Portland Rescue Mission

What Portland Rescue Mission does

Portland Rescue Mission is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1949 and headquartered in Portland, Oregon, operating an integrated Christ-centered homeless services system organized around a four-pillar "PRM Transformation Model": Get Help (24/7 emergency shelter and mobile outreach), Stabilize (work shelter and long-term housing program), Recover (residential addiction recovery), and Give Back (transitional housing and alumni support). Physical facilities include the Burnside Shelter (capacity approximately 144-169 men nightly), The Harbor (men's residential recovery, up to 36 beds), Shepherd's Door (women's recovery with up to 40 women and 25 children in the Children's Center), and three transitional Community Houses. Two Hope Van mobile outreach vehicles conduct 7-day weekly service across Multnomah, Clackamas, and Washington counties, generating over 1,500 personal contacts per month, with expansion into East Portland / I-205 planned for 2026. The organization serves individuals and families experiencing homelessness, addiction, and trauma; all services are provided free of charge to beneficiaries.

In 2025, PRM served 7,302 individuals — a 24% increase since 2023 — delivering 263,654 meals, 70,135 nights of care, and enrolling 188 adults plus 30 children in residential recovery. The Connect Program, a long-term stabilization pathway for men, achieved a 60% housing placement rate, and the organization's New Life Recovery Ministry reports that 84% of graduates over the past five years remain addiction-free and stably housed. PRM operates two social enterprises, Fresh Start Catering (event catering) and Drive Away Hunger (a DMV-licensed vehicle donation-to-sale program providing vocational training in forklift operation, tow truck operation, vehicle sales, and detailing for recovery participants), which generate earned revenue while serving as workforce development platforms.

PRM is 100% community-funded with no government funding, stewarding $11.9 million in total income in 2025. Revenue streams include individual donations (one-time and Circle of Friends monthly giving), planned giving and legacy gifts (bequests, charitable trusts, gift annuities), stock and cryptocurrency donations (via the Engiven platform), vehicle donations, Fresh Start Catering sales, Amazon Wishlist item drives, and Fred Meyer Community Rewards. Donor cultivation is supported by storytelling via the Lighthouse email newsletter, Google AdWords remarketing, the Hood to Coast Strides for Hope relay team, and the annual PRM Golf Classic. The organization holds 501(c)(3) status (EIN 93-0429004), ECFA accreditation, and LegitScript certification; it has been named a Top Workplace by The Oregonian in 2022 and 2025 and recognized as a Best Christian Workplace in 2021. Headcount is in the 101-250 range (the organization cites "nearly 100 highly relational employees" plus additional program-area staff), with nearly 25% of staff reporting personal lived experience of homelessness or addiction.

Name

Portland Rescue Mission

Legal name

Portland Rescue Mission

Website

https://portlandrescuemission.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1949

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Portland Rescue Mission is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1949 that delivers emergency shelter, residential addiction recovery, and transitional housing across the Portland metro area through a four-pillar transformation model, while running two social enterprises that fund vocational training.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Homeless and Addiction Recovery Services

NAICS

Temporary Shelters (624221), Community Housing Services (62422), Community Food and Housing, and Emergency and Other Relief Services (6242)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Health Services (8000)

akta.pro primary industry

Homelessness Prevention, Shelter & Supportive Housing Services (BPAIANAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Substance Use Recovery & Harm Reduction Support Services (BPAGAEAO), Peer Support, Recovery Coaching & Sober Living Services (HLAFACAN)

Keywords

• Homeless services
• Emergency shelter
• Addiction recovery
• Vocational training
• Social enterprise catering

Headquarters

HQ city

Portland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations (One-Time and Recurring): PRM is 100% community-funded. Individual donors give one-time gifts or recurring monthly gifts through the Circle of Friends monthly giving program. The organization stewards $11.9 million in total income.
2. Vehicle Donations (Drive Away Hunger): Donated vehicles are inspected, repaired, and sold at the Drive Away Hunger lot. Proceeds fund vocational training and life-restoring care. The program also provides job training in forklift operation, tow truck operation, car detailing, administration, vehicle sales, and marketing for recovery program participants.
3. Fresh Start Catering: Social enterprise catering operation producing meals for events and corporate gatherings. Profits support PRM's meals, shelter, and recovery programs. Includes staff, volunteers, and individuals completing recovery programs.
4. Planned Giving / Legacy Gifts: Bequests through wills or living trusts, beneficiary designations on retirement/insurance/financial accounts, Donor-Advised Fund grants, charitable gift annuities, charitable trusts, and appreciated asset donations (stocks, real estate, cryptocurrency).
5. Stock and Asset Donations: Donating stock directly can provide up to 50% more funds than donating proceeds of a stock sale. Real estate and personal property are also accepted as gifts.
6. Cryptocurrency Donations: Accepts Bitcoin and Ethereum via the Engiven platform, a third-party donation technology that converts crypto to fiat currency.
7. Item Drives and In-Kind Donations: Community groups organize item drives for clothing, food, hygiene products, and other supplies needed across shelter, transitional, recovery, and Children's Center programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Portland Rescue Mission is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization in Portland, Oregon that operates a four-pillar Christ-centered Transformation Model providing emergency shelter, meals, residential addiction recovery, transitional housing, and post-graduation support to people experiencing homelessness and addiction. Services are delivered free of charge through three residential facilities (Burnside Shelter, The Harbor, Shepherd's Door), mobile outreach vans, and two social enterprises (Fresh Start Catering and Drive Away Hunger vehicle donation program) that also fund vocational training.

