In 2017, the City Council created the Task Force for the Homeless. The 15-person task force identified a number of ways the city could help the growing homeless populations, including educating the public about the face of homelessness.
Just Compassion Founder Darla Tillman-Samuelson explains how there is a role for everyone in decreasing homelessness in Tigard.
“Adults are living in cars or other places that are outside of what most would call habitable shelter. They need resources that can remind them of their inherent value and worth, like in person-to-person contact for support. They need resources that provide for their health and safety, like food and clothing. They need a warm and dry place to clean and rest so they can face the circumstances of their lives like employment and housing. Without these resources chronic homelessness will continue to increase.”
We have worked with non-profits to produce Resource Cards, which provide detail on severe weather shelters, hot meals, showers and laundry, and food pantries.
Learn more about the organizations making a difference in Tigard and learn how you can support their mission.
- Bethlehem House of Bread
- Meals on Wheels
- Calvin Presbyterian Homeless Ministry
- Project Homeless Connect (PHC)
- Tigard-Tualatin Family Resource Center
- Good Neighbor Center (GNC)
- Meals on Wheels People
- Just Compassion
- Family Promise of Tualatin Valley (FPTV)
- You Should Also Know About….
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Bethlehem House of Bread
Location: 9055 SW Locust St, Tigard, OR 97223
Bethlehem House of Bread's mission is to invite those who are hungry in body or spirit at a table where all are welcome. They are open on Sundays and Thursdays from 1-3 p.m. Guests may shop at our pantry once a month. A free store with clothing and small household items is open during food pantry hours.
Meals on Wheels People
Contact: Catie, 503.953.8101
Meals on Wheels People has been changing lives, one meal at a time, since 1970. We provide a nutritional and social lifeline for older adults through dozens meal sites in Multnomah, Washington and Clark counties and Meals on Wheels delivery to homebound elderly.
Calvin Presbyterian Homeless Ministry
Contact: Kelcie Anderson, Kelcie.Anderson@live.com
The mission of Calvin Presbyterian’s Homeless Ministry is to serve the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of the homeless and poverty stricken in our community in coordination with other area churches and organizations. Every Friday night, December through March, we provide an overnight shelter, a hot dinner, and a McDonald's gift card for breakfast.
How Can You Help?
We need volunteers for the following roles:
- Set up facilities on Friday morning to prepare for our guests’ arrival
- Interact with guests on Friday evening by serving the meal or distributing clothing and hygiene items
- Spend the night as one of several overnight hosts
If you are interested, complete this volunteer form.
Project Homeless Connect (PHC)
Contact: Kim Marshall, kim@phcwashco.org
The mission of Project Homeless Connect is to bring communities together to create and promote tangible solutions that remedy the homelessness of their neighbors.
So far, Washington County’s 2018 PHC events provided critical services to 986 individuals. Our ninety-five community partners and 275 volunteers have provided dental care, vision screening, haircuts, food and clothing, and connections to housing and social services. In Tigard, we hosted “Dental Day” which served 24 individuals with cleanings and extractions, including seven children, one who had eight cavities.
We also host Project Employment Connect. Working with the Oregon Employment Department, Work Source, Goodwill, and 40 local businesses we connect those experiencing homeless or at risk of becoming homeless with employers who are hiring.
Tigard-Tualatin Family Resource Center
Contact: Catherine West, 503.603.1585
Located on the campus of Tigard High School, the Tigard-Tualatin Family Resource Center connect school families with community resources as well as providing a variety of direct services. For a copy of the Tigard-Tualatin Community Resource Guide in English or Spanish, click here.
How You Can Help?
Please use the Resource Guide as a tool for assisting children, youth and families in the Tigard and Tualatin area. The guide contains information about the most commonly needed services and how to access them. Individual pages can be copied and provided to families who are seeking help.
Good Neighbor Center (GNC)
Contact: Heidi Guffey, volunteer@goodneighborcenter.org
The Good Neighbor Center (GNC) has been sheltering homeless families since 1999. We are the largest of the three family homeless shelter programs in Washington County. Our mission is to provide safe emergency housing with supportive empowering services for families.
GNC's first concern is to provide shelter and food. We also offer case management toward permanent housing for every homeless family. Our staff makes use of all possible resources to help families remove barriers to housing, including participation in our two housing programs, referral to other transitional and permanent housing programs, referral to employment and training programs, weekly mandatory life skills classes, the Rent Well curriculum, and access to public benefits.
