Wealth inequity is growing. The need for safety net support systems continues to grow each year. Our programs have expanded to meet the need. Now our physical space needs to expand as well. That is why we are partnering with donors to create state-of-the-art, accessible, dignified spaces designed and influenced by the neighbors who will use them.

To expand our services and staff needs, we have purchased an office building at 8959 SW Barbur Blvd. It’s not too far from our current administrative building in Multnomah Village and allows for better public transit access.

The building needs heavy repair and renovation to make this our new home, including: installation of an elevator, a new roof, replacing the heating and air conditioning systems, ADA improvements, and significant updates to the second floor spaces for meeting areas and staff offices. The $7.2 million total budget includes the purchase price of the building and design/build features. Fundraising to support this move is grounded in the Growing Our Village Campaign.

This is a legacy investment. It will create the foundation for Neighborhood House services for decades to come. It invests in a future where all our neighbors have the community and support they need to thrive.

When renovations are complete, the new building will provide plenty of space for both staff and program use. The Free Food Market will have almost 3X more space for a better shopping experience, storage and prep areas. The Senior Center and its Resale Shop will expand significantly. The new building will also provide space for our growing Housing and Community Health programming as well as board and community meetings.

The revised project schedule:

·        Ramp up Capital Campaign: September 2023

·        Permitting and Bidding: August, 2023 – February, 2024 

·        Construction:  March – August, 2024 

·        Ribbon Cutting: November, 2024 

Interested in seeing this exciting new chapter in our history? Come take a tour of the new building!

I started using the Free Food Market. I learned about more programs that could help us. But the biggest change wasn’t the services themselves.

It was how I was treated. 

For the first time in my entire life, I was met with dignity. 

I wasn’t talked down to. I wasn’t made to feel ashamed for needing help. I wasn’t forced to “prove” I deserved to survive. At Neighborhood House, people spoke to me with genuine respect, something I have so often not been given, simply due to my circumstances. That changed everything. Even now, it still brings tears to my eyes. 

When you’re disabled, when you’re parenting alone, when you’re just trying to get through the day without falling apart…asking for help is hard. Being treated with kindness backed by action? It’s life-changing. 

That kindness empowered me. 
I joined the Head Start Policy Council. 
I became involved in statewide advocacy work. 
And eventually, when someone asked if I would consider joining the Neighborhood House Board, I said yes. 

Being on the board fills a need I’ve carried my whole life: the deep need to give back. There is so little any one person can do alone. But when we connect, when we come together as a community, everything becomes possible. 

People sometimes ask me why services like Neighborhood House still matter. 

My answer is simple: 

Because income inequality is growing. 
Because our systems do not prioritize people in poverty. 
Because without places like Neighborhood House, people really would go hungry. Children would go without resources necessary to thrive. Housing insecure families would be turned out into the streets. 
And that is simply not acceptable.

Until we change the systems that create these conditions in the first place, we need community-based organizations that keep people alive, keep families housed, and treat every neighbor with dignity.

And there’s one more thing I want you to know:

No one chooses this. 

Everyone is doing the best they can. 
Sometimes people just need a little boost.

When you donate or volunteer at Neighborhood House, it is truly life changing. You may never meet every person you help—but please know there are so many of us who feel overwhelmed with gratitude because these services exist.

I am one of them.

So today, as we close out the year, I’m asking you to help more neighbors like me.

Here’s how you can help right now: 

  • Make a gift today — your support goes directly to families who need it most.
  • Start a food dr​ive — our Food Security Program is a lifeline and always needs support. 
  • Share my letter with a friend who believes in a more just and caring community.

Thank you for believing in this work.

Thank you for believing in people like me. 

With gratitude,

Love 
Board Member & Program Participant 
Neighborhood House 

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