History

The origins of Blanchet first started in 1938 at the University of Portland, when a group of students organized a social and service club. The club was later named after the first Catholic Archbishop of the Oregon Territory, Archbishop Frances Norbert Blanchet. The Club’s first mission was the same mission that exists today, “To feed, clothe, and offer shelter and aid to those in need.”

After World War II the Blanchet Club continued. The spiritual advisor of the Club, Father Frances Kennard, initially proposed the concept of the Blanchet House, to the members of the Club. The concept was modeled after the work of Dorothy Day from New York City and her “Catholic Worker Movement.”

The Blanchet Club went into action and rented the first floor of a three story building on the corner of NW 4th and Glisan. On February 11, 1952, the Blanchet House was born when the first meal was served. The meal, which was served to 227 people, consisted of beans, bread, butter and coffee. At that time the building was already fifty years old. The first months rent was $35.00.

The Blanchet Club purchased the entire building in 1959 for a total of $16,000 and the Blanchet Club became the Blanchet House of Hospitality. However their mission, as described above, did not waver. The second and third floors were cleaned up and turned into short term housing for men who, in exchange, would work in the kitchen and eating area on the first floor.

In this same year a second house was purchased on NW 18th St. This house was designed to house men on a longer term basis so they might have a better opportunity to seek employment. This house later became the Riley House, named after the long time manager of Blanchet, Al Riley. Al Riley became the manager of Blanchet in 1960 and served in that post for 38 years, until his passing in 1998.

In 1962, a 40 acre prune farm in Yamhill County was purchased by Blanchet. The farm was developed into a working farm to help men in recovery from alcohol and, later, drug addiction. Additional land purchases adjacent to the farm were made and by 1972 the farm increased in size to sixty acres.

During the many years after 1960, Blanchet increased the number of meals it served and the breadth of services it provided. It became an important institution in the social fabric of Portland.

In 1994, Father Kennard, who proposed the original idea of Blanchet House, passed away. In 1998, Al Riley passed away. In 2000, Bill Muir became the manager of Blanchet House.

In 2002, the 50th Anniversary of Blanchet was celebrated. A transition took place when the original Board Members turned the organization over to a largely new group of Board Members. This group of new Board Members had several ties to the prior group of original members.

In 2004, Brian Ferschweiler was named Executive Director of Blanchet. Ferschweiler still serves in this role today.

Today Blanchet serves about 800 meals per day, six days a week, for a total of about 270,000 meals per year. It has been estimated that since its inception, Blanchet has served over 14,000,000 meals to those in need. Blanchet has an Executive Director and a paid Blanchet House Manager and Blanchet Farm Manager. Over 4,000 volunteers annually devote their time to help at Blanchet, including over 1,000 high school students.

In February of 2009, the Portland Development Commission passed Resolution 6563, which states that Blanchet will receive a 9500 square foot parcel of land on the corner of NW 3rd and Glisan in exchange for the land and building Blanchet has owned. The new Blanchet will be constructed on this site, with current plans to start construction in 2010.