New Beginnings Market: A new way to support community through donation and reuse

This past fall, IRCO, the Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization, opened the New Beginnings Market in northeast Portland. The Market, located in a large warehouse space, is a no-cost shop offering used and new furniture, clothing, and household items to immigrants and refugees, plus those coming out of homelessness, and domestic or gang violence.

New Beginnings Market allows individuals to choose the items they need as they build a new life in a new place. This “shop-our-store” format has long been used by another local nonprofit, Community Warehouse, and gives individuals a greater sense of choice in how they set up their new homes.

Megumi Harn, IRCO’s In-Kind Fundraising Lead, shared that since the New Beginnings Market opened in October 2022, they’ve served 2,215 clients, with a total value of household items offered at over $135,000.

The Market is a new program from a long-standing Oregon nonprofit

IRCO has deep roots in Portland and throughout Oregon. IRCO Fundraising Manager, Nami Bigos, shared that there are over 100 programs, including 19 food pantries, that serve 20,000-30,000 people a year.

After 45 years of providing refugee employment services, IRCO recently became a refugee resettlement provider under the United States Commission of Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI), a national volunteer agency. In the past year, they have welcomed over 250 new arrivals from Afghanistan and Iraq. With the Ukrainian humanitarian crisis in February 2022, over 2,000 Ukrainian humanitarian parolees arrived in the Portland-Vancouver area also needing resettlement help, with limited support from traditional resources.  

New Beginnings Market is one of their newest programs and was created to provide a one-stop shop for basic needs. Navigating support services can be hard for anyone, and even harder for immigrants and refugees who are learning a new language and culture. IRCO aims to make the Market shopping experience easy for clients: The Market is located on a TriMet bus line and IRCO will deliver large furniture directly to clients. 

New Beginnings Market allows IRCO to collect and distribute donated goods more efficiently: They no longer must move donations to and from storage units. The space also allows IRCO to collect more items, display them in a more customer-friendly way, and provide clients with a better shopping experience. 

The need for donations is great

Not only are people’s needs greater since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, but resources are slimmer. Also, with the startup of the refugee resettlement program in 2021, placing families in completely outfitted homes has become a core part of IRCO’s service delivery.

In addition to collecting donated goods from Portland community members, the Market receives donations from businesses and corporations including Columbia Sportswear, Nike, Rejuvenation and BedMart. IRCO also relies on volunteer groups and individual volunteers to help organize and run the Market.

How you can support New Beginnings Market

While the Market is not a retail space, or open to the public, a variety of new and gently used donations are welcome!

The most needed items are:

• Diapers

• Laundry detergent

• Mattresses

• Couches

• Dressers

Other items needed include:

• Kitchen, housewares, and décor 

• Beauty and personal care products 

• Cleaning supplies 

• Baby and school supplies 

• Linens and clothing 

See the full list of items IRCO needs. This list is regularly updated, and things may be added or removed from the list based on client needs and current inventory.

For gently used donations, IRCO wants clean and functional pieces, with no stains, tears, or pet hair. The Market Team will check for pest infestation.

Before you donate, contact the New Beginnings Market to describe the items you would like to donate: Donations@IRCO.org or 971-271-6461. Emailing photos of your items helps staff determine which items would best meet their clients’ needs. Once you’ve heard from IRCO staff about which items they can use, you can drop them off Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. Market staff will provide the drop-off address.

For larger items, like couches or dressers, IRCO may be able to pick them up from your home for a suggested donation to cover transportation and gas costs. 

To learn more about the New Beginnings Market, how to donate new or gently used goods, or to volunteer, contact Nami and Megumi at Donations@IRCO.org or call 971-271-6461. Monetary and Amazon Wish List donations are also welcome.

Shop small, shop local

The Small Shops Big Hearts holiday event helps you be intentional about how and where you spend your money. They make it easy for you to find businesses owned and operated by people who live in our communities and care about the neighborhoods where they operate and the people who live, work and play close by.

The event begins Thursday, November 17 and continues through Sunday, December 11.  

Check out the Shop Small Win Big event page to discover 100+ small businesses with amazing gifts that will make you a winner in the gift-giving department. You can see a full list of prizes and participating small businesses where you can pick up raffle entries for visiting, and more raffle entries when you make purchases.

Discover more holiday gift ideas to save money and shop local.

No Space for Waste at The Realm Refillery

The Realm Refillery is a package free grocery store in Northeast Portland that provides a more sustainable way of shopping by allowing customers to buy as much or as little as needed, creating less food waste, and less packaging waste.

