NW Collaborative The – A Community-Powered Thrift Boutique
- Dec 22, 2025
- 2 min read
By Tarah Reed
Executive Director, NW Collaborative
NW Collaborative is a Portland-based nonprofit dedicated to restoring dignity, stability, and hope to individuals rebuilding their lives after experiences of trafficking, domestic violence, homelessness, and addiction. Rooted in compassion and collaboration, the organization’s mission is to connect people, partners, and resources in ways that strengthen the community and ensure that no one faces life’s hardest moments alone.
Its flagship initiative, The Shopp, embodies this mission in action. Located at 2808 NE Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., The Shopp is a community thrift boutique that serves both the general public and individuals in crisis. Open Tuesday through Saturday, 12–6pm, The Shopp offers high-quality, affordable clothing to shoppers while simultaneously operating as a vital resource hub for local nonprofits, advocates, and outreach teams serving survivors.
Through intentional partnerships with shelters, advocacy organizations, and service providers, The Shopp extends free access to essential clothing and necessities—including bras, socks, pajamas, outerwear, and seasonal items—to those in immediate need. These items are distributed either through direct partnerships with case managers or via custom-packed suitcases prepared for survivors who are fleeing dangerous situations or transitioning into stable housing. Each suitcase represents care, choice, and dignity—allowing survivors to start their next chapter with clean, thoughtfully packed clothing that meets their personal needs.
At its core, The Shopp operates on a belief that practical support and community connection can change lives. By repurposing donated goods into resources that directly serve others, NW Collaborative bridges the gap between abundance and need. Clothing donations from community members become more than secondhand items—they become acts of kindness, solidarity, and empowerment.
The Shopp’s trauma-informed team and volunteers are trained to create a welcoming and respectful environment for every person who enters. Survivors shopping with vouchers or advocates are treated with care and confidentiality, while public shoppers help sustain the mission through their purchases. This model ensures that every transaction—whether a donation, a purchase, or a volunteer hour—directly supports individuals on their journey toward recovery and independence.
Beyond day-to-day operations, NW Collaborative continues to grow its impact through collaboration and community engagement. The organization regularly hosts events like Sip & Shopp, Mimosa & Mommas, and seasonal donation drives, which bring neighbors, local businesses, and partner agencies together in shared purpose. These gatherings not only raise awareness about the needs of survivors but also highlight how everyday actions—shopping local, donating clothing, volunteering—can create meaningful change.
NW Collaborative’s long-term vision is to expand its reach and strengthen its network of community partners, ensuring that survivors and families throughout the Portland metro area have access to essential resources when they need them most. By fostering collaboration among nonprofits, businesses, and individuals, the organization continues to build a sustainable model of generosity—one rooted in shared responsibility and hope.
Through The Shopp, NW Collaborative has demonstrated that something as simple as clothing can open the door to dignity, and that when a community comes together with intention, transformation follows.
To learn more about NW Collaborative, The Shopp, or partnership opportunities, visit www.nwcollaborative.org or follow @theshopp_pdx on Instagram for updates, events, and ways to get involved.
Connect With Tarah
Instagram: @thrifttheshopp
Facebook: The Shopp – NW Collaborative
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