Our Programs
We seek out unhoused individuals and families in Portland and work with them to transition into permanent housing.
Outreach
JOIN’s Outreach program is dedicated to addressing homelessness through a relationship-based, mobile, and flexible approach that meets individuals where they’re at–on the streets, in encampments, and in vehicles–and supports their transition into permanent, stable housing. JOIN’s work is rooted in the belief that every person deserves dignity, respect, and the opportunity to build a future based on their own goals and aspirations.
Retention
JOIN’s Retention Program helps individuals and families maintain stable housing through relationship-based, participant-centered support. Retention workers provide flexible, in-field assistance with housing navigation, employment, benefits, landlord mediation, and basic needs. By reducing barriers and fostering community connections, JOIN empowers participants to achieve long-term stability and independence.
InReach
The InReach Team is a mobile, multi-agency collaboration focused on serving the most marginalized individuals and couples in the adult homeless system. The team engages with individuals from historically underserved communities, including female-identified and nonbinary individuals, people with disabilities, and those from BIPOC communities. InReach provides person-centered, trauma-informed housing case management by addressing barriers, assisting with housing searches, and connecting participants to resources and rental assistance. Once housed, participants receive ongoing support from retention workers to ensure long-term stability and success.
Day Space
Our physical presence in the city provides critical basic services to support individuals and families as they seek to survive on the streets. The following services are made available to 80-100 individuals and families on a weekly basis:
- Showers
- Restrooms
- Mailing Address
- Storage Lockers
- Internet Access
- Clothing
- Laundry Services
- Bus Tickets
- Resources and Employment Assistance
- Food For Family Members and Pets
Get the latest news on our Day Space on our Instagram account
Mobile Permanent Supportive Housing (MPSH)
JOIN’s MPSH program provides long-term Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) services using a Housing First approach. The program prioritizes client choice, low-barrier access to health services, and relationship-based support to ensure individuals experiencing chronic homelessness can achieve stability. Participants receive culturally specific retention case management, behavioral health care, and peer support within a collaborative, shared caseload model. Retention workers serve as skilled generalists, helping participants navigate systems, engage with housing providers, and build supportive relationships that foster long-term housing stability.
Mobile Housing Team (MHT)
JOIN’s MHT program is a Rapid Rehousing (RRH) initiative supporting families experiencing homelessness. As the lead agency in this multi-agency collaboration, JOIN connects families to housing through Coordinated Access and facilitates access to long-term housing vouchers for households with children. The program prioritizes rapid stabilization, providing housing navigation, rental assistance, and supportive services to help families achieve long-term stability and independence.
Leasing & Housing Placement Support
JOIN’s Leasing and Housing Placement Support program provides low barrier permanent housing opportunities for individuals and families facing obstacles to securing conventional market housing. These barriers may include lack of rental history, low income, unstable employment, disability status, immigration status, past evictions or criminal history. Households are identified and referred by JOIN’s Outreach and Housing on the House team. The program offers supportive services, including financial assistance, to help participants transition into and maintain stable housing.
Dignity Village
Dignity Village is a 501c3 nonprofit which founded the Village Model: a commune-style shelter administered and operated democratically by the Villagers themselves. It has operated as a tiny home village in the NE Sunderland neighborhood since 2000.
JOIN partners with Dignity Village to provide housing case management through the InReach team and payroll administration to one staff on behalf of Dignity Village. By partnering with JOIN for InReach services, villagers can retain their case manager no matter where they go. JOIN employing the staff person for the Village relieves Dignity of the challenges of HR in small nonprofits. The Village Program Specialist provides data management/reporting, administrative advising, systems advocacy, liaison support, contract negotiations support, public relations support, academic research engagement, resource networking, financial reporting, etc. for Dignity Village
Learn more about Dignity Village here.