Celebrating Resilience at khwat yaka haws – “Auntie’s Place”
On June 25, 2025, a special kind of sanctuary celebrated its first anniversary in Portland. khwat yaka haws, meaning “Auntie’s Place” in the Chinook language, has spent the past year redefining what shelter can look like for Indigenous families experiencing homelessness.
From the beginning, Auntie’s Place was designed differently. Unlike traditional shelters that often separate family members by gender or age, Auntie’s Place helps keep families intact. This eight-room facility was built around the simple but powerful idea that every family deserves dignity, privacy, and the chance to stay together. Each of the shelter’s rooms can accommodate up to seven family members, offering a 45-day stay that provides both immediate safety and a pathway forward.
A Shelter That Feels Like Home
What makes Auntie’s Place unique starts with the details. Every family receives their own private room complete with a kitchenette, refrigerator and perhaps most importantly, their own key. This small but meaningful gesture transforms the space from a temporary shelter into a place of stability and autonomy. Families can cook meals together, lock their doors at night, and experience the kind of privacy that so many take for granted.
The shelter’s philosophy extends to the language used every day. Guests aren’t called “clients” or “residents”—they’re called “Relatives,” a term that reflects the Indigenous understanding of kinship and community. This intentional choice is woven into everything from paperwork to daily conversations, reinforcing a culture of respect and belonging.
Behind the scenes, a dedicated team ensures that every family receives the support they need. Four Housing Navigators work tirelessly to connect Relatives with permanent housing, while two Housing Retention Specialists help them maintain that stability long-term. A Mental Health Peer Support Specialist offers culturally specific talking circles, a Youth Advocate focuses on children’s needs, and six Family Advocates guide each step of the journey.
Stories of Resilience and New Beginnings
All of NAYA’s programs are designed to wrap around community members with intentional support for all the areas of life. One Relative shared, “One thing I learned about staying here is that I have a community…I have people who care about me and want to help me.” Another spoke about the power of reunification while in recovery, “I just got out of residential treatment and had nowhere to go, and it reunited me and my children. Being here in the shelter reunified us.”
In just one year, Auntie’s Place has already become a transformative space. Thirty-one families have walked through its doors, and we’re currently supporting forty adults and sixty children, each with their own stories, struggles, and dreams. Two babies were born during their families’ stays, a beautiful reminder of new beginnings and the sacredness of life.
A Relative shared, “This was a lifesaver. We were living on the side of the road, homeless in a vehicle that didn’t even run. This place saved our lives.”
As Auntie’s Place marks this milestone, the work is far from over. The shelter’s success—powered by partnerships with Clackamas County, NAYA, and community supporters— shows what’s possible when care is rooted in culture, respect, and real relationships.
But the need remains great, and NAYA’s vision is to expand this model so more families can find safety and healing. Whether through donations or advocacy, everyone has a role to play in making that vision a reality.
At Auntie’s Place, and in the broader movement for community-led solutions, the message is simple: no family should have to choose between staying together and having a roof overhead. Here, they can have both—and so much more.
Feeling inspired to show your support? Your generosity can ensure the resilience and self-determination of the next family to walk through the doors of Auntie’s Place. Make a purchase from their wishlist: https://www.amazon.com/registries/gl/guest-view/2X4QVCQWCP51F