Cultivate Initiatives

Mission

Cultivate Initiatives collectively works alongside those who have been marginalized to empower individuals and communities through an inclusive range of services & support in East Portland.  We empower our unhoused neighbors through workforce development, housing and sheltering, and community health. 

Bottom Line for Portland

Born out of a grassroots group of people welcoming a new shelter into their neighborhood, Cultivate Initiatives was formed through housed and unhoused neighbors coming together. In all we do, we empower our neighbors to be agents of change in their own lives and communities.

Drive around East Portland and East Multnomah County for long, and you’ll see the Cultivate Initiatives crew at work: 

- Our Community Beautification team removing over 1 million lbs of garbage
- The Menlo Park Safe Rest Village providing safe and dignified shelter
- Our Mobile Shower trucks offer over 500 hygiene services per month
- Our Housing team helps people find safe and stable homes
- And the myriad of other ways we build community 

We invite you to join us in this effort of building communities that are safe, supportive, and full of opportunity. Thanks to our community's wonderful support, we've raised our goal to $20,000, a bit above the original goal of $14,625 that we were aiming to raise to support all of this work based out of our Workforce Hub on 14625 SE Stark St!

Quote

“Before I came to Cultivate Initiatives I was on the streets for 16 years. Now I have an apartment, I have a good paying job… There’s so many things I’m proud of.” - Jay Ahearn, Community Beautification Lead. Watch this video to learn more about our team getting Portland's unhoused population employed and keeping our streets clean. 

“No matter how many great services or programs we provide, if it’s not driven by slowing down, listening, and helping people see the value in their own lives, then we ain’t doing it right.” - Skidmore Prize winner Caleb Coder, Executive Director and Co-Founder of Cultivate Initiatives

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Cultivate Initiatives has always been firmly rooted in and committed to East Multnomah County, one of Oregon’s most diverse communities. We are inclusive and responsive to our BIPOC and LGBTQIAS+ communities in all of our work, as we know they disproportionately experience houselessness due to systemic factors. Our staff represents the communities we serve, with over half our staff having lived experience of houselessness, mostly in East Multnomah County. Additionally, we are proud that the majority of our director team are women. 

Incentives

Double your impact! Due to a generous match provided by our Cultivate Neighborly Fund, the first donations up to $5,000 will be doubled. Thank you to this anonymous handful of CI supporters for collaborating to make this match possible. 

Anatomy Tattoo will be providing $50 gift certificates to the first three donors to contribute over $75 on November 22nd & December 13th. Thank you to our friends at Anatomy Tattoo!

Cultivate Initiatives Presents The Cultivate Comedy Hour! All Who Donate Over $50 Cumulatively During The Give!Guide Will Get A Free ticket To The Show. We're Assembling A Must-See Line-Up Of National Touring And Award-Winning Comedians Hosted By Portland Comic Julian Gray. Join Us In Early 2024 For An Evening Of Laughter That Truly Makes A Difference! More Details To Come Via Email. 

All Give!Guide donors will a receive a limited-edition “For & With The People” sticker!

Look out for more exciting incentives throughout the months to come!

Partner(s)

We are incredibly grateful for Active Culture, a full service creative agency, for their generous partnership to produce the video for this Give!Guide Campaign. 

A huge thank you to Anatomy Tattoo, an inclusive tattoo shop and permanent make up clinic in Portland, for providing tremendous support through exciting incentives during our Give!Guide Campaign, in addition to their past support through clothing drives.