WeShine

Mission

WeShine designs, builds, and operates neighborhood-based micro villages that provide safe, transitional shelter with wrap-around services for Portland’s underserved, unsheltered adults as they prepare to become successful tenants in permanent, affordable housing.

Bottom Line for Portland

WeShine stands for Welcoming, Empowering, Safe Habitation Initiative with Neighborhood Engagement.

Our model is rooted in the value of community, which restores self-esteem and heals the trauma that results from life on the streets. Guests experience peer support and are connected with services, which lead to success that is nearly impossible when living outside. 

Our vision is to create a network of micro villages based on this model, and provide vulnerable people with a path to permanent housing.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

WeShine focuses on vulnerable and marginalized community members. Our village in NE Portland serves 10 adults who identify as LGBTQIA+; our village in SE Portland provides 10 pods for female identifying persons and; our village in North Portland will provide 10 pods for folks 45 years old and older and with physical disabilities. All of our villages also prioritize people who are Black, Indigenous or people of color and provide spaces that are handicapped accessible.

Partner(s)

Animal Aid regularly donates pet food and supplies, including kitty litter, to WeShine villagers who own pets. We are the first micro village in PDX to install catios on our pods!

Gather:Make:Shelter creates opportunities for people experiencing houselessness and poverty to engage in collaborative, skill-building projects in creative fields, bringing houseless and housed people together for projects such as decorating WeShine micro village privacy fences.

Harbor of Hope collaborates with local organizations to address the diverse needs of Portland's homeless population, and educates area residents about the nature, extent and impacts of homelessness; including how they can help.

Scheller Financial Services has partnered with Parkrose United Church of Christ to help WeShine address the needs of the homeless. The Church’s relationship with WeShine and the opening of Parkrose Village further solidified Schiller’s interest and commitment to our work, and they have generously offered a $500 matching gift.