WomenFirst Transition & Referral Center is a grass-roots organization that provides nourishing environments where women can rebuild their lives and self-worth through peer mentorship, life skills trainings, empowerment groups, and essential community support.

A place where women can rebuild their lives by learning to love themselves.

Our vision is to bring out the hidden talents in women, building their leadership and life skills and helping them find success and joy!

Our Goals:

Help women identify and discover themselves

Establish and maintain relationships with partner organizations so we can offer resources and provide referrals to accomplish personal, professional goals and meet the needs of our women participants.

Support WomenFirst board members, staff, and volunteers in providing leadership trainings necessary to assist with rebuilding lives.

Our Progams:

"I Love Me" Women Empowerment Groups deliver innovative trainings and skill building for women in our most vulnerable populations. The curriculum focuses on identity formation, value clarification, healthy lifestyles, and leadership development. We also promote healthy behaviors to increase social, emotional, and spiritual growth. Our focus is to provide a safe and nurturing environment where women can share their experiences and learn from others.

Peer Mentorship/Reintegration provides 1:1 mentorship for additional support such as: life skills, employment, housing, stability and work to create a plan for direction. This program is based at the Coffee Creek Correctional Facility beginning six months prior to a woman's release date, and is built around an individual action plan and follow-ups. Program launched April 2018 partnership with African American Program (AAP) through Multnomah County. 

Navigate Back Home is a trauma informed pilot program that provides 10-20 women opportunities to continue to work on their journey of recovery, reunite with their children, and rebuild their lives. Our Housing Referral Coordinator will ensure each woman receives support and guidance to obtain stability for long-term continuum care until they receive permanent housing. Further, the Housing Navigator will continue to connect with housing agencies, such as Home Forward, second chance landlords, homes for single women, and women with children to identify what housing opportunities are available.

Life Skills Development will deliver the skills necessary or desirable for full participation associated with managing and living a better quality of life. This curriculum focuses on conflict resolution, effective communication, financial literacy, interpersonal relationships, self-awareness, creative thinking, and how to be assertive.

Through M110 funding, WomenFirst will be able to offer rent and housing assistance for those identifying as being in-recovery. There will be an application to fill out that also asks whether you’d like to participate in classes such as “ready to rent,” “know your rights,” and “financial literacy” workshops.