Owners Brit Snipes and Ryan Knowles work hard to assure the products they sell support local businesses and are sustainably and ethically produced. Ninety-five percent of their products are organic, and they look for items that are fair trade, chemical-free, cruelty-free, vegan, and use minimal packaging. They source products from over 30 small, local vendors and numerous local farms, and purchase from wholesale vendors that share the same values.

Brit said, “We need to all do our best to make sure the choices we make when consuming are focused on going straight back into our local economies as a community. Having the ability to buy local and with a small business is key to doing just that. Large corporations aren't the answers for progress.”

Shoppers are a mix of regulars and new customers who walk in to see what a package free grocery store looks like. Brit says they have an attention to cleanliness of containers, respect for food allergies with no cross contamination, and an intimate community.

Social media has been integral to an increase in young customers, especially Tik Tok which offers another way to share what the store is doing through short videos. Brit and Ryan want to build community by offering events and swaps as ways for customers to get to know each other.

There is a DIY aesthetic in the store, with Ryan taking the lead on building out the space and working with other local makers to complete the look. 

Ryan shared, “The DIY music scene and the ethos that comes with it was very impactful on my life from a pretty young age. Naturally, we wanted to do as much as ourselves, not only to reduce cost and waste, but so we could see out our vision to its fullest. We had never done anything to this level before and thanks to close friends and YouTube, we were able to get it all done ourselves. It's an amazing feeling to walk into the store every day and see our hard work come to life.”

Weigh, tap, tare

The Realm Refillery offers many products, including snacks, spices, baking ingredients, granola, olive oil, laundry and cleaning supplies, bath, and body products – even local, seasonal produce.

For bulk items, all jars have an initial deposit of $2. Once the jar is returned, the deposit rolls over to your new container each time you shop.

The staff are there to answer questions and assist with fast checkout with their weigh, tap, tare process. “We use a system called Filljoy in the store, which allows us to save the weights of all containers we use in the shop so we can easily deduct the tare for the customers. We even have all our paper bags weighed out, so customers won't ever pay for anything except exactly the amount of product that they intended to purchase.”

Brit and Ryan continue to make changes, with a free loyalty program as a recent addition. For every $1 you spend, you receive one point. When you get to 100 points, you receive a voucher to use in the store.

The monthly membership is like a co-op. Members don’t pay the deposit on containers and can take advantage of 20% off rotating items that are marked with a decal. You can also get more bulk items with discounts.

Future changes to bring your own containers

Customers often ask if they can bring their own container, but this is not currently allowed under Oregon Law. As part of the broader reusable container conversation, Brit and Ryan are involved with the Surfrider Foundation on a petition and possible legislation to change this law for the state of Oregon and approve bring your own containers.

You can sign the petition to help change the law.

Learn more about The Realm Refillery at their website, including frequently asked questions, and by following them on Instagram, Facebook and Tik Tok.

Just moved? Get thrifty.

Whether you need a lamp for your bedroom, pots and pans for your kitchen, or extra chairs for when friends come over, you can find great deals at Portland’s many nonprofit thrift stores.  

In addition to saving money, you’ll be giving back to your community – your purchases fund great, local causes. 

Out with the old, in with the new (to you) 

As you unpack, you may find that items that fit well in your last place don't work in your new space. Instead of tossing them, donate them to a local nonprofit thrift store – and while you’re there, shop around for items you need to fill your new place.  

Shop online 

Did you know that many nonprofit thrift stores share their items online or through social media? So you can browse from your couch – or that empty spot on the floor that’s waiting for a couch.  

Local spots to shop and donate 

Community Warehouse shares great items from their Estate Store on Instagram. Or shop in person at their Northeast Portland or Tualatin stores. They accept donations of furniture, mattresses, small appliances, and other home goods. 

ReClaim It shares items on social media - both Instagram and Facebook. Or visit them in person at their shop in North Portland (at North Williams and Killingsworth – not far from Community Warehouse, so check them both out). They accept donations of furniture, home goods, yard and garden items. 

ReBuilding Center shows what they sell at their large store on North Mississippi Avenue in Portland. They accept donations of building materials and some home goods. 

Habitat ReStore has an online store or head to their stores in Southeast Portland, Beaverton, Gresham, or Vancouver. They accept donations of building materials and home goods. 

The Arc Thrift Store is located on Southeast Stark near 82nd Avenue and highlights items through Instagram. They accept donations of clothes and small household items. 

