North Portland Drop-In Center
built from the Community's desire for increased, accessible support for those experiencing homelessness in North Portland
The North Portland Drop-In Center cultivates relationships with those living on the street and provides essential resources like clothing, food, water, bus tickets, peer support, and referrals to 24/7 shelter. The space offers showers, snacks and beverages, mail services, and ongoing case management to lift barriers that unhoused folks experience when connecting to support systems throughout Portland. An estimated 75 individuals visit the facility each day.
As of January 2026, the Drop-In Center has referred nearly half of St. Johns’ documented houseless population to long-term shelter or housing.
The Drop-In Center is an evolution of the North Portland Outreach Team, a group of mobile staff who worked to meet unhoused individuals where they were living on the streets of St. Johns, Arbor Lodge, Kenton and surrounding neighborhoods.
Refer an individual in North Portland
The North Portland Drop-In Center is currently serving individuals living on the streets of St. Johns, Portsmouth, University Park, Kenton, and Arbor Lodge.
Open Monday-Friday, 9am–5pm. Showers are available 10am-4pm.
Email us nopodropin@dogoodmultnomah.org or call (503) 545-3499
Frequently-Asked Questions
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The Drop-In Center is designed to provide essential hygiene services and case management to anyone experiencing houselessness or worry about possible houselessness in the St. Johns area. It’s open to the public — stop by and say hello!
There are no other similar daytime-only centers like this in North Portland, which has led to increased foot traffic.
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No. The Drop-In Center is a daytime-only facility open from 9am to 5pm, Monday-Friday. The inside space itself does not have space to accommodate beds; rather it features 2 small office spaces, a common area with chairs and tables and three bathrooms.
Camping outside is not condoned or encouraged by Drop-In staff and we remind folks regularly that it inhibits community accessibility and our own ability to serve folks each day.
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No. Drug use in and around the vicinity of the facility is prohibited — such behaviors often directly hinder our participants’ ability to get the help they need to progress in their housing journey.
Staff use a progressive discipline approach to violations to our community agreements around on-site drug use. For more serious or repeated violations, we won’t allow people to visit the facility anymore, either temporarily or permanently.
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Our staff have established clear expectations and accountability procedures for our participants. Camping and drug use is strictly prohibited.
We’ve contracted with a private security company to add patrols in the evenings outside the center, as some folks remain in the area after hours. Our staff will call 911 for police assistance if it’s necessary, but we prioritize using our staff expertise to de-escalate situations first. We also regularly clean the sidewalks surrounding the Drop-In Center multiple times each day.
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Clothing donations are much-appreciated, especially in the winter months. Many of the people we see each day are in need of essentials like socks, underwear, hats, gloves and more. Please fill out the donation form at the bottom of this page if you have items you think might be helpful.
Do Good and other partner organizations also meet twice-monthly with local business owners and community members as we work to establish a “Good Neighbor Agreement” that outlines how this site can best operate alongside the best interests of our neighbors in St. Johns. Please reach out via email to dropin@dogoodmultnomah.org if you are interested in attending in the future.
“Showing up is the foundation of what we do. Fulfilling a little promise with those on the streets can go a long way in building trust. Once we build trust, then we can have that conversation in providing assistance in shelter, treatment, or whatever they need.”
— Rae Fender, North Portland Drop-In Center Program Manager
Read more about Rae and the work her team aims to provide with the new North Portland Drop-In Center in an article published by Oregon Metro.
How Can I Get Involved?
We’re excited to welcome neighbors of all kinds and skillsets to become active in the Drop-In Center. Please fill out the form and let us know how you’d like to be involved. We’re excited to start the conversation.
Yes, We Accept
• Warm clothes: coats, gloves, hats, new socks, & underwear
• Personal hygiene items: toiletries, oral care, shaving, feminine hygiene
• Ready-to-eat and individually packaged snacks
• Blankets
• Durable shoes that have been gently used
No, Thank You
• Furniture
• Bulk or dried foods
• Secondhand intimate clothing items
• Appliances