Site visits at Putting Care at the Center 2025

Central City Concern (CCC) is Portland’s largest provider of healthcare, housing, employment, and recovery services for people experiencing homelessness. On this site visit, attendees will see recent CCC program innovations to “move the front door of healthcare” to make services more accessible and relevant to CCC clients. Attendees will gain a nuanced understanding of the acuity and severity of Portland’s homelessness crisis and take away ideas and examples for effective nonprofit programs replicable in every community.

Time: 2:45 – 5:30 pm

Attire: Dress comfortably (rain gear if needed)

Travel notes: Attendees will walk to and from Central City Concern (approximately 14-minutes from the Hilton Portland Downtown) and will be on the move for much of the tour. The meeting location and other logistics will be provided to attendees who sign up for this site visit. Site visit location is ADA/wheelchair accessible.

Lift UP is passionate about making nutritious food easily accessible to their low-income neighbors in downtown and northwest Portland. The organization approaches food security holistically, adapting to meet dietary restrictions and cultural needs, and providing the tools, education, and resources their community needs to prepare food from Lift UP.

This site visit will include a tour and an opportunity to learn about Lift UP’s Adopt a Building Program. This program serves residents across 50 affordable housing buildings in the heart of Portland’s city center. Services include delivered groceries, on-site pantries, and the Supper Club cooking and nutrition education class.

Time: 2:45 – 5:30 pm

Attire: Dress comfortably and warm

Travel notes: Transportation will be provided for this site visit location. There will be a walking tour through Lift UP’s office and warehouse space and attendees will be on the move for much of the tour. The meeting location and other logistics will be provided to attendees who sign up for this site visit. Site visit location is ADA/wheelchair accessible.

NARA NW is a non-profit agency providing culturally appropriate services to Native Americans, Alaska Natives, and anyone in need through education, health, mental health, substance use recovery, and social services.

This site visit will include a tour of NARA Administration, Child & Family Services building located approximately 30-minutes outside of Portland in Gresham, OR. Attendees will see NARA NW’s youth residential facility, on-site garden, and have the opportunity for Q&A with staff of NARA NW’s various programs within the area.

Time: 2:45 – 5:30 pm

Attire: Dress comfortably (rain gear if needed)

Travel notes: Transportation will be provided. Attendees will be on the move for much of the tour. The meeting location and other logistics will be provided to attendees who sign up for this site visit. Site visit location is ADA/wheelchair accessible.

New Avenues for Youth is a Portland-based nonprofit organization dedicated to the prevention and intervention of youth homelessness. Their services for young people (ages 9-25) focus on the individual — their experiences, identities, needs, and goals — and helping them make positive changes in their lives.

This site visit will include a tour of New Avenues for Youth’s Drop-In Day Services, Education & Employment, and Drug/Alcohol Recovery and Mental Health programs. New Avenues staff will offer information on their programs, how they are engaging with youth in the Portland community, and will facilitate an open Q&A.

Time: 2:45 – 5:30 pm

Attire: Dress comfortably (rain gear if needed)

Travel notes: Attendees will walk to and from New Avenues for Youth (approximately eight minutes from Hilton Portland Downtown) and on the move for much of the tour. The meeting location and other logistics will be provided to attendees who sign up for this site visit. Site visit location is ADA/wheelchair accessible.

Oregon Change Clinic (OCC) is a culturally specific, outpatient treatment facility and supportive housing provider for mental health treatment and substance use recovery. OCC specializes in working with Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) communities within Portland, Oregon, upholds a trauma-informed approach to care, and is a provider of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS), a non-invasive procedure to treat symptoms of depression.

This site visit will include a tour of OCC’s outpatient treatment facility and supportive housing building, offering an opportunity for conference attendees to learn more about OCC’s work in a clinical and lived experience context.

Time: 2:45 – 5:30 pm

Attire: Dress comfortably (rain gear if needed)

Travel notes: Attendees will walk to and from Oregon Change Clinic (approximately 12 minutes from the Hilton Portland Downtown) and on the move for much of the tour. The meeting location and other logistics will be provided to attendees who sign up for this site visit. Site visit location is ADA/wheelchair accessible.

