ortland West began working to protect the working West End as a grassroots neighborhood advocacy movement 40  years ago. We have grown into a neighborhood based social service, education, and community empowerment agency working to elimate the conditions of poverty and strengthen the bonds of community throughout the city of Portland and beyond.

Here's a snapshot of some of our highlights over the years.

1967

The Portland West Neighborhood Planning Council was organized by many local activists including Jim Oliver and Larry Connolly.
 
 

1971

Portland West Incorporates.
Portland West receives $50,000 grant from Model Cities to renovate the People's Building.

1979

Portland West develops the Portland Wood Fuel Co-operative.

1980

Portland West board member Eddie Murphy organizes Portland's first St. Patrick's Day Parade - still marching strong 25 years later!
 
 
 

1981

Portland West purchases and rehabilitates its first building at 14 Sherman Street.

1982

Portland West develops the Foster Grandparents Program.

1985

Community Outreach Program begins providing tickets to local cultural events to low-income families.
First issue of Good Neighbors newspaper hits the stands.
Summer Campership Program begins sending children to summer camps.
 

1987

Portland West forms the Waterfront Alliance to help preserve the working waterfront.

1988

Homeless Legal Outreach started.

1991

Portland West is named the nation's leading housing developer by Neighborhoods USA.

1992

Portland West forms Building Alternatives to serve incarcerated youth.
Portland West rehabilitates the historic Rosa True School into 8 units of high quality affordable housing.
 

1993

The AmeriCorps Program debuts.

1994

Portland West creates YouthBuild, an alternative high school for at-risk men and women ages 16-24.
 
 
 

1997

Community donates over $100,000 to help Portland West eliminate the conditions of poverty.

1998

Portland West purchases 251 Danforth Street to house 4 families, the West End Community Policing Center and the West Side Day Care.

1999

Portland West opens computer lab for programs and neighborhood children (Community Resource Learning Center).
 
 

2001

Portland West and the Council of Churches hold a vigil to confront hate crimes and discrimination following the September 11 terrorist attacks.

2002

Development of Neighbors, a multi-lingual community newspaper.
Portland West brings the Time Dollar Program over to the West End.

2004

The City Council chose Portland West and the People's Regional Opportunity Program (PROP) to redevelop the St. Dominic's Church and Girls School in the West End into 12 affordable housing units.
West Side Day Care merges with Portland West to become the Portland West Child Development Center. 
 

 2006

Portland West expands the hours of the Learning Cetner and REsource Lab to 5 days per week.

2007 -2008

Portland West continues to build on its mission by designing and implementing Alternatives to Detention, a program to help incarcerated youth.

Portland West adds Back On Track, a cognitive behavior program. The staff provides Skills for Responsible Thinking (SRT), a comprehensive, community-based program for youth engaging in risky behaviors such as crime, substance abuse, or violence.