Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon
Works of Mercy contacts for the Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon. Filter by topic below, or see everything at once.
The Society of St. Vincent de Paul is a lay Catholic organization that runs local "conferences," small volunteer groups tied to a parish, that visit families in need and help directly with rent, utilities, food, and other emergencies. A conference is run by volunteers, not paid staff, and most conferences serve a specific parish boundary or a small cluster of parishes.
Call the number listed for your area. Many conferences take messages and call back, sometimes the same day and sometimes not until evening or the next business day, because the volunteer on call is not sitting by a desk phone. Be ready to say what you need (rent, utilities, food, or something else) and where you live, since most conferences can only help inside their own parish boundary or service area and will point you to the right one if you call the wrong number.
What this list does not cover yet: The Portland Council of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul's own service area covers Multnomah, Washington, and Clackamas counties plus the Lower Columbia River and north coast. The archdiocese extends south to Salem and Eugene; no district council serving that area was found, so this list does not cover it yet.
Parish and diocesan food banks give away groceries, prepared food, or both, usually on a fixed weekly or monthly schedule, to anyone in need regardless of parish membership or religion.
Most food banks post fixed hours and ask nothing more than that you show up during them; some ask for a simple sign-in or a rough idea of household size. Call ahead if you are not sure the schedule below is still current, since food bank hours change more often than almost anything else on this page.
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Pregnancy and parenting support programs, including diocesan PREPARES programs, offer material help (diapers, baby clothes, formula, and similar essentials), mentoring, and referrals to a mother during pregnancy and in a child's early years, at no cost and without regard to a family's religion or marital status.
Programs typically ask you to call or fill out a short intake so a volunteer or case worker can be matched to you; some hold regular giveaway days for diapers, formula, or baby clothes that anyone can attend without an appointment. Call the number listed to find out which applies.
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Ministry to the elderly and homebound covers Communion visits, friendly-visitor programs, transportation to Mass or appointments, and check-in calls for parishioners and neighbors who can no longer get out easily on their own.
Call the parish office listed and ask for the homebound or elderly ministry coordinator by name if one is given; most parishes keep a waiting or matching process for a new visitor request rather than same-day service, so it is worth calling even if a visit will not start right away.
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Standing phone lines the diocese itself runs, not tied to any one parish or to the four categories above.
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