not need help, please consider volunteering or donating supplies or money to nonprofits if you can. Please let us know if there are additional resources to add. (Created March 18, 2020. Last updated January 8, 2021)

Click here for a list of programming changes for regional service providers that serve those experiencing homelessness.

Resources for youth, families, and adults experiencing homelessness

Resources for Portland State University students in need

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Shelter

The city and Multnomah County are working to preserve emergency shelter capacity, even though some shelters are adding space because of social distancing guidance. Winter shelters are staying open, shelter operators have discretion to move some high-risk folks into motel rooms, and county staff are working to open more shelter spaces. But space is still limited, as many beds remain full. Outreach teams also have blankets, tarps, and additional supplies. Read more about county efforts.

  • For more information on where to find shelter and services, call 211 or visit this website.
  • A map of most publicly-funded Multnomah County shelters is available here.
  • The Oregon Convention Center has been converted to a temporary shelter and remains open 24 hours/day for the homeless until further notice.
  • Charles Jordan Community Center temporary homeless shelter will remain open with 24-hour access through March 2021. It will have 100 beds available and provide access to meals, showers, laundry, storage and housing navigation services.

C(3)PO: The city created three temporary camp villages to provide access to a supportive environment with water, food, hygiene supplies, and other services for vulnerable adults without shelter. The Creating Conscious Communities with People Outside, or C(3)PO, project is led by JOIN in collaboration with several other service agencies, the city of Portland and the Joint Office on Homeless Services. 

There are 3 sites with 45 tents at each site. One site prioritizes LGBTQ+ participants, another prioritizes people of color, and a third is for the general population. Read more about camps in Street Roots.

Current In-Person Intake for C(3)PO: (confirmed 10/24/2020) The C(3)PO Villages are currently accepting applications. If you or someone you know is interested in applying, please go to one of our three locations to fill out an application with a gate crew staff member:

  •     BIPOC Affinity Village - SE Water and Main
  •     Queer Affinity Village - SE Water and Main
  •     Old Town Village - NW 6th and Glisan

Once your application is received and reviewed, a C(3)PO representative will contact you within 48 hours for an interview with the village intake team. If the interview is successful and you are approved, the final step is to sign the camp agreements, and support for your move-in will be provided. For more info: c3pointake@gmail.com.

Emergency Funds

PSU Student Emergency Funds webpage provides information about emergency funds available to help students during times of financial hardship including due to COVID-19.

SEIU 503 COVID-19 Hardship Fund provides cash assistance to local SEIU 503 union members who have faced financial hardship due to the COVID-19 public health crisis.

Asian Pacific American Network of Oregon's (APANO) created the Jade District Covid Relief Fund to serve community members and families in the Jade District who have been affected by the impacts of the coronavirus. Update: Due to dire need and the tremendous support for this campaign across the Portland Metro area, over $40,000 in donations, the Jade District COVID Relief Fund is expanding to support impacted workers in Washington County with a focus on Beaverton/Hillsboro.

Black Resilience Fund is an emergency fund dedicated to healing and resilience by providing immediate funds and resources to Black Portlanders for basic needs such as food and unpaid bills. 

Oregon Workers Relief Fund Causa, Latino Network, Voz Worker Education Project, and Pineros y Campesinos Unidos del Noroeste (PCUN) have created this fund to provide cash assistance to Immigrant Oregon workers who are being left out of the Federal Stimulus package.

Food

NEW! Symbiosis Hub & Resource Exchange is a project run by Symbiosis PDX that is dedicated to distributing hot food, groceries, hygiene supplies, and PPE to community members who need it. Every Tuesday & Thursday from noon-6 pm, the group sets up at the Social Justice Action Center (400 SE 12th Ave) to distribute goods to those in need.

NEW! Portland Free Fridge is a mutual aid project that sets up covered refrigerators and pantries in different neighborhoods throughout Portland, where neighbors can drop off groceries, prepared meals, and basic household supplies for those in need. Their map includes the full list of fridges and their cross-streets for those looking for food & supplies.

NEW! Urban Gleaners has partnered with local providers & schools during the pandemic to distribute food around Multnomah & Washington Counties at food box drop sites, and is also delivering directly to families. Visit the website for more info or call (503) 226-8061.

