Willamette Week’s Do Good List

Partner content created in collaboration with participating nonprofits, businesses and establishments.

Doing good doesn’t have to mean radically changing your habits, or squeezing in an hour of volunteering each week. In many cases, it’s as easy as shopping for a piece of furniture, switching up your coffee beans, or simply learning about nonprofits doing great work so you can spread awareness to your communities. Below are 27 things you can do to DO GOOD.

→ Host Your Next Event in an Innovative Space

Ecotrust Events offers a unique, nonprofit venue experience that combines history, flexibility, and sustainability. The events hosted at Ecotrust reflect its commitment to using business as a force for good. When you host your next event at Ecotrust Events, you are securing a versatile and inspiring venue and supporting a cause that aligns with values of sustainability and social responsibility.

Learn more about Ecotrust Events:

Ecotrust spaces are a testament to its dedication to making Portland a better place.
Ecotrust actively works to reduce its environmental footprint, implementing sustainability in as many operations as possible.
Ecotrust’s mission is to create economic opportunities, promote social equity, and enhance environmental well-being.
Every event rental contributes to Ecotrust’s efforts to develop resilient communities, economies, and ecosystems locally and across the greater Pacific Northwest.

ecotrustevents.org | (503) 467-0776

→ Fund Client-Centered Homebuying Support

Portland Housing Center is a crucial resource for homebuyers. Its lending department offers a variety of loan options tailored to diverse needs. Whether helping clients purchase a first home, refinance or buy additional property, PHC Lending provides expert guidance with genuine care. Help it achieve its goal of making homebuying easy by donating to the cause.

More about Portland Housing Center:

Bernice Platz, a seasoned pre-purchase housing counselor at PHC, has consistently seen the organization’s dedication to delivering unbiased, transparent advice that prioritizes the buyer’s best interests.
PHC Lending’s down payment assistance programs benefit first-time homebuyers, helping individuals and families who might otherwise face financial barriers.
The center is committed to increasing homeownership among Latinx and Black/African American communities and promoting equity and empowerment through homeownership.
Loan officers do not work on commission, ensuring that clients receive recommendations based solely on what benefits them most, without sales-driven pressure.

portlandhousingcenter.org | (503) 282-7744

→ Spread Awesomeness Through Music

The mission of the Dana Thompson Memorial Fund of Awesome is to equip Black youth to experiment and develop their artistic confidence. The fund commemorates its namesake Dana Thompson, a Black woman who sang in a punk rock band. The fund’s motto is: “We rock mics, not stereotypes.” Donate to provide direct support to Black youth through micro grants and tuition assistance to complete arts-related camps and activities.

More about Dana Thompson Memorial Fund of Awesome:

Produces SCHOOLS OUT ROCK OUT, a new, culturally specific rock-’n’-roll after-school program taught by Black instructors at a majority-Black elementary school.
Offers a fun and safe space for Black youth to learn rock-’n’-roll music from professional musicians who look like them, supporting them in forming rock bands, writing songs, learning basic technical skills, and performing for their families.
Coordinates a Grab a Guitar program to bring rock band equipment and art supplies to local events and help kids jump onstage and jam.
Increases access to the arts by connecting Black youth to workshops, lessons, rehearsal spaces, mentoring, performance opportunities, all-ages rock shows, solo art shows, and more.

dtmfa.org | @DTMFAwesome

→ Empower Families Impacted by the Justice System to Thrive

The Pathfinder Network’s mission is to provide individuals and families impacted by the justice system the tools and support they need to be safe and thrive. Through holistic direct services in three counties and nine correctional facilities across the state of Oregon, the network meets participants at every point of the criminal justice system and beyond. Donate to the cause and help provide participants with opportunities to build individual, social, and community resources for long-term resilience and recovery.

