From Cookies to Community: Our Ongoing Partnership with Blanchet House
- generouscitypdx
- 2 hours ago
- 3 min read
Some partnerships begin with strategic meetings and formal introductions. Ours began with cookies.
Years before Generous-City existed, our Vice President, Kat Carr was walking the streets of downtown Portland during a time when life felt heavy and uncertain for her, with bags of homemade cookies and a simple message tucked inside each one: “Be the reason someone believes in the goodness of people.”
It was 2017 and what started as a quiet, personal act of kindness quickly became a weekly ritual — every Sunday, baking as many cookies as could be carried and offering them to unhoused neighbors and anyone who looked like they might need a smile.
Those early walks revealed something powerful: small, consistent acts of kindness have the ability to soften even the hardest moments. As the weeks passed, the number of cookies grew — and per Kat, so did a deeper understanding of connection, dignity, and shared humanity.
That journey eventually led to baking for a winter shelter in Hillsboro, and later, to Blanchet House — a place that would come to mean far more than a volunteer opportunity. She expressed to us the exact moment her connection with this life saving organization deepend; "When someone close to me became homeless and began living on the streets of downtown Portland. It was through that experience, Blanchet House revealed itself to me not just as a service provider, but as a lifeline — a place rooted in compassion, dignity, and unwavering presence for our most vulnerable community members".
For two years, cookies were baked weekly for Blanchet House. Not as charity, but as a form of connection. As love made tangible. That feeling — of showing up, of being present — never faded.
Today, that same heart fuels our work at Generous-City.
Now as Vice President of Generous-City, the relationship with Blanchet House has grown alongside our organization. What began with cookies has expanded into sack lunches, hygiene kits, clothing donations, and winter gear — but the heart of the work remains unchanged. We support Blanchet House because our values are deeply aligned: meeting people where they are, honoring their dignity, and showing up with consistency and compassion.
Over the past year, Generous-City's partnership with Blanchet House has been a living example of what meaningful collaboration looks like. It’s not transactional. It’s relational.
Just this past Friday, our Vice President delivered a large donation of winter clothing and gear, dozens of handmade scarves (lovingly knitted by our VP and her sister), and baked goods. Each visit brings the same feeling — being greeted warmly by staff who genuinely care, who thank us as they help unload the car, who treat every interaction as an opportunity to offer dignity and respect. Outside the building, people often sit looking for a safe place to rest. Some ask about the donations, and we watch as staff gently guide them toward resources with patience and compassion.
Those moments matter.
They reflect a truth at the core of Generous-City’s mission: we all deserve dignity, compassion, and care. We are all connected.
Blanchet House doesn’t just provide meals and shelter — they create an environment where people are seen, respected, and supported. Being part of that work is an honor we don’t take lightly. Supporting Blanchet House isn’t something we do — it’s something we carry with us.
As Generous-City continues to grow, we are committed to partnerships that are grounded in shared values and long-term impact. Our relationship with Blanchet House reminds us why we exist: to make generosity visible, personal, and rooted in community.
If you’re a business, organization, or individual looking to partner with a nonprofit that believes in meaningful connection and sustainable compassion, we invite you to walk alongside us. Because sometimes, the most powerful movements begin with something as simple and profound as showing up.
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