Rose Haven is a day shelter and community center serving women, children, and gender non-conforming individuals experiencing the trauma of abuse, loss of home, and other disruptive life challenges. They break the cycle of homelessness by providing meals, clothing, first aid, mailing addresses, hygiene, restrooms, and showers, as well as educational programs and guidance through medical and social services. By meeting basic needs and building trust, they empower their guests to explore long-term change.

The site visit will include a walk through of their trauma informed space, an explanation of their services and service model, and an opportunity for Q&A.

Time: 2:45 – 5:30 pm

Attire: Dress comfortably (rain gear if needed)

Travel notes: Attendees will have the option of walking (approximately 22 minutes from the Hilton Portland Downtown) to Rose Haven or taking the MAX Blue Line, led by staff, from the Pioneer Square North stop (approximately three minute walk from Hilton Portland Downtown) to Providence Park stop and walking nine minutes to Rose Haven. Attendees will be on the move for much of the tour. The meeting location and other logistics will be provided to attendees who sign up for this site visit. Site visit location is ADA/wheelchair accessible.

Experience the power of art at the Portland Art Museum. Find out why the Museum is internationally renowned for our art experiences in the heart of the city’s cultural district on the beautiful South Park Blocks.

Time: 2:45 – 5:00 pm

Attire: Dress comfortably (rain gear if needed)

Travel notes: Attendees will walk to and from the Portland Art Museum (approximately six minutes from the Hilton Portland Downtown) and be on the move for the self-guided tour. The meeting location and other logistics will be provided to attendees who sign up for this site visit. Site visit location is ADA/wheelchair accessible.

For more than 125 years, the Oregon Historical Society has served as the state’s collective memory, preserving a vast collection of photographs, books, maps, manuscript materials, films, oral histories, objects, and belongings. Their research library, museum, digital platforms, educational programming, and historical journal make Oregon’s history available to all. They preserve the state’s history and make it accessible to everyone in ways that advance knowledge and inspire curiosity about all the people, places, and events that have shaped Oregon.

Time: 2:45 – 5:00 pm

Attire: Dress comfortably (rain gear if needed)

Travel notes: Attendees will walk to and from The Oregon Historical Society (approximately 5-minutes from the Hilton Portland Downtown) and be on the move for the self-guided tour. The meeting location and other logistics will be provided to attendees who sign up for this site visit. The site visit location is ADA/wheelchair accessible.

Explore science-fueled fun at Portland’s premier science museum! With interactive exhibits, hands-on learning activities, science labs, and more, OMSI is the perfect spot to spark your curiosity.  October through February, OMSI will feature Monsters of the Abyss, a traveling exhibition that allows visitors to dive into the history of amazing prehistoric and modern day aquatic predators and learn about their ecology and why they were so feared.  The exhibit will feature live animal habitats, life-size skeleton replicas, and real fossils.

Time: 2:45 – 5:30 pm

Attire: Dress comfortably (rain gear if needed)

Travel notes: Attendees will take public transportation to and from OMSI (approximately 20 minutes from the Hilton Portland Downtown) and be on the move for the self-guided tour. The meeting location and other logistics will be provided to attendees who sign up for this site visit. The site visit location is ADA/wheelchair accessible.

The moderate hike will leave from the Washington Park Max light rail station and cover 2.5 miles over approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes. The hike will include a stop at the International Rose Test Garden, where attendees can take in the beautiful surroundings and concludes at the Hoyt Arboretum, where attendees can explore a diverse collection of trees from around the world. A local outdoors enthusiast will guide the hike.

Time: 2:45 – 6:30 pm

Attire: Dress comfortably (rain gear if needed), wear appropriate footwear, and bring water.

Travel notes: Attendees will take the MAX Red Line, led by staff, from the Pioneer Square North stop (approximately three minute walk from Hilton Portland Downtown) to the Washington Park Max Station. For the hike, expect a mix of paved and non-paved surfaces and some steep trails. Participants should have prior experience with hiking on uneven terrain.