More about The Pathfinder Network:

The Pathfinder Network has partnered with the Oregon Department of Corrections since 1993 to provide evidence-based, leading-edge programming focused on rehabilitation and recidivism reduction.
Its Portland Center for Family Success provides parenting classes, early childhood home visits, enhanced visits, parent advocacy, youth mentoring, reentry support, peer mentoring, school support clubs, and family engagement.
The Portland Resilience & Recovery Project location provides wraparound peer support and service navigation, including drop-in and mobile support, classes, groups, action planning, basic needs assistance, and parenting-specific peer support.
Join the Pathfinder team for a family-friendly community event: ‘Think Outside the Box for our Blocks Street Mural Project’ on Sept 21, 9 am - 4 pm, on NE 131st between NE Shaver and NE Prescott!

thepathfindernetwork.org | (503) 892-5396

CareOregon 2023 Starlight Parade CareOregon Starlight Parade, June 3, 2023. Photo by Jason Quigley for CareOregon. (Jason Quigley)

→ Champion for Recovery-Oriented Solutions

4D Recovery’s mission is to provide various recovery support services to adolescents and young adults between the ages of 14 and 35. Its mission exemplifies a recovery-oriented system of care approach, viewing its services as one part of a whole. Through partnership with systems, communities, and individuals, 4D enhances society’s response to complex problems. You can get directly involved by volunteering, or support 4D’s mission to improve the recovery process for youth and young adults by donating.

More about 4D Recovery:

4D Recovery offers peer support, recovery centers, street-level outreach, recovery housing, and recovery health initiatives, all designed to empower individuals on their journey to recovery.
4D is opening an inaugural substance use disorder outpatient treatment center, marking a significant milestone in our decadelong endeavor of peer-led support.
At 4D, peer support and community engagement are fundamental to our approach, fostering an environment that empowers young individuals to reclaim their lives.

4drecovery.org | support@4drecovery.org

→ Assist Survivors Navigating Traumatic Situations

Trauma Intervention Program NW is a group of specially trained and thoroughly screened volunteers who provide emotional and practical support to victims of traumatic events and their families immediately following a tragedy. Become a TIP volunteer and support individuals through suicides, natural or unexpected deaths, drownings, and motor vehicle fatalities; victims of fires and crimes; witnesses to crimes; and those affected by violence.

More about Trauma Intervention Program NW:

TIPNW operates almost entirely with the help of more than 200 volunteers and four full-time staff members, responding to requests for support 24/7 365 days a year.
In 2023, TIP volunteers responded to 3,868 scenes of tragedy, spent 12,783 hours directly with clients, and assisted 15,498 bereaved community members.
A volunteer training academy begins Jan. 8, 2025.

tipnw.org | (503) 823-3937

→ Fund Student Learning

Edison High School is a private, nonprofit high school in Portland serving students with learning differences, including dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia, autism spectrum disorder, and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Edison High School is dedicated to transforming the educational experience for students with learning differences, equipping them with the skills and confidence they need to succeed through donations, a collaborative approach, and community outreach.

More about Edison High School:

Edison recognizes every student can learn and succeed and that success stems from trusting relationships and strong community support.
Small class sizes allow teachers to develop close relationships and individualize student support while building their self-confidence and self-advocacy skills.
The school trains fellow educators in the Orton-Gillingham approach to improve reading and literacy instruction for students with learning differences in the broader community.

edisonhs.org | (503) 297-2336

→ Join the Fight for Justice

Youth, Rights & Justice is a nonprofit juvenile public defense provider court-appointed to defend children, youth, and parents in the foster care and juvenile justice systems. Its clients come from racially and culturally diverse low-income families. They focus on education advocacy to break the school-to-prison pipeline, students’ rights training for parents and community partners, and educational support for youth reentering the community from Oregon Youth Authority.

More about Youth, Rights & Justice:

Advocates for the rights of children, parents, and families.
Intervenes before children are removed, expelled from school, shuffled to another foster home, or leave juvenile detention with no educational support.
Impacts litigation in the fight against injustice and helps juveniles secure their rights.
Intervenes early in legal defense to keep families together and children safely at home.
Assists with juvenile record expungement.

youthrightsjustice.org | (503) 232-2540

→ Channel Your Inner Environmental Activist

Use your voice to protect the Columbia River, work in solidarity with Indigenous Tribes, and fight for environmental and climate justice. Get to know Columbia Riverkeeper by signing up for its newsletter, signing a petition, donate, or attending its events.

More about Columbia Riverkeeper:

Engages in high-stakes advocacy campaigns and runs creative plays to fight for clean water, the Northwest’s iconic salmon, and the climate.
Staff includes community organizers, lawyers, and scientists working to unite thousands of people in supporting a vibrant, healthy Portland and beyond.
Rallies community members in Portland to engage in critical decisions upstream and downstream.

columbiariverkeeper.org | (503) 432-8927

→ Join the Push for Affordable Housing

Portland Community Reinvestment Initiatives is the largest provider of affordable housing and related services in North and Northeast Portland. It is also the first Black-led affordable housing provider focused on Portland’s African American community, seeking to give households the tools they need to achieve stability, self-sufficiency, and the opportunity for wealth creation.

