In 2022, the Center for Social Change and Community Involvement (CSCCI) established a partnership with Blanchet House, a Portland nonprofit that aims to alleviate suffering among those experiencing houselessness through compassionate, dignified service. The volunteer opportunities with Blanchet House are part of the center’s broader goals to promote a culture of community service on campus, understanding both the roots of social issues and how best to address them.
Over the last three years, Lewis & Clark’s relationship with Blanchet House has continued to develop. During the 2024–25 academic year, for example, several undergraduates committed to working with the nonprofit on a regular basis. Student volunteers met weekly in front of Fowler Student Center to take ride-shares (subsidized by CSCCI) to Blanchet House in downtown Portland. Once on site, students worked primarily with the nonprofit’s free meal program, dubbed The Founders Café. Students took on a range of responsibilities, from plating foods behind the counter to directing guests to their seats to providing beverage refills and second helpings. The meals are hot, nutritious, and plentiful, with the foundational mission of treating vulnerable communities with respect.
“For me, the most impactful part is humanizing the neighbors we have who are often overlooked and unseen,” says Kai Emery BA ’25, who has volunteered with Blanchet House throughout his time at L&C. “We treat everyone who walks through the door as a valued café customer. After a while, you build connections with the regulars—it’s such a welcoming environment and a fun space to volunteer in.”
Emery and Tanvi Shukla BA ’27 are coleaders of L&C’s Housing and Food Insecurity Cohort, one of two new student collectives created by the Center for Social Change and Community involvement. (The center has also created an Immigrant and Refugee Cohort, Bridge Builders, to address challenges among those who have migrated to Portland.) The purpose of the cohorts is to foster a more holistic understanding of societal issues in the area and how the college can contribute to positive solutions, both in Portland and among impacted students.
“This is part of a larger initiative to create more intentional, ethical community engagement opportunities for our students,” says Andrea Salyer, the center’s director. “What does food insecurity look like at Lewis & Clark? What does it look like in Portland? How did we get here, and which policies are impacting this issue? Engaging with these cohorts allows students to get more of an orientation around a specific issue area.”
In addition to volunteering at Blanchet House and other nonprofits, like Meals on Wheels and Neighborhood House, members of the Housing and Food Insecurity Cohort participated in an open-ended dialogue with Oregon Humanities’ Conversation Project, which was an opportunity to reflect on houselessness and belonging with other members of the Portland community. The cohort has also been integral to the recent opening of The Nest, an on-campus resource hub for students in Roberts Hall, created with Students Engaged in Eco-Defense (SEED) and the Equity, Inclusion, and Justice Committee (EIJC).
The center’s partnership with Blanchet House continues to strengthen. “The relationship we have fostered is not only community-centric, but it has also created a sustainable environment for younger folks to get involved with the work we do,” says Michael Seid, Blanchet House’s volunteer program manager. “It’s a form of community engagement that translates into larger social, political, and environmental issues—and it’s a wonderful learning opportunity for students who are interested in social work, the public or nonprofit sector, education, or harm reduction.”
For sophomore Shukla, who has volunteered with Blanchet House since her first semester at Lewis & Clark, spearheading the Housing and Food Insecurity Cohort has been a transformative experience: “I’ve learned how critical compassion, consistency, and structural awareness are in this work. What’s been most impactful is learning to listen—to stories, to needs, and to the silences in between. This experience has shaped how I understand justice, and it’s grounded me in a form of leadership rooted in empathy, community, and shared responsibility.”
Center for Social Change and Community Involvement L&C Volunteers Program
