On December 6th, the non-profit Rahab’s Sisters will relocate all functions from St. Peter and Paul Episcopal Church to the Montavilla United Methodist Church at 232 SE 80th Avenue. Their move one block west allows the day services provider to maintain operations as it seeks Multnomah County funds to create a dedicated facility. The group serving women and gender-diverse individuals will keep the same operating hours while embedded in its temporary location. The organization’s leadership hopes to offer an expanded schedule after they set it up in a long-term space.

Rahab’s Sisters started serving those marginalized by poverty, houselessness, sex work, violence, and substance use in 2003. They have worked from the church building at 247 SE 82nd Avenue the entire time, making this move a significant event for the organization. “It’s the very first location and only location. So we’ve been there 20 years,” explained Desiree Eden Ocampo, Executive Director of Rahab’s Sisters. The program stemmed from the church’s community but without a religious agenda. “A group of Episcopal women, both lay and clergy, wanted to care for folks working on 82nd at night, giving them a place of safety without any sort of preconceived notions that somebody has to be fixed or saved. It’s harm reduction,” said Ocampo.

Rahab’s Sisters’ move coincides with the closure of St. Peter and Paul Episcopal Church. At the end of 2023, the congregation will turn over the SE 82nd Avenue property to The Episcopal Church in Western Oregon (ECWO), which will begin the site’s transformation into affordable housing. Initially, Rahab’s Sisters hoped to return to the property after crews completed construction, working from a ground-floor commercial space. Early concepts for the housing development included non-residential storefront space on the first floor. However, those plans changed as the church worked to maximize available housing and secure specific funding. Ocampo explained that the Episcopal Diocese of Oregon offered Rahab’s Sisters continued use of the SE 82nd Avenue building until its demolition. However, the cost of operating the old building without other tenants sharing the expenses was not practical for the non-profit’s budget.

Fortunately, the organization was able to expand on an existing relationship to find temporary accommodations. Rahab’s Sisters began renting office space from Montavilla United Methodist Church in May as they were outgrowing St. Peter and Paul’s facilities. When the church announced its closure this year, Ocampo approached the Methodist church leadership about moving all activities into their space. This relocation will double the interior area available to the group while still offering a kitchen space to prepare the meals served at Friday community dinners. It also allows them to bring some previously outside activities inside the building. The Multnomah County’s syringe exchange program van uses the St. Peter and Paul Episcopal Church’s parking lot to distribute harm reduction kits. Ocampo said that with this move, that interaction will now focus on Rahab’s Sisters’ guests within the church building, although those guests can share supplies with people not served by the organization.

Montavilla United Methodist Church will be a valuable transition space for Rahab’s Sisters. Its proximity to the original location helps alleviate fears of change experienced by some frequent guests. Before the move, Rahab’s Sisters staff will take guests on walks to show them where to go starting on December 6th. They also intend to post signs with directions to the new location. Although the larger facility at the Methodist Church will work well to maintain services, it is not the dedicated location Rahab’s Sisters needs to grow the organization.

On September 28th, the Multnomah County Board of Commissioners allocated $62.5 million in one-time-only funding for added shelter capacity. The County set aside $3.3 million within that package to expand daytime support services. Rahab’s Sisters applied for $775,000 of those dedicated funds to cover the buildout costs needed to develop day services within a dedicated facility. Nearly $500,000 would go towards capital improvements to the building, creating a suitable kitchen and constructing interior amenities using trauma-informed design. The remaining funds will add furniture and cover other costs related to starting a new facility. Desiree Eden Ocampo explained they have already looked at locations between 122nd and 70th Avenues, giving the group an idea of what spaces the organization could lease. All potential sites will need work to meet their unique needs. However, with the County’s one-time funds covering the significant startup costs that previously prevented expanded operations, Rahab’s Sisters can finally step towards enhancing services within a reasonable operating budget.

Rahab’s Sisters currently supports over 300 people annually, operating two days a week. A dedicated facility will allow them to grow that number, but more importantly, it would expand support throughout the week. If Rahab’s Sisters receives the Multnomah County support, they will need to move quickly, with the bulk of the work happening in the summer of 2024. Ocampo thinks Rahab’s Sisters’ expansion is precisely what the County is looking for when expanding the provider network. There is a significant gap in day service providers operating in East Portland. Most facilities are concentrated Downtown and on the inner Eastside. 

Ocampo acknowledges that moving the organization twice in less than 12 months is not ideal and would have liked to work from the original location longer. However, Rahab’s Sisters fully supports the SE 82nd Avenue property’s redevelopment and looks forward to the speedy construction of affordable housing. The first half of 2024 will likely feature substantial growth for the day services provider. The staff will have more private space within Montavilla United Methodist Church for community partners to work from, increasing the quality of service. Then, the group will have the substantial task of locating and creating a dedicated site to grow its supportive community. Expect updates on this process in early 2024.

---

Promotion: Help keep independent news accessible to the community. Montavilla News has a Patreon account. We invite those who can contribute to this local news source to consider becoming paid subscribers or sponsors. We will always remain free to read regardless of subscription.