community spaces
food services
commonspace’s food services program actively responds to the food- and hunger-related needs of individuals in the communities in which we exist. the impact of our food services goes well beyond the critical value of providing food to those experiencing hunger, as our team also brings connection, compassion, celebration, and opportunities for employment positions to the poverty-impacted adults with whom we are privileged to share our resources.
emergency shelters
commonspace works with the communities and people with whom we engage to understand and resolve unmet needs. over time, this has included the provision of temporary, emergency shelter. recently, commonspace provided emergency overnight family shelter for asylum seeking families in Portland (where the families receive hot, culturally appropriate meals from our food services team), and this past winter we provided emergency overnight warming shelter to individuals in need in Portland.
harm reduction + recovery
commonspace embraces the provision of a continuum of harm reduction and recovery resources across all of our programs. this includes the distribution of supplies and the provision of education, rapid testing, and compassionate care through our syringe service program at the Peer Community Center in Portland, where we also provide participants with access to recovery groups, Recovery Coaching, peer support, and navigation to recovery and treatment resources in the community.
community re-entry: Cumberland County Jail
commonspace connects with people incarcerated at the Cumberland County Jail, providing vital human connection, recovery coaching, groups, and navigation support for individuals re-entering the community upon their release. in partnership with Cumberland County and multiple providers, this work aims to address inequities related to housing and treatment, and other factors that result in cycles of incarceration.
