Peer support is built on lived experience, trust, and connection. When people feel understood, outcomes begin to shift. Research shows that peer support is associated with reduced hospitalizations, stronger engagement in services, and improved recovery outcomes—while also supporting something less measurable but just as important: a sense of belonging, hope, and possibility.

This shift from rules to values gives our team members opportunities to be who they are.

As the season begins to shift, we invite you to step into movement, connection, and fresh air with us this April. Whether you’re looking for something active, creative, or simply a chance to be in community, there’s a place for you here.

An early “influencer” for me was Henri Nouwen, a priest who spent the last 10 years of his life at L’Arche Daybreak in Ontario, Canada before dying in 1996. Among his many good deeds, he wrote extensively and authored more than 40 books, I own 18 of them. In one of his books, he writes about hospitality and its purpose. “Hospitality , therefore, means primarily the creation of a free space where the stranger can enter and become a friend […]. Hospitality is not to change p

As we move toward longer days and early signs of spring, March offers opportunities to connect — through art, outdoor exploration, friendly competition, and shared creative space. Whether you prefer quiet reflection in a museum gallery, movement on a trail, or laughter over a game night, we invite you to join us. As always, participation is free, and all activities are grounded in peer support and community connection. Portland Art Museum Free First Thursday Join us in explor

Courage shows up quietly here through a staff game of Show and Tell. Instructions: Bring something meaningful to share. A creative project. A passion. A practice that grounds you. A small piece of yourself. Share it online. Sometimes courage looks like holding something close to your heart and saying, “This matters to me.” So far, Pier 360 staff members Vincent , Cat , Allison , Jeannette , and Chiara have shared pieces of what sustains them. Allison shared an original song

This February, Pier 360’s activities and outings are rooted in Courage, connection, and community — offering creative spaces, outdoor experiences, and opportunities to be seen and supported together.

In this month’s message, Executive Director Brad Berry reflects on courage as a matter of the heart — the quiet determination it takes to face daily challenges. He invites our community to see and honor the courage in one another, reminding us that connection makes resilience stronger.

Images of reflection and stillness this Winter. Scenes outside with snow and ice reflected in a still lake, a stone that says Reflect on it, a person making a heart with their hands over the sunlight, a pier reflected upside down in a glass sphere, and a Winter scene reflected in a side-view car mirror. Winter invites us into a season of contrast—light and shadow, celebration and remembrance, gathering and solitude. As the holidays arrive, many people feel joy. Others feel g

A tribute to Indigenous voices whose stories and teachings continue to illuminate the path toward balance, connection, and healing.

The Practice of Gratitude This season invites us to slow down and reflect on what gratitude truly means. While Thanksgiving carries complex histories for Indigenous peoples — stories of both generosity and loss — it also invites us to approach the day with respect, compassion, and a renewed awareness of how we live in relationship with one another. At Pier 360, gratitude is more than a feeling. It’s a practice — one that deepens connection, honors those who came before us, an

Thank You for Supporting Pier 360 During Give More 24! We are deeply grateful for everyone who has lifted up Pier 360 during this year’s Give More 24! . Whether you donated, shared our story, participated in a video, or simply told a friend about the power of peer support—you’ve helped shine a light on the work we do together. Group of peers from Pier 360 holding their signs that express what peer support means to them. Words like Essenital, Discovery, Hope, Community. The im

September is a month of both awareness and action . As we honor Suicide Prevention & Awareness Month , we are reminded of the importance of connection, community, and hope. At Pier 360, we know that peer support can change hopelessness to hope and healing—because recovery is always possible, and no one should have to walk alone. This month also brings an opportunity to strengthen that work through Give More 24! , Southwest Washington’s largest day of community giving. What is

Buried in Treasures based on a book with the same title that addresses how to streamline clutter.

Discover Pier 360’s Washington State BIPOC Wellness Resources—an inclusive, culturally grounded directory of mental health and substance use resources for Black, Indigenous, Latino/a, Asian, Pacific Islander, and other communities of color. Created to honor BIPOC Mental Health Month and support year-round healing.