More about Portland Community Reinvestment Initiatives:

PCRI has spent the past 30 years programmatically addressing racial equity in our community, including working to right historic and systemic discrimination.
PCRI currently maintains a portfolio of more than 832 affordable housing units.
Its programs and services include affordable rental units, providing low- and moderate-income households an opportunity for stability and support, and building skills that promote self-sufficiency and wealth creation.
The homeownership program provides one-on-one counseling with a HUD-certified housing counselor and covers financial education, money management, improving credit, understanding the homebuying process, and maintaining homeownership.

pcrihome.org | (503) 288-2923

→ Lead Tech Training for Individuals Experiencing Autism

Fidgetech is a licensed career school offering certificate programs in web and app development, digital design, and videography. If you’re a business owner in the tech field and interested in offering internship opportunities please reach out!

By working with Fidgetech, you’ll get to coordinate training and work readiness programs for adults experiencing autism and work toward creating a more inclusive and innovative workforce in Portland. Assist in career exploration programs, provide workforce prep, and participate in employer training on how to work with neurodiverse employees.

fidgetech.org | Justine.Haigh@fidgetech.org

→ Do Some Good-for-the-Planet Shopping

Focused on reducing waste and decreasing environmental impact via upcycling, Seams to Fit Home is a leading force behind the sustainable, slow goods movement in Portland’s furniture market, and it’s proud of it. Visit the showroom, buy yourself a new lamp (or whatever house furnishing you need/desire), and leave knowing that you’re contributing to a more sustainable world.

More about Seams to Fit Home:

High-quality, well-loved (but not shabby) furniture for a great price
Woman- and minority-owned
Sister store to designer consignment boutique Seams to Fit Fashion
Recognized as the first-ever B Corp in consignment furniture

2237 NW Raleigh St. | seamstofithome.com

→ Discover Portland’s Next Big Artist

Lend a hand at Alberta Abbey’s event space as an usher or production assistant, get some experience in project management, or simply attend some of its shows to support its efforts! Alberta Abbey aims to nurture the creative, visual and performing arts in North and Northeast Portland by amplifying opportunities for Black and underrepresented communities.

More about Alberta Abbey:

Provides affordable education, gallery, studio, and performance spaces, as well as showcase events for local groups of all ages.

126 NE Alberta St. | albertaabbey.org

→ Buy (or Donate) a Couch

The Habitat for Humanity Portland Region ReStores are home improvement stores and donation centers that sell new and gently used furniture, home décor, appliances, building materials, and more at discounted prices. Proceeds generated from the ReStores support local Habitat for Humanity homebuilding and home repair programs. By donating and shopping at the ReStores, you give items new life and keep usable items out of our local landfills.

More about Habitat ReStores:

Generate over $5 million annually to support Habitat’s homebuilding and home repair programs in the Portland region.
Serve more than 44,000 customers and divert over 8,000 tons of reusable materials from local landfills each year.
Helps close the racial homeownership gap, improve health outcomes and graduation rates, and foster stability — enabling communities to thrive.

13475 SW Millikan Way | 610 NE 181st Ave. | 10445 SE Cherry Blossom Drive | Online | pdxrestore.org

→ Be a Listening Ear

Lines for Life is dedicated to the prevention of substance abuse and suicide and the promotion of mental wellness for all. It needs volunteers for its crisis lines, youth outreach programs.

More about Lines for Life:

Serves as Oregon’s call center for the 988 National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, working with Portland Public Schools, McDaniel High School, Portland Opportunities Industrialization Center + Rosemary Anderson High School, and Boise Eliot Elementary school.
Youth can sign up to volunteer for the YouthLine, a peer-to-peer youth support line, that provides support for other youth who are struggling at theyouthline.org/volunteer/.
Hosts the annual Oregon Conference on Opioids + Other Drugs, Pain + Addiction Treatment (OPAT) and the Oregon Suicide Prevention Conference, which connect individuals, providers, local and state resources, and advocates.

linesforlife.org | linesforlife.org/our-programs/volunteer-internships

→ Support Democracy in Portland

Become a member, volunteer or donate to the League of Women Voters to promote voter education in Portland. Help facilitate public education programs like “Ranked-Choice Voting: Moving Portland Forward with Confidence,” helping Portlanders understand the government structure. Participate in workshops to practice ranked-choice voting or learn about Portland’s new government, in person or via Zoom, or support educational presentations about state and local ballot measures, forums on contested races, and candidate interviews.

