Safe. Dignified. Community-Built Shelter for Portland’s Unhoused.
WeShine creates safe, supportive micro-villages that help Portland’s unsheltered adults find stability, community, and a path toward permanent housing. Together, we’re transforming lives and neighborhoods—one home at a time.
Youtube: WeShine 2025 Anthem
Weshine Snapshot Statistics
WeShine stands for Welcoming, Empowering, Safe Habitation Initiative with Neighborhood Engagement. Our villages are located in residential neighborhoods, with wraparound services and robust volunteer engagement. In conjunction with other types of shelter, WeShine is an important component of the region’s shelter ecosystem. And, WeShine villages help reduce the region’s unmanaged encampments.
3+
Villages
30+
Villagers
$1M+
Donations Raised
15+
Graduations To Housing
30+
Service Provided
15+
Dogs
6+
Cats
Core Functions Overview
Villages
Safe, supportive micro-villages offering transitional housing and wrap-around services that help villagers rebuild their lives with dignity.
Volunteers
Our dedicated volunteers bring warmth, skills, and compassion — the heart behind every WeShine initiative and success story.
Donations
Your generosity powers WeShine’s mission — every contribution helps provide shelter, safety, and hope to those in need.
Site Partner
Together with Site Partners, WeShine transforms compassion into housing — uplifting Portland’s most vulnerable communities.
Villages
St. Andrews Community Village
Location:
7600 N. Hereford Avenue, in North Portland
Site partner:
St Andrew’s Episcopal Church
Opened:
April 2025
Capacity:
10 sleeping pods for up to 10 adults
Participants:
Adults who are age 45 or older or adults of any age with a physical disability. Priority for those who also identify as BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, or who have been camping in the nearby area.
Avalon Community Village
Location:
2539 SE 19th Ave., in Portland’s Hosford-Abernethy Neighborhood
Site partner:
Portland Bureau of Transportation
Opened:
August 2024
Capacity:
10 sleeping pods for up to 10 adults
Participants:
Female-identifying adults, with priority for those who are also Black, Indigenous, or People of Color, those who are older or who have disabilities, and those who have been camping nearby.
Parkrose Community Village
Location:
12501 NE Halsey St., Portland
Site partner:
Parkrose Community United Church of Christ
Opened:
August 2022
Capacity:
10 sleeping pods for up to 10 adults
Participants:
Adults who identify as LGBTQIA+, priority for those who are also Black, Indigenous, or People of Color or who have disabilities or who have been camping nearby.
Villager Testimonials
A place to be our true selves
“ WeShine’s acronym stands for Welcoming, Empowering, Safe, Habitation Initiative (with) Neighborhood Engagement – things that WeShine villages strive to provide. While WeShine works hard to serve our unsheltered neighbors, we often forget just how much the villagers give back to WeShine.
Fae came to us with a need for the safety, stability and privacy our villages provide, she brought with her an amazing drive for community organizing and outreach. After experiencing deep trauma and homelessness in Los Angeles, in the Spring of 2023, she chose to make the move to Portland, hoping to become, as she describes, “finally, truly out for the first time” as a trans woman.
-Fae’s story
How To Join A Village
WeShine Village Application and Information
The waitlists at all villages are currently closed
If you have questions about our villages or would like to receive an email once our waitlists open back up again, please contact shelter@weshinepdx.org.
Our Vision: A regional network of micro villages that meet the varied and unique needs of unhoused people throughout many Portland neighborhoods.
Learn about WeShine
WeShine Villages
- Parkrose Community Village: adults who identify as LGBTQIA2S+.
- Avalon Community Village: female-identifying adults.
- St. Andrews Community Village: Adults who are age 45 or older, or adults of any age with a physical disability.
- All villages prioritize serving Black, Indigenous, and People of Color, people with disabilities, and those who have been camping in the nearby area.
Volunteer
Volunteer Opportunities
Volunteers are the heartbeat of WeShine. Whether you’re lending a hand at one of our micro-village sites, helping organize supplies, assisting residents as they transition into permanent housing, or contributing your professional skills — your time and compassion make a lasting impact.
Every act of service adds up to something powerful: a brighter, safer, and more connected Portland. At WeShine, volunteers don’t just help — they embody our mission of Welcoming, Empowering, Safe Habitation with Neighborhood Engagement. By working alongside staff, residents, and partners, you help transform compassion into tangible action that changes lives.
Together, we build bridges of dignity and opportunity, one neighbor at a time. Join us in bringing light, safety, and community to Portland’s unhoused residents and experience firsthand how small acts of kindness ripple into citywide change.
Please email info@weshinepdx.org if you are interested in volunteering.
(WeShine is updating its volunteer opportunities and application process.)
What Our Volunteer and Community Partners Say
How To Volunteer
At WeShine, every act of service makes a difference. Whether you’re lending your time, your skills, or simply your presence, volunteering helps create safe, welcoming spaces for Portlanders rebuilding their lives. Explore the ways you can get involved — and be part of a community that shines brighter together.
Join a Community Event
Be part of the movement that brings neighbors together. Attend WeShine events, organize supply drives, or help raise awareness across Portland. Every gathering you join builds connection, compassion, and hope within our community.