We are also focused on stabilizing all children in school, with liaison services to local school districts, interaction with each child's school counselors and teachers as appropriate, a daily Homework Club during the school year, individualized tutoring, and a ten-week full day Summer School. We work with adults on completing GED requirements and accessing other educational and job training resources.
For clients who have moved out of our shelter into housing, our staff supports families in effort to maintain stable housing, increase household income and reduce the need for public assistance. For instance, our Housing Stabilization Program leverages rent subsidies in partnership with Washington County Department of Housing. We also place families into the federal Shelter Plus Care housing program. Some clients receive weekly or monthly case management and many receive food boxes, clothing, school supplies, and money for the occasional prescription or utility bill to help families move toward independence.
How You Can Help?
We rely on the community for donations and financial support. We accept donations year-round for men’s/women’s clothes, children’s clothes, shoes, hygiene items, cleaning supplies, household items and any food items (perishable or non-perishable). We also accept financial contributions and gift cards to fund the specific needs of families.
Volunteers are needed for hosting dinner, maintaining the grounds, adopting rooms, staying the night (night host), teaching classes, helping with childcare and many other special projects.
Meals on Wheels People
Contact: Catie, 503.953.8101
Meals on Wheels People has been changing lives, one meal at a time, since 1970. We provide a nutritional and social lifeline for older adults through dozens meal sites in Multnomah, Washington and Clark counties and Meals on Wheels delivery to homebound elderly. With the help of more than 5,000 volunteers, we serve 5,000 meals daily and 1.2 million meals each year.
To ensure that all homebound elderly have sufficient meals during inclement weather, we will deliver a two-day supply of shelf-stable meals the week of Nov. 5 to more than 3,000 homebound participants throughout Multnomah, Washington and Clark counties. Participants will receive instructions to save these meals until they receive a call from their Meals on Wheels People center advising them to use these emergency supplies.
On days when weather is so severe that the majority of volunteer drivers cannot deliver meals, Meals on Wheels People staff will phone all Meals on Wheels recipients to conduct a wellness check and to instruct clients to consume one of their emergency meals. A cadre of pre-approved emergency weather drivers will be available to bring food to homebound elderly who are completely without food.
How You Can Help?
We’re recruiting volunteer drivers to assist in bad weather. You can register online. A background check will be required.
Just Compassion
Contact: Darla Tillman-Samuelson, darsamuelson@gmail.com
Just Compassion has been providing services to homeless adults in the area for over eight years. Services have ranged from temporary warming shelters to once-a-month laundry days, but the area homeless are in desperate need of a safe, friendly and welcoming space year-round.
In the last year, we have opened the Just Compassion Resource Center on Hall Boulevard. We provide homeless persons with a lunch, a safe place to rest, socialize and resource materials every Tuesday and Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
How You Can Help?
We have a number of ways that the community can support our mission. We are always looking for volunteers and/or donations. On our webpage, we have a list of the donations needed for the Resource Center. Volunteers are needed to staff the Resource Center and complete various projects on the property. We also accept financial contributions.
Family Promise of Tualatin Valley (FPTV)
Contact: tvfamilypromise@gmail.com
FPTV serves homeless children and their families. We are creating a network of religious and civic organizations that will provide shelter, meals, and resource assistance. Individual family plans are developed with our FPTV case manager to help families identify and connect with services specific to their needs with permanent housing being the priority.
How Can I Help?
The community keeps our program going. Without the support, we wouldn't be able to help families on their path to sustainable housing. You can support our cause here.
You Should Also Know About….
Washington County Family Shelter Network
Contact: (503) 640-3263
Community Action offers a variety of assistance for homeless families and persons at risk of homelessness.
Safe Place for Youth
Contact: (503) 542-2389
Safe Place serves youth in Washington County, up to age 19, who are in need of a place to stay and help from our trained staff. Safe Place also serves youth who need to spend a period of time away from their home and family to address behavioral issues with the help of our specialized staff.
HomePlate Youth Services
Contact: (503) 320-8965
HomePlate is Washington County's only non-profit provider of drop-in centers and street outreach for young people experiencing homelessness.
Open Door Counseling Center (ODCC)
Contact: (503) 640-6689
ODCC offers drop-in daytime services for homeless persons including hot meals, showers, laundry, phone and mailbox use. Emergency food boxes and other services are also available.