SCRAP Creative Reuse has an online store or stop by their downtown Portland store. They accept donations of craft, art, and school supplies. 

Free Geek offers refurbished laptops, tablets, and phones through their online store. They accept donations of computers, laptops, and other technology at their inner Southeast Portland location. 

Before taking your items to donate, check the organization's website to confirm what they currently accept: This can change depending on what their inventory is. Some organizations ask that you send photos in for pre-approval. 

Swap, share, and resell 

Check out the Resourceful PDX map to find more ways to save, from swapping unwanted items through a Buy Nothing Group, to getting reused and repaired furniture, household goods, and more.  

Get your food to go, without the waste, with GO Box

Portland has been fortunate to have GO Box, a women-owned and led reusable take-out food container system, for 11 years. To date, GO Box has prevented over 750,000 single-use items from being disposed.

Like many small, local businesses in Portland, GO Box both survived and thrived during the pandemic. CEO Jocelyn Gaudi Quarrell shared that the company pivoted and recovered from the first year of Covid impacts, then transitioned from operating in a small commissary kitchen to a 1,000 sq ft space, and then into an 8,000 sq ft warehouse in July 2021. They also expanded to 10 staff members.

People passing by their Central Eastside location can look through large windows and watch the step-by-step process of how the reusable containers are collected and cleaned with automated commercial dishwashing equipment.

New space allows expansion and more partners

GO Box’s new, larger space has created opportunities to partner with like-minded businesses, such as Utility Zero Waste and Legwork Local Delivery. In total, GO Box has 100 partner vendors, including food carts, brick and mortar restaurants, and regional grocery stores. Jocelyn said she wants to support small local businesses and larger companies transition away from single-use packaging towards durable, reusable systems.

GO Box containers can now be found at the deli counter and in the bulk sections of every New Seasons Market location, from Fisher’s Landing in Vancouver to Happy Valley and Hillsboro.

And GO Box partners with Imperfect Foods to clean gel packs from the grocery delivery business so they can be reused repeatedly by Imperfect.

A new venture called Loop hired GO Box to manage logistics for their first U.S. pilot program of reusable packaging for consumer goods including everything from ice cream to shampoo. Through the pilot, you can buy products in Loop reusable packaging and return the empty containers at any of these 25 local Fred Meyer locations.

Heather Watkins, GO Box’s new Chief Revenue Officer, said, “We’ve seen a tremendous amount of interest to partner with businesses across the region. Companies are really interested to implement reusable packaging and reduce their waste. This is a big win for us all in the community.”

How it works

GO Box makes zero waste takeout easy. With a subscription to GO Box, you can order takeout food and drinks in reusable containers at 100+ restaurants, food carts, cafes, and grocery stores across Portland.

There are various subscription options so customers can borrow what they need when they need it, through the GO Box app:

1. Select the subscription term and credit level which best fits your reuse needs, starting at $3.95 a month.

2. Check out reusables from any partner vendor and return reusables to any drop site using the GO Box app.

Find a GO Box vendor, get your questions answered, and dig into why reuse matters.

Upgrade your coffee with Okapi Reusables

A new cup exchange program makes ditching the disposable easy

OKAPI Reusables is a cup borrowing service designed to make it easy to skip the single-use cup when you get coffee to-go. 

Owners Deb Gray and Emily Chueh started working on reusable cups two years ago and launched OKAPI in four cafes in Portland this January. Over the past three months, the OKAPI network has grown to 11 locations where you can get your drink to-go in an OKAPI cup, then return the used cup and lid to any location within two weeks. The most recent addition is Rohst Coffee Co. in Milwaukie. 

Deb shared that they have sought out independent, walkable coffee shops. OKAPI provides a cup display, signs, and posters to cafes to help catch your eye as you’re ordering. But it’s the enthusiastic baristas – presenting the reusable option to regular customers – that’s been the key to success. 

“We started OKAPI in part because we both struggle with cutting waste on a daily basis. First, there’s so much plastic packaging in groceries, then there’s all that takeout waste. We wanted an easy way to skip single-use packaging – something we’d use. Given that Portland is such a hub of specialty coffee, it made sense to bring together great coffee with a convenient way to skip the disposable cup.” 

Barista-approved cups 

Baristas here in town helped choose the cups OKAPI uses. The cups are double-walled, stainless steel with silicone lids. They are stackable, washable, and come in 12- and 16-ounce sizes.  

