Camp Unity Eastside

Mission

Thanks to generous and compassionate community support, Camp Unity Eastside has provided safe shelter and support for people in need since 2012, promoting resilience, relationships, self-confidence, and hope. 

Description

Camp Unity Eastside started as a managed outdoor encampment to ensure that people without homes have a safe alternative to sleeping in the woods, under a bridge, or in a vehicle on the street.   Camp Unity has provided a place for residents to take the next steps forward in life toward stable housing as part of a supportive community.

Camp Unity Eastside is a fully volunteer organization.  We work in partnership with faith communities, individuals, businesses, and other organizations.  Each resident has been a responsible and active part of keeping the camp running consistent with the code of conduct. A volunteer board oversees the organization's management and operations.

In Fall 2021, Camp Unity Eastside learned about a new, once-in-a-generation opportunity to help unhoused residents get into permanent housing - the federal Emergency Housing Voucher Program.   Camp Unity together with many partners helped residents with the application, housing search, lease-up, and move-in process.  During the first half of 2022, 16 residents moved to permanent housing through this program.   During this time, very few new residents moved into Camp Unity. 

Due to the challenge of operating and managing an outdoor encampment with so few people, the Camp Unity Board decided to discontinue the outdoor shelter portion of the organization for now.   We need to honor our host and local government permit requirements for an outdoor encampment and were unable to do so with resident numbers so low.   The Camp Unity Board is considering options and the best way to continue to serve those without homes while also meeting the needs and requirements of church hosts and local governments.    

As part of this transition, the Camp Unity Eastside organization is continuing to stay in contact with residents who moved to apartments for at least one year to help support transition needs and maintain stable housing, per our commitment under the Emergency Housing Voucher Program.    Financial gifts help to provide housing stability assistance so that residents can maintain their housing.  

Thanks to your generosity and kindness, close to 80 former residents have had safe shelter at Camp Unity and then moved to housing since Fall 2017.