Product overview

Portland Rescue Mission operates a comprehensive, Christ-centered homeless services system built around the PRM Transformation Model with four integrated pillars: Get Help (emergency shelter and mobile outreach), Stabilize (work shelter and Connect Program), Recover (residential recovery at The Harbor and Shepherd's Door), and Give Back (transitional housing and alumni support). The organization is 100% community-funded and serves approximately 7,302 individuals annually through direct services and two social enterprises (Fresh Start Catering and Drive Away Hunger vehicle donations) that generate revenue to fund programs. Key residential facilities include Burnside Shelter (144-bed emergency shelter), The Harbor (36-bed men's recovery), and Shepherd's Door (40 women + 25 children recovery). The Hope Van Mobile Outreach makes over 1,500 connections monthly across three counties.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Fresh Start Catering: A social venture of Portland Rescue Mission that provides catering services, with profits supporting PRM's life-restoring work including meals, shelter, vocational training, and recovery services.
• Drive Away Hunger
• The Harbor
• Shepherd's Door
• Burnside Shelter

Products and services

• Burnside Shelter

Quantifiable outcome

• 84% of PRM New Life Recovery graduates in the last 5 years remain addiction-free and in stable housing
• +10 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• The Nine DigitalminorOthers · 1 January 2025The Nine Digital is a web design, website development, and digital marketing company with locations in Alabama, Florida, Oregon, and Texas. Portland Rescue Mission hired The Nine to design, build, and host its website in 2025.
• Sotheby'sminorOthers · 1 January 2023Sotheby's auctioned a pair of rare custom Air Jordan sneakers (donated to PRM) that sold for $50,800, with 100% of proceeds benefiting Portland Rescue Mission. PRM staff delivered the shoes in person for the November 2023 auction.
• Tinker HatfieldminorOthers · 1 January 2023Nike designer Tinker Hatfield donated an original design concept board and custom box for the rare Air Jordan sneakers donated to PRM. He autographed the items in person at the Mission, adding provenance and celebrity connection to the auction.
• Dan & Louis Oyster BarcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerDan & Louis Oyster Bar, a family-owned Portland Old Town restaurant since the 1900s, partners with PRM through its Connect Program at Burnside Shelter. Guests from PRM's stabilization program are hired as employees, providing job readiness, stable employment, and a pathway toward lasting transformation. Robert Swanson, a Connect Program graduate, has worked at Dan & Louis for 11 years and now serves as lead line cook. This employment partnership is cited as a model for how local businesses can become part of the recovery story.

Scale indicators15 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Sacramento Rescue Mission: Sacramento-based faith-based organization offering shelter, recovery, and meal services. Comparable in size and program structure to PRM, serving a mid-sized West Coast city.
• Star of Hope Mission: Houston-based Christ-centered rescue mission operating shelter, recovery, and transitional programs. Closely comparable in program mix, faith foundation, and multi-site residential model.
• Seattle's Union Gospel Mission: Faith-based nonprofit in the Pacific Northwest operating emergency shelters, long-term residential recovery, and community services for people experiencing homelessness and addiction. Closest geographic and operational analog to PRM.
• Union Rescue Mission (Los Angeles): Faith-based, multi-site rescue mission offering emergency shelter, residential recovery, and vocational programs in Southern California. Operates a comparable multi-pillar transformation model anchored in Christian discipleship.
• San Diego Rescue Mission: Faith-based rescue mission providing shelter, recovery, and meal services in San Diego, with a similar Christ-centered continuum from emergency services through long-term recovery and graduate support.
• Denver Rescue Mission: Faith-based nonprofit operating emergency shelter, New Life Program (12-month recovery), and transitional housing in Denver. Runs comparable social enterprises and a community meal program.
• Wheeler Mission: Indiana-based Christ-centered rescue mission offering emergency shelter, residential recovery, and meal programs; another long-standing faith-based operator with transformation-oriented programs.
• Atlanta Mission: Faith-based nonprofit providing emergency shelter, recovery programs, and supportive services in Atlanta, GA. Closely parallels PRM's four-pillar continuum and Christ-centered approach.

Regional players

• JOIN (Job Opportunities in Portland): Portland Street Service organization serving people experiencing homelessness through case management, employment placement, and housing navigation. Operates in PRM's exact geography and addresses overlapping unmet needs.

Broad incumbents

• Catholic Charities USA: National umbrella of faith-based social service agencies delivering shelter, recovery, housing, and emergency assistance at substantially larger scale than PRM. Operates broader programs but with overlapping service lines.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/pdxmission
• Instagraminstagram.com/freshstart.cateringpdxmission
• Xx.com/pdxmission
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/portland-rescue-mission

Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Portland Rescue Mission