And they’re well insulated, so they keep hot drinks hot longer, and cold drinks colder. And it’s not limited to coffee. Deb said, “Locations like Happy Day Juice Co. serve smoothies and juices in our cups.” 

How OKAPI works for coffee shops 

There is no upfront cost to cafe owners to establish OKAPI at their shops. It’s pay-as-you go at costs comparable to disposable cups. Deb and Emily want to help owners get started with reusables and believe this service helps to change behavior. Each time someone gets a drink to-go in an OKAPI cup, others see it, and it helps make reuse the new norm. 

OKAPI piloted their service at two locations in November 2021: Clinton Street Coffeehouse and Bastion. Both cafes continue to offer OKAPI post-pilot, and Clinton took the extra step of instituting a $0.25 surcharge for disposable cups. Their volume of drinks served in reusables (bring-your-own cups and OKAPI) increased from 10 to 19% in a month. There are 125 OKAPI members today. 

OKAPI is seeking partnerships to increase visibility around town. Moreland Farmers Market is one example. Fetch Coffee Roasters will be serving cold brew in OKAPI cups at the market this season. Fetch offers coffee to-go in OKAPI cups today at their Sellwood cafe. 

Deb shared that clear cups for cold drinks, like bubble tea and smoothies, are being tested too. 

How OKAPI works for customers 

You check out and return the cups using a simple app. Borrow, scan and show, and return. 

There is a membership fee that helps OKAPI expand the network to more cafes, with more convenient drop-off locations, which ultimately means a larger impact on single-use trash. The cost for a one-time membership is $10, then it’s just a quarter each time you borrow a cup. 

The program works if the cups stay in circulation, so just drop the cup back at the cafe where you got it, or at any participating cafe. 

Find a cafe and follow them on Instagram or Facebook. 

Portland’s circular economy: A needs assessment

What does Portland’s circular economy need to survive and thrive? 

In 2021, reuse, repair, and share organizations were invited to participate in a needs assessment project as part of the Bureau of Planning and Sustainability (BPS) sustainable consumption and production work. This process included interviews, small group discussions, and surveys asking leading reuse organizations in Portland to evaluate the needs and current state of Portland’s circular economy.   

Top needs 

Five areas of support were raised by reuse organizations throughout the discussions and survey responses:  

1. Space, location, and storage 

2. Equity, diversity, and inclusion; accessibility; and climate justice  

3. Communications and marketing 

4. Capacity building and staffing support 

5. Funding and grants 

Next steps 

Seven reuse, repair, and share organizations have formed a group – the Reuse Collective – and are meeting regularly to address the needs raised in the assessment. 

To address the need of affordable spaces in convenient locations, BPS is exploring the creation of shared reuse, repair, and share spaces throughout Portland. These spaces would act as community hubs, offering more borrowing and sharing opportunities within neighborhoods. One current place is the Leaven Community in Northeast Portland. This is where many community organizations have space, including the Northeast Portland Tool Library and Kitchen Commons, and could be a model for future hubs.

BPS is also committed to continuing to use Resourceful PDX to share and promote community resources and events, elevate the upstream conversation of thoughtful consumption, and invest in community-led opportunities to rent, share, fix, and reuse goods.  

Read the full report 

2021 Needs Assessment of Portland-based Reuse, Repair, and Share organizations: 

• Download PDF file Executive Summary (947.74 Kb) 

• Download PDF file Overview (1028.08 Kb) 

Learn more about sustainable consumption and production through local circular economy case studies.  

Have an idea about ways to create a more circular economy in Portland, or support an existing reuse effort? Contact Resourceful PDX to share your ideas. 

Celebrate the holidays with low-waste and locally made gifts

Looking for ideas to simplify the holidays? Check out the Center for Biological Diversity’s guides, gifts ideas, and more.

Find holiday tree alternatives and easy entertaining ideas and use their SoKind Registry tool to give and receive gifts. The Gift Guides include ideas to:

• Release your creative spirit with DIY/Handmade Gifts

• Increase happiness and well-being with Experiential Gifts

• Get back more time in the day with Quality Time/Skill Sharing Gifts

• Help others in need with Donation and Support Gifts

• Discover Earth-friendly treats with Food Gifts

In addition to saving time and money, these gifts and celebration ideas reduce waste. This is especially important considering a 2021 analysis showings that Americans generate 23% more tons of waste in December than in other months of the year.

Remember to shop small, shop local

Support Portland makers and DIYers who are selling their wares at various markets and pop up shops throughout the month, including My People's Market, presented by Prosper Portland, and the Mercatus Holiday Gift Guide, featuring local businesses owned by people of color. 