NEW! Rahab’s Sisters provides to go meals and hygiene supplies to women and gender non-conforming people marginalized by poverty, houselessness, sex work, violence and substance use. During COVID-19 they are offering to go meals & supplies to anyone in need, regardless of gender, on Friday evenings from 7-9:30pm at Saints Peter & Paul Episcopal Church (247 SE 82nd Ave). Rahab's Sisters is now supporting unhoused neighbors in the Montavilla area with food & supplies once per week. For questions/needs, contact (971) 208-3176 or community@rahabs-sisters.org.

NEW! Store to Door delivers groceries to homebound seniors who are at even greater risk during the COVID-19 pandemic. To enroll in the delivery program call (503) 200-3333, or fill out their online form.

NEW! PDX Concierge was started by a Portland high school student, to provide a free grocery delivery service for seniors and the immuno-compromised during the pandemic. The group serves communities around the Willamette Valley. To request grocery delivery please call 971-347-7778, email pdxconcierge2020@gmail.com, or visit the website.

NEW! Feed the Mass and Ecotrust have teamed up to create The Fed Project, serving approx 600 meals/week at the Breathe Building (2305 SE 50th St) Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from noon-1pm.  Anyone who needs a meal is welcome, no questions asked. Or sign up to receive meals delivered to your home on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Submit a request form and start receiving  meals within 4-7 days.

Laughing Planet Cafe continues to provide free meals to students on meal assistance programs (MAPS) for the duration of the school closures. Free kids meals are now available exclusively through phone orders. Call your local Laughing Planet, ask for a MAPS meal, then pick it up! No questions asked.

Crisis Kitchen PDX in SE is cooking meals and distributing them to people who need them. Visit the website to place a food order for pick up the next day.

Familias en Accion is offering a webinar in Spanish on food access during COVID-19. For more information and to register, please contact Alejandra Gurrola at alejandra@familiasenaccion.org.

Oregon Food Bank will continue to update its Food Finder interactive map for free groceries, meals, produce and more by area. Or call 211 to find meals near you.

Food boxes can be picked up or delivered by Lift Urban Portland, Snowcap, Sunshine Division, or Salvation Army

PSU Food Pantry continues to serve PSU students in their new location at 5th Avenue Cinema and is now shipping food boxes. Students can shop by appointment or order a food box online.

Many services switched to to-go options, including:

  • Blanchet House of Hospitality, 310 NW Glisan Street, will serve to-go meals for people experiencing homelessness Monday-Saturday: Breakfast from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 a.m., lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., and dinner from 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
  • Sisters of the Road Cafe, 133 NW Sixth Avenue, will serve to-go meals for people experiencing homelessness: Thursday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to noon.

Meals on Wheels continues service to the homebound elderly with a 'no contact' meal delivery system. To limit contact between volunteers and homebound participants, meal delivery will be limited to Monday-Thursday from 10am-2pm. Submit an online meal request, or call 503.953.8111 to discuss eligibility for the program. They have suspended meal service at all their dining centers in Clark, Multnomah and Washington counties.

Oregon Schools offer free meals, breakfast and lunch, during school closure to all kids 18 and younger. Find a complete list of Oregon schools to link to hours and locations from Partners for a Hunger-Free Oregon or call 211: 

Portland Public Schools serving to-go meals 3pm to 4:30pm Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays for Fall 2020.  See the PPS Nutrition Services website for details on the school meals program, school pick up locations, or how to get other food assistance.