The League of Women Voters of Portland Education Fund provides access to voting resources in print, video, and podcast formats. A trusted source of balanced information, the League also helps people vote and engage with their government all year long.

lwvpdx.org & VOTE411.org | (503) 228-1675

→ Give Kids the Gift of Camp

Donate to the Camp Rosenbaum Fund and help create a magical week of camp for kids ages 9-11 from housing authority properties. With your help, Camp Rosenbaum fosters positive relationships and good stewardship in a safe, fun, caring environment. Every day at Camp Rosenbaum centers on a theme: Good Citizens Work Together, Care, Share, Are Fair, Are Loyal, and Are Everywhere.

More about Camp Rosenbaum:

The camp’s objective is to plant the seeds of motivation for staying in school, developing good community member traits, and building self-esteem.
Camp Rosenbaum hosts the Portland Police Bureau Youth Camp, a weeklong day camp serving youth ages 8-14 from low-income families in the Portland metro area. Daily themes of teamwork, sportsmanship, communication, and leadership are reinforced by coaches through sports and interactive activities, further building character and life skills.

camprosenbaum.org | (503) 388-4140

→ Support Community Access to Clean Energy

Community Energy Project is a nonprofit looking for support in any form, through direct donations, attendance of its events, or volunteering your time. CEP partners with low-income communities on the frontlines of climate change to create more resilient, efficient, and healthy homes.

More about Community Energy Project:

Serves low-income families, people of color, immigrants, seniors, and other marginalized groups.
Provides free home services focused on safety, health, and energy efficiency, with no-cost workshops and supplies, as well as direct home energy upgrades and repairs.
CEP has been serving Portland since 1979 – 45 years of fighting for climate and social justice.
In 2023, CEP installed 50 heat pump water heaters in the homes of frontline community members, providing $15,000 in annual energy savings.

communityenergyproject.org | (503) 284-6827

→ Make a Sack Lunch

You can help your houseless neighbors through Transition Projects in multiple ways. One activity we recommend: Gather your company, or just a group of friends, to prepare a meal for one of the nonprofit’s eight shelters. Volunteers plan the menu, purchase ingredients, prepare, and then deliver or serve the meal at the shelter. Or make sack lunches, and the Transition Projects Navigation Team will deliver the meals. There are many other ways to volunteer — check out the website for more.

Transition Projects works to engage people at all levels of their journey from homelessness to housing. Whether it’s getting critical support to our unhoused neighbors on the street; providing shelter for individuals, couples, and their pets; or securing deeply affordable housing solutions, Transition Projects meets and supports the needs of the community it serves.

tprojects.org | (503) 280-4700

→ Promote Independence for Adults With Disabilities

Quad Inc. is a Portland metro-area nonprofit dedicated to the advancement of independence in adults with physical disabilities. Help the cause by donating so Quad can fulfill its vision to one day enable every person with a physical disability to have access to barrier-free, low-cost housing, achieve personal independence and enjoy a life without barriers.

More about Quadriplegics United Against Dependency Inc.:

Quad Inc. provides barrier-free, low-cost housing and 24/7 shared attendant care services with buildings in Hillsboro, North Portland, East Portland and Gresham.
Quad buildings are designed for wheelchair accessibility and feature numerous amenities to encourage more than 130 residents with physical disabilities to live as independently as possible.

quadinc.org | (503) 287-4260

→ Drink Feel Good Coffee

Buy Nossa Familia coffee and support the first B Corp Certified roaster in Oregon. Founded in 2004, Nossa Familia sources its coffee directly from small-scale farmers around the world, with a focus on paying above fair-trade prices to ensure communities can continue to thrive for generations.

More about Nossa Familia:

Practices sustainable sourcing practices, zero waste initiatives, the use of 100% renewable energy.
Maintains an all-electric, zero-emissions local delivery fleet and a commitment to achieving net-zero emissions by 2030.
Extends its efforts to the community with initiatives like charging 25 cents for cups to go to reduce waste, donating at least 1% of annual gross profits to nonprofits, and offering employees 16 hours of paid volunteer time off to engage with local organizations.