Portland’s neighborhood businesses also offer plenty of gifts for your holiday shopping. Check out Venture Portland's list, with local retailers ready to welcome you. 

Discover more alternative holiday gift ideas and tips to shift to buying used and new-to-you.

Want to share your own holiday tips? The Center for Biological Diversity is looking for holiday tips from you. Share your advice or ideas on how you #SimplifyTheHolidays.

Holiday gift ideas from the Reuse Collective

Are you looking for holiday gift ideas?

This year, Resourceful PDX has partnered with Chinook Book to promote a curated collection of special offers from reuse and repair organizations on the Chinook Book mobile app.

The Reuse Collective includes coupons and discounts with the following businesses:

·         Community Cycling Center

·         Community Warehouse Estate Store

·         Free Geek

·         ReBuilding Center

·         ReClaim It

·         Repair PDX

Consider choosing gently used gifts by visiting one of the many nonprofit thrift stores in Portland. Find inspiration for local ways to upcycle, repair and reuse.

There are more ideas and places for alternative gift ideas in our resourceful #holiday series. 

Find treasures at The Arc, Southeast Portland’s newest nonprofit thrift store

The Arc Thrift Store 

One of Portland’s newest nonprofit thrift stores opened its doors this year and is accepting donations of usable goods and welcoming shoppers to purchase quality reused items.  

Used Goods Administrator, Dee Wright says, “Profits generated from the thrift store support our programs and allow us to expand our services into all three counties. They also give those with Intellectual or Developmental Disabilities support and help them be independent in their lives and in the community.” 

The Arc Portland Metro’s mission is to provide advocacy, support, and services to people experiencing intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families. And while the Arc’s thrift store is new, the organization has been collecting donations and diverting usable goods from the landfill since 2006, through their Donation Center in the Rose City neighborhood. 

Donations wanted 

The Donation Center is currently open Thursday through Sunday from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. and accepts: 

• Clothing 

• Small household items 

• Scrap metal and small electronics (for recycling through Oregon E-Cycles)

They do not have space for large furniture donations. Find more detailed information about what they do and don’t accept. 

Be thoughtful when donating 

Recently, Oregon Public Broadcasting’s Think Out Loud program highlighted the problem of wishful donations, where people drop off unusable goods that burden local nonprofits by wasting staff time and increasing the nonprofit’s garbage bill. When donating, always check the organization’s website first to confirm you’re donating the type and quality of items they can use or sell. 

Shop the thrift store 

The Arc Thrift Store, located in the Montavilla neighborhood, will be expanding its open days in early December 2021, to Tuesday through Saturday. 

Dee says, “The shopping experience is fun, with affordable and unique treasures, and items moving on and off the floor quickly.” 

She describes the store’s offering as a curated selection of household items that come from “a very good donor base.” Clothes and household items are priced to sell, many at $4.99, and they sell quickly. Some specialty items, like Pendleton, are priced higher, but deals abound. 

Dee has seen an increase of kids and teens visiting the store. A recent article in Axios, Gen Z is reinvigorating thrift stores, shares some of the reasons why, including the “thrill of the hunt” - which shoppers of all ages can relate to. And there are great finds, both vintage and new: Dee says some donated clothing arrive unworn, with the tag still on them.  

A win-win model 

In addition to keeping quality goods from going to waste and getting them into the hands of people who need them, The Arc’s Donation Center provides job experience for community members with Intellectual or Developmental Disabilities (IDD). 

Both Easterseals and the Reynolds Community Transition Program for those with IDD help at the Donation Center. 

Dee shares that, “Working with the Reynolds transition group has been great. They really enjoy coming to the Donation Center to hang clothes and price donations for the store. We have now increased their group to twice a week. The Easterseals program has filled a hole in our workload both at the Donation Center and the store through processing and cashiering. Both are programs that also allow us to support these individuals in their professional growth.” 

Since The Arc Thrift Store opened in January 2021, there have been 7,304 donation drop-offs; The Arc has collected, recycled, and sold more than 26,000 pounds of scrap metal and 8,000 pounds of electronics; and sold 109,513 pounds of housewares and 172,171 of clothes.​ 

Donate, shop, and volunteer 

You can support The Arc by donating items, shopping at the thrift store, or volunteering at either location. 

Click the photo (or tap on mobile) to see more photos of The Arc Thrift Store and Donation Center. Pictured: Dee and volunteers Kris, Jesus, and Maria, working behind the scenes.