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Breaking the Cycle of Homelessness
Founded in 1949 by John Van Diest Sr., the Mission opened its doors as the ''John 3:16 Mission.'' From its earliest days of ministry, the words of that verse of salvation and hope have been at the heart and soul of our motivation for service: ''For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son?''
Since then the Portland Rescue Mission has had a tireless commitment to breaking the cycle of homelessness.
Today, we still offer emergency services of food and shelter at our original downtown location on 111 West Burnside. Men who come to us for recovery will stay at the Burnside Shelter for the first phase of the program, then transition to our Next Step facility as they establish themselves in a new life.
Women and children find help at Shepherd's Door where they'll stay in safety, care and comfort throughout their recovery. This program, started in 1994, moved to a brand new facility in 2003 where women and children stay throughout all phases of their journey toward healing.
The heart of our work isn't in our facilities, however. It's in the true stories of real people who've moved from hopelessness to total life recovery.