Building Brighter Futures: Friendly House Leverages PFA Facilities Funds to Build on a Century of Service
For nearly a century, Friendly House has been a vital part of Northwest Portland. Founded as a settlement house 96 years ago, it has evolved into a dynamic community hub offering child care, employment support, senior programming, and more. But like many beloved institutions, its aging facility is struggling to keep up with modern needs.
Thanks to capital support from the Preschool for All (PFA) Facilities Fund, Friendly House is taking bold steps to revitalize its space – and expand its impact!
Friendly House currently runs one preschool classroom with 15 PFA-funded seats and 5 additional seats. But the space has significant challenges: outdated infrastructure, inconsistent heating and cooling, accessibility barriers, and the urgent need for a new roof and kitchen. The building, now more than 100 years old, simply wasn’t built for today’s standards, or tomorrow’s dreams.
That’s where PFA funding stepped in. The initial $60,000 pre-development award from the PFA Facilities Fund helped cover architectural plans and permitting, while also unlocking access to technical assistance. Mya Chamberlin, executive director of Friendly House (and former Friendly House preschool student herself!) credits Juan, her Facilities Advisor at BuildUp Oregon, for helping navigate the process. Juan supported Friendly House to identify eligible expenses, refine timelines, and offered guidance that made the work feel possible. “It wasn’t just a grant,” she said. “It felt like having a partner on our team, really invested in supporting us and getting us there.”
That partnership is already paying off. With PFA support boosting early fundraising efforts, Friendly House is moving forward with a full interior renovation. The PFA Facilities Fund will invest $1 million dollars to create 40 new PFA seats. This project will also leverage an additional $2 million dollars from other sources. Plans include four new classrooms for preschool and afterschool care – addressing both long waitlists and the growing demand for child care in this economically diverse neighborhood.
The urgency is real: by this summer, Friendly House will stop using its current church building, making the new space essential to keeping programs running long-term. Without sufficient funding, they risk serving only half the families they support today.
But with every step, the vision becomes more tangible. PFA’s investment has not only elevated Friendly House’s campaign – it’s energized their team, signaled credibility to donors, and reaffirmed what the organization has always known: early childhood education is a cornerstone of strong communities.
The PFA Facilities Fund project at Friendly House is about more than bricks and mortar. It’s about honoring legacy, responding to community needs, and building spaces where children and families can flourish. The Multnomah County Preschool & Early Learning Division is so glad to be able to support this transformation, and to walk alongside organizations working to create a more equitable and vibrant future for our community.