Homeless Shelters Swing Into Action During Cold Snap

Portland Rescue Mission

Portland, January 8th, 2016. With temperatures dipping ten degrees below average at the start of January, social services agencies were working overtime to meet the needs of homeless people. Portland Rescue Mission answered the call as did dozens of other shelters.

Here’s a look at the current status of care for the homeless in our area:

The City of Portland and Multnomah County fund year-round, winter and severe weather emergency shelter. There are also privately-funded organizations that provide shelter services. There are 611 emergency shelter beds available year-round. Winter shelter is available from November 1-March 31. Approximately 297 additional beds are available during the winter season for men, women, and families.

Severe weather emergency shelter is also available when the City declares a Severe Weather Notice, based on temperature/wind chill at 25°F or less, or other life-threatening weather conditions. When severe weather is declared, up to 150 additional beds may be made available.

For updated information on winter and Severe Weather Services, call 2-1-1 or go to: http://www.211info.org/

Portland Homeless Family Solutions is able to help 500 grateful people each year.

Portland Homeless Family Solutions’ (PHFS) is one of the local nonprofits serving the homeless community. Its mission is to provide temporary, emergency shelter to homeless families with children; to give access to transitional resources and teach life skills to help families find permanent housing and stay there long-term; and to advocate for the alleviation of family homelessness.

In Vancouver, Open House Ministries serves hundreds and volunteers stay busy with winter activities like coat drives for the homeless.

Donations for items to fight the cold are collected by many organizations including the Portland Rescue Mission on Burnside. Here’s what administrators are asking for now:

During the cold, rainy and sometimes icy winter months, many men and women experiencing homelessness come to the Portland Rescue Mission looking for items that can get them through a very difficult time of year weather-wise.

The items in greatest demand during Oregon’s difficult winter months are gloves, coats, warm hats, socks, shoes, blankets, sweatshirts, underwear and jeans. Portland Rescue Mission blanket exchange program, in particular, allows our guests to give us their blankets to wash and, in return, we give them a new (but used) clean one. This not only extends the life of donated blankets, but it helps make sure every man or woman gets a quality blanket when they need it most.Donations can be dropped off at our Burnside Shelter at 111 W Burnside St., Portland, OR 97209 at any time. The lobby and front desk is open 24 hours a day along with available restrooms for the guests who come to us looking for help. More details at PortlandRescueMission.org/DonateItems.

A website with information about many local organizations serving the homeless community is called

the Homeless Shelter Directory. Below are blurbs that service providers have upload with their contact information.

VETS (Veterans Emergency Transitional Shelter)

Portland, OR 97204
503-239-1259
Short-term case management and transitional housing for veterans. Accepts men, women, and families for up to 9 months for veterans that qualify with TB card.

Transition Projects TPI

Portland, OR 97209
503-823-4930
Transition Projects provides people with the resources and tools they need to end their homelessness and maintain housing. Helping people meet their basic needs-shelter, clothing, food, cleanliness-is the bedrock of what we do.

Salvation Army Female Emergency Shelter (SAFES)

Portland, OR 97209
503-227-0810
Day Access service 7 a.m.-11 p.m. 7/week.

Emergency shelter for women. No men or children allowed on site. 30-90 day program, but extensions available if you have an active housing plan. Low barrier shelter. 50 beds. Showers, laundry, lockers, case management, and housing assistance.

Yolanda House For Women and Children

Portland, OR 97205
503-535-3266
Crisis Line: 503-535-3269

Mission & Services
The YWCA of Greater Portland strives to eliminate racism and discrimination in all its forms and provides growth, education and leadership opportunities for women and families.

Goose Hollow Family Shelter

Portland, OR 97201
503-595-9390
The Goose Hollow Family Shelter is a night shelter for 8 homeless families with children. Families are able to stay at the shelter for about 30-60 days. Goose Hollow is open from 6:30pm until 7:30am each night of the year.

Bradley Angle House For Women and Children

Portland, OR 97217
503-281-2442
The mission of Bradley Angle is to offer survivors of domestic and sexual violence options for safety, empowerment, healing and hope, while collaborating with our communities to create social change.

Daybreak Shelter Portland

Portland, OR 97236
503.548.0200
At this office: Anti-Poverty Classes, Energy Assistance, Employment Programs, Family Advocacy, Administrative Offices.

The Daybreak Shelter Network is a unique collaboration between Human Solutions and 30 area faith congregations.

Northwest Housing Alternatives

Milwaukie, OR 97222
5.71 miles from city center Portland
(503) 655-8575
The Annie Ross House family shelter.

The Annie Ross House helps families move from the crisis of homelessness to stable and secure lives in permanent and affordable homes. To meet this objective, Annie Ross program participants receive access to housing enriched with case management.

Council for the Homeless

Vancouver, WA 98661
8.26 miles from city center Portland
(360)993-9561
Referrals Advocacy Outreach Services.

Assistance may include temporary emergency shelter, short-term rental assistance to help people get back into housing, or rental assistance and supportive services for people with additional needs.

Good Neighbor Center

Tigard, OR 97223
8.86 miles from city center Portland
(503) 443-6084
Good Neighbor Center is more than a place for families to sleep and eat. It is a place where families are transformed and become self sufficient once more. During their six-week stay at the shelter,families navigate the resources to assistance and finding jobs.

Gates of Grace

Vancouver, WA 98662
9.43 miles from city center Portland
360-980-3973
We now have two transitional faith based homes for homeless women and children. We are centrally located and each home has six beds. We have shared and single rooms.

Clackamas Women’s Services

Oregon City, OR 97045
11.56 miles from city center Portland
503-722-2366
Crisis: 503-654-2288 or toll free 888-654-2288
(open 24 hours a day)
Office 503-722-2366

Incorporated in 1985 as Clackamas County’s only shelter for women & children escaping family violence, CWS has safely harbored over 7,000 women & children.

My Father’s House Community Shelter

Gresham, OR 97030
12.12 miles from city center Portland
(503) 492-3046
My Father’s House Community Shelter is a family shelter located in East Multnomah County, Oregon. We provide a safe environment for 30 families, a place families can stay together as they address their spiritual, physical, emotional, and relational issues and needs.

Community Action Family Shelter

Hillsboro, OR 97214
15.96 miles from city center Portland
(503) 648-6646
The Community Action Family Shelter offers twenty beds with space for five families, and is managed by the Housing and Homeless Services Team at Community Action. Although it is referred to as a shelter, it is actually a Housing Program. Families are able to stay for up to five weeks.

Elisa Klein

I’ve been a professional journalist and writer since 1987, (and long-time reporter for KOIN-TV.) As a nationally published reporter, with a Master’s Degree in Journalism, I love to report positive news and information. Journalism has also connected me with another non-profit where I served as a leader; the Northwest’s biggest writer’s organization: The Willamette Writers.