Why Maybelle Center?
Because for a person to truly be a part of something, to feel seen or heard, and to have a safe place to feel at home, are oftentimes taken for granted.
A strong sense of belonging can profoundly impact our lives and those of our downtown neighbors. Social health is proven to be a crucial, yet often neglected aspect of overall well-being with the power to bolster our mental and physical health.
Maybelle Center is the Community Health Organization working to promote social health alongside adults facing the stigmas of mental health and financial poverty in downtown Portland. We work closely with our neighbors to reverse the root causes of social isolation through belonging.
Because at Maybelle Center, it’s not just about us. It’s about all of us—working together to bridge gaps in social health and creating a thriving and inclusive downtown Portland where we all belong.
What Drives Us
Diann & Jackie
Our Vision
(our desired future state)
To build a city where all people experience a sense of belonging — including Portlanders living with mental illness or economic poverty.
Our Mission
(our reason for being)
To create inclusive opportunities to experience belonging that help reverse human isolation and its root causes, so people feel like they matter and play a role in our shared future.
Painting props for theatre class
Atalanta & Shanice
Our Core Values
(beliefs we embody as an org)
Every Person Matters: Every person has an inherent and intrinsic value. Every one of us is important, and no one is better than, or exists above anyone else.
We Are All Interconnected: Humans are fundamentally social beings who move through life serving others and being served. Every day, we interact with people from different walks of life, cultures, and backgrounds, and we recognize that every person has an important part to play.
We Learn Together: We all have something to learn from each other. Being open to others’ experiences and knowledge are the seeds that ensure we flourish and grow.
Our Values in Action
We believe in the intrinsic value of every person and their right to quality care regardless of income.
Every Resident receives quality assisted living. And our neighbors in affordable buildings throughout Portland have access to social health initiatives that are a key part of housing wrap-around services that improve resident well-being and housing stability.
Jennifer & Barbara
Our Approach
Stanley & Mary
How our interventions cultivate belonging & improve social health
We cultivate belonging by co-creating welcoming spaces and opportunities for social connection where everyone is seen and valued for their authentic self, outside of the stigmas that may define their circumstances. Something that is a critical building block of belonging and a powerful lever in improving social health.
Maybelle Center is addressing the critical social health gap, therefore bolstering mental and physical health, which research indicates is critical to maintaining overall well-being. We do it in multiple ways.
Strengthening social health through facility-based services and neighborhood outreach
Our Neighborhood Programs comprise an array of activities, events, group, and one-on-one work at our Old Town location, as well as the Affordable Housing buildings with whom we partner throughout the city. Macdonald West is the name of our own Affordable Apartments, and for people qualified for Medicaid and requiring Assisted Living, we offer Macdonald Residence, a licensed care facility.
Gary & Christa playing SkipBo
Karaoke in the Community Room
What’s unique about our approach
New Maybelle Center Members report being surprised when they are greeted by their name and known for their authentic self as opposed to their circumstances. Being known for who you really are, outside of your circumstances or stigmas, is a critical building block of belonging.
Belonging is built over time among people who know and value the real you. Our neighbors who walk through our doors need stronger social support to address the damage caused by the systems that are supposed to care for people but are failing. Our approach takes time.
FAQ
What is a Community Health Organization?
Simply, it’s an organization that uses non-clinical approaches to improve health, prevent disease, and reduce health disparities in a specific population.
What is Social Health?
Social Health is the aspect of overall health that stems from relationships, both at the level of individual connection and a broader sense of community. Said another way, it’s about having close bonds with family and friends, enjoying a sense of belonging to groups, and feeling supported, valued, and loved.
How is Social Health related to Physical or Mental Health?
Social health is one aspect of overall health; physical health relates to the body, mental health relates to the mind, and social health relates to relationships. Social relationships impact our mental health, physical health, and mortality risk. If you weaken one pillar, the structure could fall.
