We are a group of people who envision communities that are safe, supportive & full of opportunity.

Located in East Portland, OR.

DSC04447 Large.jpeg
DSC04380+Large.jpg
IMG_0583.jpg
DSC00818.jpg
IMG_7406.jpg
DSC04422 Large.jpeg
DSC04204 Large.jpeg
DSC04364 Large.jpeg

Our Initiatives

Workforce Development

Gaining confidence & growing skills

Housing & Homemaking

A home for neighbors to make their own

Supportive Sheltering

Shelter for resting & rebuilding

Eat & Greet 2025

When: Friday, May 23rd
Time: 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Where: Menlo Park Trimet Park & Ride
(located at 12202 E Burnside St, Portland)

Not long now! We look forward to seeing you with your family and friends on Friday, May 23rd! Come ready to enjoy a night of great food, live music, games, laughter, and conversation with those in your community. It’s all about coming together, celebrating diversity, and building relationships that matter.

Plus, we are stoked to be bringing back some crowd favorites from last year’s Eat & Greet event for our 2025 Eat & Greet on Friday, May 23rd. This includes Cece’s Gyros and the band Herencia Elegante. 

Our Mission

We collectively work alongside those on the margins to empower individuals and communities through an inclusive range of services and support in East Portland.

About Us

We are a nonprofit organization supporting East Portland that works alongside those who have been marginalized to empower individuals and communities through an inclusive range of services and supports.

We envision communities that are safe, supportive, and full of opportunity. Partnering with the community, we provide services and support to our neighbors who have been marginalized and underserved. We build communities from the inside out through workforce development, housing & homemaking, and supportive sheltering. 

We measure tangible outcomes through data and stories. Ultimately our impact is empowering individuals, communities, and society.

  • Services & Support

    Workforce Development
    Property Stewardship, Community Beautification, Intern Program, Showers & Hygiene

    Supportive Sheltering
    Menlo Park Safe Rest Village, Severe Weather Shelter

    Housing & Homemaking
    Helping neighbors find housing
    and make it a home

  • Values

    Passion to include everyone

    Help people see the value in their lives

    Deep sense of hope & perseverance

    Desire to treat everyone equally and respect each other’s differences

    Commitment to healthy & open relationships

  • Impact

    Empowered Individuals

    Empowered Communities

    Empowered Society

How can you join in the change?

You can make a difference by donating to directly empower the work of Cultivate Initiatives. Donations of any amount play a huge role in solving our area’s crisis. Our success in helping neighbors access housing and shelter, workforce development, and better health is only possible with our community’s support.

  • Nadine

    "Before I was hopeless, but now I feel like I’m finding my way in the world again. I hadn’t had a job for twelve years and so getting in and finding that humanity of like, I belong and getting confidence that I can work, was super important and it’s been the cornerstone of helping me navigate in recovery.”

  • Sandra

    "Cultivate Initiatives has held my hand through everything. Now I have a drivers license, I have an office, I have people that care about me and that I care about. I've got a family here."

  • Dylan

    "It gives me a purpose. I've got insurance now, I don't think I had insurance ever. I've paid all my fines, I'm getting my drivers license, I'm moving into an apartment. It feels good. As long as everybody works together, I think we can get a lot of this taken care of."

  • Peter, Menlo SRV neighbor

    "This place represents opportunities that are much more than just a place to sleep. I know that when I go there, my life changed for the better." "This place represents opportunities that are much more than just a place to sleep. I know that when I go there, my life changed for the better."

  • Jay

    "I always knew I had something to give, CI just gave me the opportunity to shine"

  • Bobby

    "Helping our neighbors stay warm and safe is really what makes what we do worth the effort."