Bybee Lakes Hope Center Portland, Oregon

Helping Hands Bybee Lake Hope Center opened its first phase as a shelter serving up to 150 men, women, and families affected by homelessness and COVID-19 in fall of 2020. The center offers a safe environment to support reentry to the community.

Repurposing an Abandoned Campus for a Vibrant Community Asset

Planning for the facility include programs designed to address issues related to mental health, addiction, and abuse-related trauma. Included in that effort is providing volunteer opportunities, life skills training like credit maintenance, construction and cooking classes, a program to give back by building tiny houses, self-sustaining fruit and vegetable gardens, and even employment opportunities with neighboring businesses like Columbia Sportswear. A second phase of the project offers nearly 200 more people a place to live, including three meals per day via a fully staffed commercial kitchen, where they can receive the comprehensive support to work through the issues of homelessness using programs to provide life skills for successful re-entry back into our communities. Otak owner’s representative and architecture teams serves partnered with Helping Hands Re-Entry Outreach program for over two years to repurpose this abandoned campus in North Portland as a vibrant community asset.