1633 SE 3rd Ave. | 1350 NW Lovejoy St. | 2007 SE Division St. | nossacoffee.com

→ Walk a Dog or Foster Some Kittens

There are plenty of ways you can help out animals in need at Oregon Humane Society, and OHS encourages volunteers to choose a path that best aligns with their skills and interests. Things you can do as a volunteer? Care for animals at the shelter, walk a dog, assist with special events and education programs, help with administrative duties, run an at-home fundraiser…and that’s just a start.

More about Oregon Humane Society:

Identifies trends in animal welfare and develops groundbreaking programs for pets and their families—including a new Community Veterinary Hospital in Portland.
Offers a wide variety of services, including pet adoption, training, humane law enforcement, veterinary care, humane education, and disaster response.

oregonhumane.org | (503) 285-7722

→ Switch Your Phone Plan

That’s right: You can “Do Good” just by switching to CREDOMobile, a competitive phone plan with excellent coverage that also gives back. Each month, CREDOMobile chooses three nonprofits to support and asks the community to vote on how it should distribute donations that month. When you switch, you can keep your current phone number and use the phone you have now.

More about CREDOMobile:

Raised over $95 million for progressive nonprofits working for a better world, like Friends of the Earth, the Transgender Law Center, and Reproductive Freedom for All.
Focuses its giving on nonprofits working for civil rights, voting rights, environmental rights, women’s rights, LGBTQ+ equality, economic justice, and peace.

credomobile.com | (888) 247-1308

→ Join the Climate Movement

Climate change takes awareness. Take two minutes to write a postcard or a public comment, show up for an action night, rally, protest, talk to your neighbors, friends, and family about these issues, paint banners, or even make puppets! When you donate to 350PDX, you can build the Portland climate movement bigger than ever before.

More about 350PDX:

Achieved dozens of major wins for climate justice, from fighting for more affordable clean energy to stopping dangerous fossil fuel expansion projects.
With the possibility that so many new Portland leaders will emerge, this is an unprecedented opportunity to ensure our future government takes climate justice seriously. Using ranked-choice voting, we will all elect a new mayor and 12 new city councilors in four districts, all in a new government structure.
This election season, 350PDX will educate city council candidates, build community power in each district, develop and share a climate justice platform and voter guide, and much more.

350pdx.org | @350pdx

→ Get Veggies to Those Who Need Them

The Farmers Market Fund is committed to increasing access to healthy, locally-grown food for underserved Oregonians. It accomplices this through a variety of programs, including its Double Up Food Bucks program (details below). There are plenty of ways you can help: shop at farmers markets that participate in Double Up, donate directly to FMF, or promote the program through your own networks.

More about Double Up Food Bucks Oregon:

Double Up Food Bucks matches SNAP purchases dollar for dollar up to $20 a day at over 100 farmers markets and farm stands in Oregon.
Shoppers who spend $20 in SNAP benefits receive $20 in Double Up Bucks to spend on fresh fruits and vegetables, doubling their purchasing power for fresh produce.
Double Up served 92,000 Oregonians at 131 Double Up locations, supporting over 910 farmers.
Oregonians redeemed 2.86 million Double Up Food Bucks in 2023.
Double Up created $1.3 million in labor income in 2022.

farmersmarketfund.org | (503) 241-0032

→ Give an Owl a Ride

Not just owls! Volunteers for On-Call Community Rescue for Animals give safe rides for second chances for all sorts of sick and injured wildlife across six counties in the North Willamette Watershed District. Volunteers assist Good Samaritans who do not have means of transportation or the physical ability to capture and transport injured wildlife to a licensed rehabilitator 24/7.

In the past 15 months, OCCRA volunteers responded to and transported over 200 wild animals, and they want to expand the program further into the state. Help by volunteering.

occrapdx.org | (971) 645-3450

→ Advocate for Older Adults

Volunteering at the Oregon Long-Term Care Ombudsman means ensuring respect, dignity and care for those who may not have anyone else to advocate for them. With flexible schedules, this is a great way to make a tangible difference for residents of assisted living, memory care, skilled nursing, and adult foster home facilities.

More about Oregon Long-Term Care Ombudsman:

Investigates and resolves complaints and advocates for improvement in resident care.
Protects rights, enhances quality of life, improves care, and promotes dignity for all residents living in long-term care facilities.

oltco.org | (800) 522-2602

Willamette Week’s Do Good List

27 things you can do to make our city a better place for all of us.