By Steve Cook, Executive Director
June 16, 2026
As I near 30 days in my new role as executive director of Blanchet House, the word I keep returning to is “stewardship.” Stewardship means responsible care for something entrusted to you. For me, and for all of us, it means we’re caretakers of an organization, mission, and community that is larger than any single person.
My daily reflection on what stewardship reminds me of two things: humility and gratitude. Humility comes from recognizing that all of us are only temporary stewards of a mission that has endured for nearly 75 years, and gratitude for the privilege of serving as Blanchet House’s next leader.
While I’m new to this role, I’m not new to the nonprofit world. I’ve spent the last 15 years working in human services and community development, in Portland and throughout Latin America.
When people ask me how I got into this line of work, I always say with a smile: “It’s my dad’s fault.”
My dad and mom raised me to believe that a life well lived is a life in the service of others. At 13, my parents let me get on a plane by myself to serve in the slums of Johannesburg. South Africa, and this passion for service took me to places like Haiti, India, Cuba, and elsewhere. So, no one was surprised when, at 26, I moved to Latin America. I spent the next decade working in orphanages, a garbage dump, and communities suffering from chronic malnutrition and poverty-related challenges.
My first encounter with Blanchet House was at a community event in 2023, and then I came for a tour. I was blown away by a community rooted in radical hospitality, deep compassion, and personal hope. What drew me in and continues to inspire me is the opportunity to be in community with the people we serve.
Blanchet House Executive Director Steve Cook outside the organization’s Old Town Portland location.
Every day, I try to walk the streets of Old Town, serve meals at the cafe, or chat with our transitional housing residents to hear their stories of struggles and hopes.
The challenges facing Blanchet House and our community are real. At a recent dinner service, we were approaching closing time, and the line for a meal was still wrapped all the way around the corner. The team asked me if I would deliver a difficult message to the line of hungry people. We were out of time and couldn’t serve any more people. I had to turn away over a dozen people looking for something to eat. I asked my teammates when they had last seen us unable to serve a line that long; no one could remember a recent time.
The increased need we’re witnessing seems to match up directly with the numbers reported by Multnomah County’s Homeless Service Department. The closest estimate we have right now is that over 19,000 Portlanders are experiencing homelessness, up from about 5,000 known people just four years ago. Behind every one of those numbers is a story of loss, addiction, suffering, or isolation.
At Blanchet House, we have the honor of seeing the people behind the numbers. For example,
- A meal guest shared with me, “I’m so sorry I’m ugly. I lost all my teeth.” I got to tell her, “You are beautiful just as you are.”
- I was able to meet the parents of a man staying with us. He beamed with pride as he spoke about his sobriety and what he had accomplished so far.
- I learned that a woman staying at our shelter, Bethanie’s Room, found housing after more than 100 days. Soon after moving into her new home, she returned to volunteer her time and help other women.
A staff member at Bethanie’s Room, a women’s shelter, checks in with a guest.
Similar stories of hope, redemption, and community happen every day.
Stories like these are what drive me just 30 days into this work. They inspire our staff, volunteers, board members, and community supporters to keep showing up. These stories keep us focused on the work we must do.
As Blanchet House begins to write the next chapter of our work, we do so with anticipation and are ready for the challenges ahead. With more government-run shelter beds on the verge of closure, and tighter budgets across our county, our team is doing everything we can to confront urgent needs with love and compassion.
The work ahead will not be easy, but it is our duty.
¡Manos a la obra! (Let’s get down to business!)
You can reach Steve at scook@blanchethouse.org.
