PHFS FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

What does PHFS do? PHFS’s mission is to empower homeless families to get back into housing and stay there. Our services for families include homeless prevention, trauma-informed shelter, helping families move back into permanent housing, and providing long-term support to help families keep their housing.
How do families get into PHFS programs?
- Shelter & Rapid Re-Housing: Families call 2-1-1, our county-wide coordinated entry point to the homeless family system. On that call, families will be asked a vulnerability assessment to determine their level of need. Based on need, families will be placed on waitlists for shelter, rapid re-housing, or both. Once there is an opening in shelter or rapid re-housing, families are contacted and invited to participate in services.
- Homeless Prevention: Families call PHFS directly at the Family Village number (971-409-1706), or families can contact Samuel, the PHFS Prevention Specialist directly (503-724-6860). At the beginning of each month, our prevention program has dedicated resources to help families stay in their housing and not experience homelessness.

How long is the wait list for PHFS services? Unfortunately there is more demand for services than we have resources for, so families can wait 6-12 months on the waitlist before being invited in for services. We prioritize families based on need - those with the most need get served first. It’s still a long wait.

How long can families stay at Family Village? Can they return again? Families can stay up to 4 months (120 days) in shelter and the average shelter stay is 54 days. Families can return to Family Village for a second (or third) shelter stay if they need us. Once a family has received services from PHFS, they are always part of our PHFS Village. We form long lasting, trusting relationships with families so they know we are a resource if they ever need us again.

Where do the kids in shelter go to school? Kids who lose their housing have a few options: 1) they can stay in the school they have been attending and the school district is required to provide transportation to and from school, wherever the student is staying; 2) if a family enters shelter, they can also choose to enroll the in the shelter’s local school; 3) kids are also welcome to attend Community Transitional School. All school districts have Homeless Liaisons that work with students who don’t have a permanent residence. PHFS has been impressed with the care and attention these Liaisons give to families in shelter.

Who does PHFS collaborate with? PHFS is a founding member of the Multnomah County Homeless Family System of Care, which is a collaboration of nine agencies that work together to help address family homelessness in our community. Our Homeless Family System partner agencies include NAYA Family Center, El Programa Hispano, IRCO, JOIN, Human Solutions, NARA, Latino Network,and 211Info. We also collaborate with Community Warehouse, Raphael House, Urban League, Morrison Child & Family Services, YWCA, Oregon Tradeswomen, Stone Soup, Impact Northwest, the Oregon Symphony, and many more organizations. PHFS is a member of the Oregon Housing Alliance, the Willamette Valley Development Officers, and the Nonprofit Association of Oregon.

Can I interview a PHFS staff member for my school assignment? Unfortunately due to the high-volume of inquiries we receive, we are not able to respond to student inquiries. However, we encourage you to find out more about homelessness and PHFS’ work on our website.

Can PHFS help single people or couples who are homeless? PHFS only works with families who have children under 18 in their care.

Does PHFS offer mental health services? PHFS partners with local organizations like Morrison Child & Family Services and Central City Concern to provide mental health services to families. One of our future goals for PHFS is to bring mental health services for families on site to our Family Village campus.

Does PHFS have day access services, like laundry and showers? Yes, our Family Village shelter is open 24-hours but is only available to families who are already registered in our programs. Family Village is not open to the general public.
- Are there drop-in services available to the other people in the community? Check out Rose Haven and JOIN.

What are the causes of homelessness? See here.
Where do families find housing? Our Housing Specialists help families find housing all over the tri-county area, wherever the family would like to live and where they can find affordable housing. Many families find housing in SE Portland and East Multnomah County, which is one of the main reasons we opened Family Village in the Lents neighborhood.
What is trauma-informed design? PHFS operates Oregon’s first and only shelter designed using trauma-informed design and architecture. This type of design is shown to help families heal through the crisis of homelessness and have more success getting back into housing. Learn more!
Where can I find information about Portland’s efforts to address homelessness?

Can I interview a family experiencing homelessness? Unfortunately, no. We respect the privacy of families that are in the middle of a family crisis.

How is PHFS funded? PHFS receives about 60% of our revenue from the Joint Office of Homeless Services, and 25% from individuals and corporations, and 15% from foundation grants. Check out PHFS’s financials statements.

Does PHFS accept in-kind donations? Yes! Please refer to the list of accepted items.
- We do not accept donations of clothes, shoes, furniture, household items, blankets, sleeping bags, tents, etc. Please refer to the list of items we accept and don’t accept.

Can I volunteer at PHFS? Yes! We have a robust team who provide thousands of hours of service a year. Learn about our volunteer opportunities here.
Does PHFS accept vehicle donations? Yes! PHFS partners with the Volunteers of America Oregon so that you can donate your used vehicles to us. All donated vehicles are evaluated by Volunteers of America Oregon mechanics, and they determine how to achieve the highest sale price possible, both for the donor and our local human service programs. Some vehicles may be sold to low income individuals; others may be sold via internet ads or auctions. Learn more.