  • Arleta K-8 School, 5109 SE 66th Ave.
  • Astor K-8 School, 5601 N Yale St.
  • Beach Elementary School, 1710 N Humboldt St.
  • Beaumont Middle School, 4043 NE Fremont St.
  • Boise-Eliot/Humboldt Elementary School, 620 N Fremont St.
  • Bridger K-8 School, 7910 SE Market St.
  • Buckman Elementary School, 320 SE 16th Ave.
  • César Chávez Elementary School, 5103 N Willis Blvd.
  • Chief Joseph Elementary School, 2409 N Saratoga St.
  • Creston K-8 School, 4701 SE Bush St.
  • Faubion PK-8 School, 2930 NE Dekum St.
  • George Middle School, 10000 N Burr Ave.
  • Grout Elementary School, 3119 SE Holgate Blvd.
  • Harrison Park K-8 School, 2225 SE 87th Ave.
  • Hayhurst Elementary School, 5037 SW Iowa St.
  • James John Elementary School, 7439 N Charleston Ave.
  • Jason Lee Elementary School, 2222 NE 92nd Ave.
  • Jefferson High School, 5210 N Kerby Ave.
  • Kelly Elementary School, 9030 SE Cooper St.
  • Lane Middle School, 7200 SE 60th Ave.
  • Lent K-8 School, 5105 SE 97th Ave.
  • Markham Elementary School, 10531 SW Capitol Hwy.
  • Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary School, 4906 NE 6th Ave.
  • Marysville K-8 School, 7733 SE Raymond St.
  • Ockley Green Middle School, 6031 N Montana Ave.
  • Peninsula Elementary School, 8125 N Emerald Ave.
  • Rigler Elementary School, 5401 NE Prescott St.
  • Rosa Parks Elementary School, 8960 N Woolsey Ave.
  • Roseway Heights Middle School, 7334 NE Siskiyou St.
  • Scott Elementary School, 6700 NE Prescott St.
  • Sitton Elementary School, 9930 N Smith St.
  • Vestal Elementary School, 161 NE 82nd Ave.
  • Whitman Elementary School, 7326 SE Flavel St.
  • Woodlawn Elementary School, 7200 NE 11th Ave.
  • Woodmere Elementary School, 7900 SE Duke St.

Online publication Eater Portland posted a list of local restaurants giving out free food to those in need. It also has an older list of where to find free meals in Portland.

Multnomah County posted resources available to residents and businesses:

WIC serves pregnant, postpartum, or breastfeeding women and children under 5 years old. Dads, grandparents, foster parents, or other guardians may apply for WIC for their children.

Hygiene Stations

NEW! Social Justice Action Center teamed up with community partners to create a hygiene station and provide the following services: open bathroom hours, disability affirmative bathroom, handwashing station, free PPE, and other hygiene resources. The station is open at the Social Action Justice Center (400 SE 12th Ave) on: Mondays 9:00 am - noon, Fridays/Saturdays 4:00 pm - 7:00 pm, and Sundays 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm.

Portland placed portable toilets & hand washing stations at over 40 sites across the city for people who don't have regular access to bathrooms. The need for access becomes even more critical as public spaces close their doors. Check out an interactive map of the sites.

Portland Parks & Recreation and the Homelessness and Urban Camping Impact Reduction Program (HUCIRP) partnered together to keep 54 parks restrooms open to the public during this emergency. We expect these restrooms to be accessible at all hours of the day, check out the Emergency Parks Restrooms list.

Bathrooms and Handwashing Stations (check out the interactive map for all sites)

East
  • SE Division before entrance of the multi-use path
  • SE  92nd and SE Flavel
North
  • N Going and Interstate Ave
  • N Rosa Parks Way and N Interstate
  • N Lombard Blvd and N Peninsula Crossing Trail
  • N Oswego and N Lombard
  • Peninsula Crossing Trail at N Columbia
  • Peninsula Crossing Trail at N Fessenden
Northeast
  • NE 13th and NE Holladay (near Lloyd Center)
  • NE Cesar Chavez and NE Halsey
  • NE Cully and NE Prescott
  • NE 82nd Ave and NE Webster St
  • NE 122nd and Sandy Blvd
Northwest
  • Blanchet House - NW Glisan and NW 3rd Ave
  • NW 9th and NW Glisan
  • NW 14th and NW Davis
  • NW 18th and Pettygrove
  • NW 17th and NW Savier
  • NW 2nd and NW Davis
  • NW 6th and NW Davis
Southeast
  • SE Water and SE Morrison
  • SE 3rd and SE Morrison
  • SE 6th and SE Alder
  • Entrance to Springwater Corridor at SE Ivon
  • SE 12th and SE Washington
  • SE 88th and Powell
  • SE 85th and SE Foster
  • SE Foster Rd and SE 110th Ave
  • SE Reedway and SE 122nd Ave
Southwest
  • SW Oak and SW Naito Parkway
  • SW 4th and SW Pine
  • SW Harbor and SW Naito Parkway
  • SW 6th and SW Jackson
  • SW 11th and SW Clay
  • SW 13th Ave and SW Montgomery Ave
  • SW 18th Ave and SW Market St

