Blanchet House & Farm

Two supporters donated their beautiful vacation homes, and we’re offering a raffle with two chances to win. One $50 ticket gives you a shot at Waimea, Hawaii, or Bend, Oregon. Only 750 tickets available. Winners drawn on 03/01/2026. Rules apply. https://blanchethouse.ejoinme.org/2026BrunchRaffle.

At lunch today, a diner asked for steel-toe work boots for a time-sensitive job opportunity. We had a pair on hand and got them to him right away. This is what support looks like in real time. When we have what people really need, doors open. Yes, we added shoelaces. :)

Nathan and Jason built these beautiful entry desks in Blanchet Farm’s Woodshop for our women’s shelter, Bethanie’s Room, which opens tonight. One of the things that makes Blanchet special is how connected our programs are, and how meaningful work is part of the healing process.

It was a joy to welcome neighbors in to tour our women’s shelter, Bethanie’s Room. Huge thanks to Jacqueline and Mark for bringing brand new rain jackets. Even if the photo caught Mark blinking. ;)

Today a guest stopped by with good news. He’s now staying at the WeShinePDX 24/7 shelter we helped connect him to, and he’s doing great.

We’ve helped five people move into shelter there so far. Proof that when options exist and relationships are built, people exit homelessness.

We gave out 60 pairs of shoes in one hour! It felt good to have enough so everyone waiting in line could choose what worked for them, with a seat to sit and try them on.

We caught a sweet moment between Clint and his puppy, Odin, as they waited for lunch at Blanchet House. Clint shared this with us, “There’s nothing like Blanchet House in all of the country. What you do here is special. Thank you.”

Who likes coconut water? Our friends at The Peer Company brought us a truckload! We’re offered the to guests all week.

Are you hosting a Super Bowl party this weekend?

Stop by Blanchet House, 310 NW Glisan St., Mon-Sat, 8-10:30 a.m. or 1:30-4 p.m. to pick up blue bags to collect bottles and cans. The bags are coded for Blanchet so you can simply drop them off at an Oregon Bottle Drop all at once. No need to sort.

Ted Coonfield spotted a piece of wood shaped like a heart at Blanchet Farm and was inspired to do something special with it. He turned it into a table by adding resin and a base, for our new women’s shelter, opening Feb. 9. Ted volunteers to teach woodworking skills to folks in recovery at our farm.

Help turn Walker’s frown upside down by donating new women’s underwear to Blanchet House in sizes S, M, and L. Shop our Amazon wish list amzn.to/44rDjKl

We'll be reading our new children's book, Toby's Farm Adventure, today (Jan. 31) at Bold Coffee & Books in Portland, at 11 a.m. Inspired by Blanchet House & Farm, the Toby series fosters empathy and reduces stigma. Purchase the books from Blanchet at https://shopblanchet.com/collections/merch

It was an honor to hear from Blanchet House founder Jim O’Hanlon Sr., 98, at the grand opening of our women’s shelter. Jim shared the story of opening a House of Hospitality in Portland at just 24 years old, alongside friends and family. A reminder of how a group of people can make a difference.

“This space is an act of refusal to look away," said Congresswoman Maxine Dexter. We cut the ribbon on Bethanie’s Room, our new women’s shelter, with guests Jim O’Hanlon, 98, who founded Blanchet House, Bethanie’s parents, Shelley and Rick, and Congresswomen Suzanne Bonamici and Maxine Dexter.

RECORD-BREAKING NIGHT. 676 plates of spaghetti served! Tonight showed what’s possible when every part of our free café is working in sync. Huge thanks to our chef for cooking epic quantities of spaghetti for the end-of-month rush, and to Morgan for the fastest plating line we’ve ever seen.

A group of Buddhist nuns volunteered to make all 75 beds at our soon to open women’s shelter. They were visiting from Myanmar (formerly Burma) to learn about shelters.

Mattress Firm donated 75 bed frames, mattresses, sheets, pillows, and blankets for our new women’s shelter. These are very thick and comfortable mattresses! We can’t wait to welcome women to stay with us. Thank you Mattress Firm and The National Women’s Shelter Network for your generosity.

We had a great crew of volunteers paint a mural at our new women’s shelter Bethanie’s Room. Bethanie’s family donated supplies. Ashley Blevins of Benjamin Moore with Powell Paint Center donated paint. It’s looking great, and we can’t wait to open the doors to women.

This group from Canby, Oregon, made and donated 600 burritos for hungry people in Portland. Their unexpected gift of kindness is what we all needed today. Thank you for helping without judgment.

Not sure if this is worthy of a post, but… wow, not even 7 am and no line of people waiting to come in for breakfast! We are so glad the Portland city shelters were able to extend their morning hours until 8 a.m. through this freezing cold weekend.

Shoutout to SawStop's Matt Howard for their incredible gift of equipment to our woodshop. It's an investment in the people we serve, creating a professional space to train and build skills that lead to meaningful work. We are deeply grateful for this partnership and the belief behind it.

Thanks to you, our incredibly generous and compassionate supporters, our glove bin is full. So many people will have warm hands tonight because of you. We’re really grateful for the quick action. Thank you!

We urgently need adult-sized gloves. People are coming to Blanchet House with cold hands, looking for a little relief. If you can help, please donate new or gently used gloves, Mon-Sat, 8-10:30am or 1:30-4pm. You can shop our wish list https://a.co/gNSmN46.

This is a small action with real impact.

When we’re cozy under comforters, it’s easy to think they’re the best to donate. The challenge is that shelters like Blanchet don’t have space to store bedding, and it’s hard to carry. Throw-style blankets help the most. They’re warm and easy to take along. James is modeling one here. Thank you.

Today we sketched the outlines of a mural at our soon-to-open women’s shelter, Bethanie’s Room. The artist cleverly designed the mural so volunteers of any skill level can help with the painting. Stay tuned for the final result.

On MLK Jr. Day, we honor more than words. King endured life-threatening opposition to demand dignity for Black, poor, and marginalized Americans. Today, Blanchet House is open, serving food, clothing, and support because hunger and homelessness are rooted in structural inequality.

These sweet kids and their grandma brought bags of brand-new blankets and clothes for our homeless guests. Aidrick asked if the people he saw outside would like what he brought. We told him he’d help keep them warm tonight.“Ok, good! bye! 6–7,” he said. Lol. Thanks Adrick, Lucy, & Grandma Sally.

We're hiring! BLANCHET FARM CHEF: $25/hour | Part-time or full-time; Cook lunch and dinner at Blanchet Farm in Yamhill County. Prepare healthy meals, work farm-to-table, and be part of a mission-driven team. Full job description at BlanchetHouse.org/jobs.

Blanchet House is concerned by recent federal cuts to mental health and addiction services. We see every day how trauma and mental illness can lead to substance use, suffering, and homelessness, and how easy access to care keeps people housed. Nonprofits cannot replace a strong public safety net.

Brittany offered to make new table centerpieces for the cafe. Even simple, artificial flowers send a clear message to everyone who walks in. You matter here. You deserve beauty, care, and respect. Thanks, Brittany. If you're interested in taking on the centerpieces one month, please email us.