FIRST STEP is a selective, one‐on‐one reentry navigation program supporting women returning to Multnomah County from Coffee Creek Correctional Facility, after long periods of incarceration. For women leaving prison, release is not a moment of freedom, it is often a moment of profound vulnerability.
Many women return to the community with no identification, no income, no housing, no healthcare, and no support network. They carry the weight of trauma, disrupted family relationships, outdated skills, and the immediate pressure to survive in systems that are difficult to navigate even under the best circumstances. Within days of release, women face heightened risks of homelessness, exploitation, relapse, and re‐incarceration, not because they lack motivation, but because the systems meant to support reentry are fragmented and difficult to access. FIRST STEP exists to close those gaps.
Bridge to belonging, purpose, and stability.
OREGON HARBOR OF HOPE
Walking along side individuals until they are safe, stable, and ready to stand on their own.
OUR MISSION
We are committed and dedicated to creating a bridge to belonging, purpose, and stability for people returning from long‐term incarceration and for communities impacted by homelessness. We do this through reentry navigation, advocacy, and partnership‐driven systems change, ensuring that people are supported with dignity, continuity, and accountability, not left to fall through the gaps.
OUR VALUES
We believe that people succeed when systems are coordinated, support is consistent and dignity is non-negotiable. Oregon Harbor of Hope is committed to create models that are ethical, effective and replicable, strengthening community while honoring the humanity of every person we serve.
THE "FIRST STEP" WOMAN REENTRY PROGRAM & FUND
A reentry navigation program and fund that prioritize relationship, dignity and stability.
IT'S ABOUT THE JOURNEY
Being ready for a change is not enough, the first months after release from incarceration, or when ready to leave homeless behind and start a transformation, determine whether someone stabilizes or cycles back into crisis systems.
Without continuity, people face overwhelming barriers: no identification, no healthcare, no housing, no income, and no support network.
These gaps lead to preventable harm, recidivism, and long‐term instability. Oregon Harbor of Hope exists to close those gaps, not by duplicating services, but by ensuring systems work together and people are supported with dignity every step of the way.
ADVOCACY PROGRAMS
Lasting change requires more than good intentions, it requires the right voices at the table. Our advocacy work centers the experiences of people impacted by homelessness and reentry, working alongside partners to strengthen systems and put dignity at the heart of policy and practice.
Portland Voice
Portland Voice is an advocacy initiative amplifying the voices of people living in Multnomah County impacted by homelessness and system involvement. The program engages policymakers, institutions, and the public to shape narrative and policy grounded in lived
experience and accountability.
Five Principles
Five Principles is a dignity‐centered framework guiding policy development, program design, and institutional accountability across homelessness and reentry systems. It promotes approaches rooted in dignity, effectiveness, and long‐term stability.
Partnership as Practice
Oregon Harbor of Hope operates through partnerships that we have cultivated over 10 years. We provide navigation, continuity and advocacy. Our Partners provide healthcare, employment and stabilization services. This model ensures people are supported without duplication, confusion or unmet expectations, and allows systems to work better together.
Oregon Harbor of Hope exists to build bridges, not just for individuals, but across systems. By centering dignity, strengthening partnerships, and committing to lasting change, we help people move from survival to belonging, purpose and stability.
Our Goals
Bridge to Belonging, Purpose and Stability.
Oregon Harbor of Hope pursues this mission through THREE PROGRAMS: one focused on direct service to women leaving incarceration, and two dedicated to community advocacy. Together, they ADDRESS HOMELESSNESS BEFORE IT STARTS and WHERE IT PERSISTS, at the individual level and at the systems level.
Our Programs
Three Ways We Create Change
THE FIRST STEP FUND
Direct Financial Support for Women Leaving Coffee Creek
The FIRST STEP Fund is our reentry fund for women leaving Coffee Creek Correctional Facility. Women in our program can apply to the Fund and receive direct financial support during their first 12 months post-release, backed by trauma-informed navigation and wraparound services every step of the way.
- Direct financial grants during the critical early months after release
- One-on-one reentry navigation, starting before release
- Emergency stabilization resources during the most vulnerable weeks post-release
- Connections to job training, legal aid, and mental health services
Every woman we serve is someone's daughter, mother, sister, or friend. With your support, she has a real chance, not just at staying out of prison, but at building a life she is proud of. Your investment in Oregon Harbor of Hope is an investment in her, and in our entire community. program can apply to the Fund and receive direct financial support during their first 12 months post-release, backed by trauma-informed navigation and wraparound services every step of the way.
Beyond the individual, Oregon Harbor of Hope fights for systemic change. Our two advocacy programs work to address homelessness at the community and policy level, offering new perspectives, challenging ineffective approaches, and reshaping the public conversation in Multnomah County and across Portland.
PORTLAND VOICE
Data-Driven Advocacy for Lasting Change
Portland Voice is a data-driven advocacy initiative providing rigorous analysis of homelessness in Portland and Multnomah County. Through research, storytelling, and public engagement, Portland Voice promotes effective, costefficient approaches to ending homelessness, changing the conversation from reaction to solution.
- Independent analysis of homelessness data in Multnomah County
- Public reporting that challenges narratives and drives accountability
- A platform for new perspectives on what actually works
THE FIVE PRINCIPLES
Reframing the Public Conversation on Homelessness
The Five Principles is a community advocacy framework that Oregon Harbor of Hope proudly supports and collaborates with. It works to reframe the public conversation around homelessness and reentry in Multnomah County, shifting the narrative toward human dignity, accountability, and real solutions that work.
- A principled framework for how communities should respond to homelessness
- Advocacy that centers dignity, accountability, and long-term effectiveness
- Collaboration with partners across Portland to build shared understanding
Ready to Make a Difference?
The following pages outline all the ways you can support Oregon Harbor of Hope and fuel all three of our programs, from a one-time gift to a legacy that lasts generations. Every gift matters.
info@oregonharborofhope.org