Dignity Village, Inc.
“Coming out of doorways, out from under bridges, from under bushes in parks,
on windy, cold December 16th, the year 2000, eight homeless men and women pitched five tents on public land: Dignity Village was born.
“With nothing, but no longer obliged to fear Portland’s Draconian camping ban lately overturned on constitutional grounds, they came with green, sustainable urban village visions of living in peace and improving the condition of their own lives and Portland’s…a self-made future for themselves and a do-it-yourself model for others.
“From such a humble, and admittedly civilly disobedient beginning, the journey to their present location in Sunderland Yard has not been without incident. This is their sixth, and the only location not arrived at in one of their notorious “shopping cart” parades. Seeking safety and self-governance, the 60 transient members of Dignity Village have become a solid grassroots democracy…an established part of a solution to ease a world-wide catastrophe.”
Over 900 homeless people, many with mothers who love them, friends that cherish them and often with children who need them, have been sheltered using their opportunity to get lives in order, seek employment, save money and move toward independence. Homeless people helping homeless people at a social and economic cost far below other solutions. Couples and pets are welcome. No background check required.
Sweat equity counts.
“An Oregon registered 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization, Dignity Village is democratically self-governed with a mission to provide transitional housing that fosters community and self-empowerment. The vision: build by and for ourselves with mostly donated and/or recycled materials a village of houses, solar and wind powered, composting toilets, growing organic food in greenhouse and garden fields…ingeniously frugal and no paid staff.”
(dignityvillage.org, 9401 NE Sunderland Ave., Portland, OR 97211: 503.281.1604)