Standalone Handwashing Stations
East
  • SE 79th and SE Powell
North
  • Martin Luther King Junior Boulevard and Union Court (near Delta Park)
  • N Pittsburgh and N Crawford
  • N Rosa Parks and N Interstate
  • I-5 and N Lombard
Northeast
  • NE 13th and NE Holladay (near Lloyd Center)
  • NE Cesar Chavez and NE Halsey
Northwest
  • NW 3rd and NW Glisan (310 NW Glisan)
  • Sisters of the Road Cafe - NW Davis and NW 6th Ave
  • NW 29th and NW Industrial
  • Westside of Steel Bridge near Day Storage facility 
Southeast
  • SE Grand and SE Alder
  • SE Water and SE Main
  • SE 3rd and SE Ash
  • SE 11th and SE Oak (near Saint Francis Dining Hall)
  • SE Burnside entrance to the I-205 multi-use path
  • SE 37th and SE Oak (near Laurelhurst Park)
  • SE 79th and SE Powell
  • SE Powell and SE 122nd Ave
  • SE Foster and SE Holgate
Southwest
  • SW Terwilliger and SW Nebraska

College and University Students

Student Campus Resources: Find help for students at Portland State University, including food pantry hours, emergency funds, and other campus resources.

The Hope Center at Temple University has created a guide for colleges and universities to help address the needs of students, including information on supporting students experiencing hunger, homelessness, or financial crisis. Download the guide here. 

Federal Student Aid and Homeless Youth Q&A's document provides answers to questions students' have about their federal financial resources.

Health Services

List pulled from the Sisters of the Road website. 

Portland Fire & Rescue's Meds on Wheels program is a prescription pick-up and delivery service for older adults and individuals with disabilities in the city of Portland.

Homelessness Prevention

Portland, Multnomah County, and now the state of Oregon have halted evictions of tenants who fall behind on rent due to coronavirus-related challenges to prevent additional homelessness. Renters will have up to six months to pay back their rent. Renters do not need to sign supplemental agreements with their landlords. Renters should notify landlords as soon as reasonably possible. There is no language saying you have to provide proof to the landlord.

 If you need assistance with knowing your rental rights, Oregon Community Alliance of Tenants can help. Learn more at oregoncat.org or call (503) 288-0130. You can also find help by calling 211. 

Oregon launches COVID-19 Rent Relief Program to provide rent assistance to people across the state who are at risk of homelessness due to COVID-19. For more info or to apply, contact a Community Action Agency (CAA) for your area (see CAA Map) or call 211. 

Emergency Childcare

If you are an essential worker in need of emergency child care during the COVID-19 crisis, contact 211info to receive a customized referral to emergency child care programs with available openings. 

Information about Coronavirus

COVID-19 or novel coronavirus has symptoms similar to the flu. People with symptoms have fevers, coughs and also shortness of breath. CDC added 6 more symptoms associated with COVID-19: chills, repeated shaking with chills, muscle pain, headache, sore throat, and new loss of taste or smell.

The virus spreads mainly from person-to-person, between people who are in close contact, within about 6 feet.

This happens by droplets from an infected person’s coughs or sneezes getting into another person’s mouth, nose, or lungs. If a well person touches a surface, object, or a sick person’s hand that has the virus on it from the sick person’s cough/sneeze droplets, the virus can infect the well person when they touch their own mouth or nose. 

Most people recover without medical intervention and have mild symptoms.

But certain people do face a higher risk of having more severe symptoms, including pneumonia. Those folks tend to be older, have weakened immune systems or have underlying medical conditions (things like heart or lung diseases).

Limit the spread of infections:

  • Hand-washing is important, but we recognize that access to hand-washing facilities is limited for folks living without shelter. Sanitizer is also effective. If someone is sick, it will help them not spread germs from their lungs or nose to other things they touch. If they are well, it will help them not pick up germs from things they touch and spread them to their mouth, nose or eyes.
  • Folks should do what they can to avoid touching their noses, eyes, and mouths. 
  • Cover coughs: Any cough, even if someone otherwise feels well, should be covered — not with someone’s hands but by coughing into an elbow, a mask or a bandana.
  • As much as possible, encourage those you’re working with to limit sharing personal items, particularly cigarettes, food, phones, utensils and other items."

Free COVID-19 Testing Sites

For more information:

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