Lend a Hand at a Village
We need help in these areas: Any sort of specialty including finances, mental health classes, art classes, cooking classes, budgeting.
Hands on help in the village
Small construction projects, gardening, cooking
Donations
You can make a difference
At WeShine, we believe that everyone in our community deserves access to a place to call home and the opportunity to write their own unique and powerful story.
Today, we invite you to make a donation and become a part of this transformative story. Together, we can overcome the systemic barriers to housing that limit our community’s potential.
There are many ways to support WeShine:
- Make a one-time donation
- Mail a check
- Become a Monthly Sustainer
- Through a Donor Advised Fund (DAF)
- Contribute from an IRA (Required Minimum Distribution)
Please make your check payable to WeShine Initiative Inc. and mail it to:
3539 NE Sandy Blvd #525,
Portland, OR 97232
Partner & Sponsor Logos
Latest News
Portland Church Will Open Housing Village
New North Portland village to offer transitional shelter for up to 10 individuals
We Shine opens 3rd micro-village in Portland
Avalon Village Burglarized. Donations needed to replace stolen items.
Avalon Village: New Portland shelter empowers its residents through self-governance
Jan McManus of We Shine on tiny villages for underserved communities
Why “Microvillages” you ask? The concept of “microvillages” is essential to WeShine’s specific model and mission! We want to change the narrative on what a homeless shelter can and should be: small, low staff/participant ratio, close in neighborhoods with great neighbors, businesses, jobs, resources and public transportation! WeShine stands for: Welcoming, Empowering, Safe, Habitation, Initiative with Neighborhood Engagement! ❤️🏡🚏🚐🌲🌲🌳
#unhousedneighbors #weshinepdx #microvillages #alternativeshelters #solvinghomelessness
Staff, board and our amazing PR consultant @bridget_jackson at @nexuspr_official celebrated the 2025 @giveguide last week with other great nonprofits! We love being able to participate in the Willamette Week Give!Guide! Looking forward to November!
#pdx #fundraising #weshinepdx #microvillages #solvinghomelessness
We are overjoyed to help spread the word about this amazing exhibition at @steloarts by our friends at @humansforhousingorg Please come join us at the grand opening of @dearportlandexhibit on February 7th from 11-3! There will be donuts, music, coffee and more! There is a link to RSVP in our bio!
#homelessnessinpdx #unhousedneighbors #humansforhousing #portlandoregon #weshinepdx
His words still ring true. We are grateful to have the access to Martin Luther King Jr’s words preserved for us and we are grounded in the messages he gave. At WeShine we know that there are policies that harm our unhoused neighbors and increase homelessness in our city! We strive for change and healing.
#drking #mlk #unhousedneighbors #portlandoregon #solvinghomelessness
Our 3rd issue of The Village View is out now! Click our link in bio to read it and sign up to receive it quarterly in your inbox! In this issue we report on our amazing year in fundraising, the Belonging Study we conducted with past and currant villagers and how to join our new Bright Circle of donors! And we highlight Jan’s article on “Making Sense of Our Continuing Homelessness Crisis”.
When you join our mailing list we invite you into our WeShine community. We all care about our unhoused neighbors, getting updates from WeShine helps us to feel like we are part of a solution!
#solutionstohomelessness #unhousedneighbors #portlandoregon #weshinepdx #portlandnonprofit
We are so giddy to start 2026 with such full hearts! We smashed our fundraising goal for the 2025 @giveguide
and we could not have done it without our business sponsors! They donated matching grants and gift cards for incentives to help us encourage folks to donate! We love you all and you are now officially a part of our WeShine family!
@laserbabespdx @psandqsmarket @myvicepdx @gadogadopdx @livingroomwinespdx @blackbirdwineshop @trebonepdx @portlandcenterstage and special thanks to @portlandcoffeeroasters for 48 Bags of Coffee!
Also thanks to @integrusarchitecture Scheller Financial Services, @shielsobletzjohnsen and private donors who gave matching grants!
We ran an awesome campaign together!
#fundraisingforacause #communitysupport #unhousedneighbors
Happy New Year to our amazing non profit partners in this year’s @giveguide !! @pdxstonesoup @artswatch @1000oregon @animalaidpdx @ourjustfuture Congratulations you all smashed your Give Guide goals! The Willamette Week Give Guide is an awesome way for non profits to come together and support each other to spread awareness and raise needed funds for our community! Can’t wait til next year!
@willametteweek
#giveguide #nonprofits #portlandoregon
Become one with WeShine before midnight tonight! Our donors are part of our community of volunteers, staff, board members, neighbors, business partners who make WeShine shine! We shine brightest together!
We are also still giving away coffee to any donation over $50!
@giveguide
#unhousedneighbors #portlandhomelessness #willametteweekgiveguide
Newsletter
Subscribe to our quarterly newsletter, The Village View. Read the latest edition below, and sign up here to get the next one in your inbox. The Village View highlights recent happenings in our current villages, exciting announcements, articles by staff on homelessness issues in our region, engaging stories about the folks we serve and more. Sign up today!
Let’s Connect
Mailing address
WeShine
3539 NE Sandy Blvd #525,
Portland, OR 97232