Our Story
The origins of Blanchet first started in 1938 at the University of Portland when a group of
students organized a social and service club, later named after the first Catholic Archbishop
of the Oregon Territory, Archbishop Frances Norbert Blanchet. Designed to raise money
for the poor, the group held car washes, raffles, dances and various other fund raising
activities. World War II brought a temporary halt to the club’s activism but after the war
ended a new wave of students, armed with similar enthusiasm and principles, sought out
other avenues to help the needy of the community.
Under the guidance and prodding of the late Fr. Francis Kennard, eight University of
Portland graduates searched for a location in downtown Portland to carry on their mission
of service. At the corner of NW 4th and Glisan they found their building and quickly went
to work cleaning. Once they paid their first month’s rent of $35 they were ready to open.
On February 11, 1952 they offered their first free hot meal, a simple offering of beans,
bread, butter and coffee. Inspired by Dorothy Day’s Catholic Worker Movement in New
York City, the name was officially changed to the Blanchet House of Hospitality.
The Blanchet Club purchased the entire building in 1958 for a total of $25,000 and a deed
burning party was later held to celebrate this most fortuitous event. Shortly thereafter,
work began in earnest on the second and third floors and these turned into short term
housing units for men who, in exchange for room and board, would work in the kitchen and
eating area on the first floor.
In this same year a second house was purchased on NW 18th Street. This house was
designed to house men on a longer term basis so they might have a better opportunity to
seek employment. The house later became the Riley House, named after the longtime
manager of Blanchet, Al Riley. Al Riley became the manager of Blanchet in 1960 and served
in that post for 38 years, until his passing in 1998.
In 1962, a 40 acre prune farm in Yamhill County was purchased by Blanchet. The farm was
developed into a working farm to help men in recovery from alcohol and later, drug
addiction. Additional land purchases adjacent to the farm were made and by 1972 the farm
increased in size to sixty acres.
During the many years after 1960, Blanchet increased the number of meals it served and the
breadth of services it provided. It became an important institution in the social fabric of
downtown Portland.
In 2002, the 50th Anniversary of Blanchet was celebrated. A transition took place when the
original Board Members turned the organization over to a largely new group of Board
Members. This group of new Board Members had several ties to the prior group of original
members.
In 2004, Brian Ferschweiler was named Executive Director of Blanchet, and continues to
serve in that role today.
Today Blanchet serves between 700-900 meals per day, six days a week, and has, at times,
approached 300,000 meals served. It has been estimated that since its inception, Blanchet
has served over 15,000,000 meals to those in need. Besides the Executive Director,
Blanchet also employs a manager at both the House and the Farm. Over 5,000 volunteers
annually devote their time to help at Blanchet, including over 1,000 high school students.
In February of 2009, the Portland Development Commission passed Resolution 6563,
which states that Blanchet will receive a 9,500 square foot parcel of land on the corner of
NW 3rd and Glisan in exchange for the land and building Blanchet has owned. Construction
has begun on the new Blanchet House and the new location should be set to open in the Fall
of 2012. Normal operations will continue in our current location until construction is
complete.
students organized a social and service club, later named after the first Catholic Archbishop
of the Oregon Territory, Archbishop Frances Norbert Blanchet. Designed to raise money
for the poor, the group held car washes, raffles, dances and various other fund raising
activities. World War II brought a temporary halt to the club’s activism but after the war
ended a new wave of students, armed with similar enthusiasm and principles, sought out
other avenues to help the needy of the community.
Under the guidance and prodding of the late Fr. Francis Kennard, eight University of
Portland graduates searched for a location in downtown Portland to carry on their mission
of service. At the corner of NW 4th and Glisan they found their building and quickly went
to work cleaning. Once they paid their first month’s rent of $35 they were ready to open.
On February 11, 1952 they offered their first free hot meal, a simple offering of beans,
bread, butter and coffee. Inspired by Dorothy Day’s Catholic Worker Movement in New
York City, the name was officially changed to the Blanchet House of Hospitality.
The Blanchet Club purchased the entire building in 1958 for a total of $25,000 and a deed
burning party was later held to celebrate this most fortuitous event. Shortly thereafter,
work began in earnest on the second and third floors and these turned into short term
housing units for men who, in exchange for room and board, would work in the kitchen and
eating area on the first floor.
In this same year a second house was purchased on NW 18th Street. This house was
designed to house men on a longer term basis so they might have a better opportunity to
seek employment. The house later became the Riley House, named after the longtime
manager of Blanchet, Al Riley. Al Riley became the manager of Blanchet in 1960 and served
in that post for 38 years, until his passing in 1998.
In 1962, a 40 acre prune farm in Yamhill County was purchased by Blanchet. The farm was
developed into a working farm to help men in recovery from alcohol and later, drug
addiction. Additional land purchases adjacent to the farm were made and by 1972 the farm
increased in size to sixty acres.
During the many years after 1960, Blanchet increased the number of meals it served and the
breadth of services it provided. It became an important institution in the social fabric of
downtown Portland.
In 2002, the 50th Anniversary of Blanchet was celebrated. A transition took place when the
original Board Members turned the organization over to a largely new group of Board
Members. This group of new Board Members had several ties to the prior group of original
members.
In 2004, Brian Ferschweiler was named Executive Director of Blanchet, and continues to
serve in that role today.
Today Blanchet serves between 700-900 meals per day, six days a week, and has, at times,
approached 300,000 meals served. It has been estimated that since its inception, Blanchet
has served over 15,000,000 meals to those in need. Besides the Executive Director,
Blanchet also employs a manager at both the House and the Farm. Over 5,000 volunteers
annually devote their time to help at Blanchet, including over 1,000 high school students.
In February of 2009, the Portland Development Commission passed Resolution 6563,
which states that Blanchet will receive a 9,500 square foot parcel of land on the corner of
NW 3rd and Glisan in exchange for the land and building Blanchet has owned. Construction
has begun on the new Blanchet House and the new location should be set to open in the Fall
of 2012. Normal operations will continue in our current location until construction is
complete.
|
| lending a helping hand |
| Blanchet House of Hospitality | 340 NW Glisan Street | Portland, OR 97209 | (503) 241-4340 |