Support survivors escaping domestic violence

Summer arrived in Portland with a heat wave that has stretched on, but you won't find us complaining! Raphael House is air conditioned and everyone seems to be enjoying time in the outdoors. Our courtyard is full of life, with kiddie pools and other summer activities filling the space. We've been sweeping a lot of sand out of the hallways, but it's worth the extra work because we know it means children are having a blast in the sandbox!

The shelter's onsite garden is thriving even in the heat, with giant zucchini and lemon cucumber multiplying daily. Did you know that our residents cook delicious meals for their families with the produce they grow?

We have exciting new addition to our playscape. Oregon Tradeswoman, Inc. built a beautiful playhouse for us and Parr Lumber generously donated its delivery. An incredible group of volunteers from Nike worked hard to remove our playground's surface so we could replace it with something more enviromentally- and kid-friendly.

Our participants have been working hard, too. We recently celebrated four women graduating from RentWell, a 15-hour tenant education course that sets participants up to be successful renters and overcome barriers to housing that they may have.

Thank you for your shared commitment to supporting families and individuals on their journeys to safety and self-sufficiency. For the most up to date information on activities and ways to get involved, please follow us on Facebook and Twitter!

When you picture an emergency domestic violence shelter, what do you see? It seems like lots of people imagine an old house with crowded rooms, bunk beds, and lots of women. But our shelter at Raphael House couldn't be more different from that image:  it's a large, modern, colorful, light-filled space, and there are far more children here than there are adults!

More than 60% of the people who live at Raphael House are children. They live with their mothers in private, family rooms with en suite bathrooms. They share a large commercial kitchen and a variety of indoor and outdoor living room spaces. We offer all kinds of youth programming to keep kids happy, healthy, and growing every day, from field trips to the zoo to support groups, homework help, and yoga. 

During a recent youth support group, several kids were asked to share things that they like about themselves. One wrote "smart," another wrote "I like Raphael House," and a third drew pictures. But it was the fourth one that stopped us in our tracks:  

"That I'm alive and safe."

The child who wrote that is ten years old.

We're so grateful that that child - and all the other kids here - are alive and safe. And we're equally grateful for the profound reminder of the seriousness and importance of our work. This is why we come to Raphael House every day. This is why generous community members like you contribute to our work. And this is why we ask you to keep contributing, so we can make sure that someday, no ten year old will have to be grateful for life and safety.