Portlanders love to allow just one more car to cut ahead. They also drown their SADs in the cool, dim comfort of a neighborhood dive. And they literally distance themselves from folks who insist on repeating the word “metaverse.” But Portlanders enjoy many things that have nothing to do with sleeve tattoos and Sorel boots. And now that nighttime lasts 16 hours and waterproof-everything is an absolute necessity, there’s nothing Portlanders enjoy more than giving back to those in need with volunteer opportunities in Portland.
If you’re looking to make a genuine difference in the lives of the city’s most hard-pressed residents, consider these volunteer opportunities in Portland.
New Avenues for Youth, Downtown Portland
Source: Facebook/NewAvenuesForYouth
Since 1997, New Avenues for Youth has been helping Portland’s disadvantaged youth find housing and employment. They provide hot food, evening tutoring/art sessions and a work program in collaboration with Ben & Jerry’s. Find out how to get involved here.
HomePlate Youth Services, Portland & Beaverton
Source: Facebook/HomePlateYouth
RentPath is proud to have a longstanding relationship with HomePlate Youth Services. This organization is committed to helping youth, ages 12 to 24, find housing, food, clothing and employment. Volunteers can assist HomePlate with outreach efforts, event organizing and meal preparation, among other opportunities. Click here to sign up.
Blanchet House, Downtown Portland
Source: Facebook/BlanchetHouse
Ask about the group’s core values at Blanchet House and you’ll hear a lot about hospitality, community and hope. Since 1952, volunteers have helped homeless Portlanders find shelter, clothing and food. And they do all of this with an eye toward preserving — and celebrating — the dignity of each and every person they welcome. To learn more about how you can get involved, click here.
Central City Concern
Source: Facebook/CCCPortland
Sensing a trend here? For the uninitiated, Portland is in the midst of a houseless crisis, and as a result, they need all hands on deck for an effective response. Enter Central City Concern, a longtime advocate for affordable housing, accessible mental health services and substance abuse rehabilitation. Click here to get involved.
Our Streets PDX, Tigard
Source: Facebook/OurStreetsPDX
Ever heard the old adage about throwing everything at the kitchen sink? Well, that’s pretty much Our Streets PDX, a fairly recent addition to the network of nonprofits in and around Rose City. Trash pickup? Check. Meal prep and distribution? Absolutely. Clothing donations, artwork installations and gardening-related activities? Sure — everything helps! And on that note, click here.
Brown Hope, Inner Eastside
Source: Facebook/BrownHopeOrg
Brown Hope seemed to burst on the scene following the horrific murder of George Floyd and the protests that erupted in response. As a result, in less than two years, Brown Hope has funded nearly $1 million to Black Portlanders in need of financial assistance. If you’re looking to empower Black, Brown and Indigenous leaders in and around Portland, this is a wonderful place to start.
Portland Refugee Support Group, SW Portland
Source: Facebook/PSXRS
The U.S. continues to grapple with an enormous refugee crisis. Here at home, the Portland Refugee Support Group is committed to helping refugees resettle in the Portland Metro Area. Because of their wellness initiatives, community aid and educational opportunities for kids and adults, PRSG provides essential assistance to our most vulnerable neighbors. Help a family today.
Oregon Food Bank, Multiple Locations
Source: Facebook/OregonFoodBank
RentPath is proud to have volunteered with the Oregon Food Bank on numerous occasions. Guided by a mission statement that is simple and concise (no one should be hungry) — the OFB works to promote equal housing, health care and employment, the absence of which greatly contributes to food insecurity. If you’d like to roll up your sleeves and stuff countless bags full of frozen veggies (among other things), head over here.
SOLVE, Downtown Portland
Source: Facebook/SOLVEOregon
Established during the Nixon administration, SOLVE believes in creating a cleaner state for the next generation of residents. Volunteers regularly pick up litter in urban and rural areas. They also organize beach cleanups to reduce plastic pollution and plant trees to fortify our state’s native habitats. If this sounds like a cause you can dig (sorry), visit SOLVE’S volunteer page today.
Friends of Trees, Inner Eastside
Source: Facebook/FriendofTrees
Friends of Trees has one mission and one mission only, and that’s to plant trees here, there and everywhere. Actually, they’re mainly in Salem, Lane County, and throughout the Portland Metro Area. In addition to a genuine passion for environmental restoration, volunteers are encouraged to bring climate-appropriate clothing and adhere to current COVID-19 precautions. If you’re looking to exercise that green thumb of yours, head on over and make a difference!
Do good, feel good
Helping our fellow brothers and sisters isn’t merely an effective way of fostering community and goodwill. It also helps you, the giver of time and compassion, to remember what makes life worth living in the first place. After all, empathy, patience and decency are the cornerstones of genuine usefulness. With winter closing in from every direction, now’s the perfect time to lend a hand to those in need by joining one of these volunteer opportunities in Portland.
