Life and Relationship Coaching near Portland, OR

PORTLAND, Ore. (KATU) — After coming under fire over a lawsuit alleging financial mismanagement, Sunstone Way — a nonprofit that manages more than 400 shelter beds in Multnomah County and Portland — will shut its doors by the end of June.

The announcement of the closure came after the nonprofit’s former finance director filed a $4.5 million lawsuit against Sunstone Way a month ago, alleging mismanagement and the wasting of public dollars by the organization’s top executives.

Sunstone currently holds shelter contracts with both the city of Portland and Multnomah County.

READ MORE | Portland homeless service provider Sunstone Way to close amid financial issues, lawsuit

It operates three shelters in the county with a total of 223 shelter units, which may include multiple beds per unit. Those county shelters are Market Street with 120 units, Delta Park Motel Shelter with 61 units and Rockwood Bridge Motel with 42 units. Market Street was already slated to shutter at the end of March because the building lease was set to expire.

The nonprofit operates roughly 169 shelter units for the city of Portland, which may include multiple beds per unit, at Weidler Village (38 units), SW Naito Village (35 units) and Centennial Neighborhood Overnight Shelter (96 beds).

The county’s Homeless Services Department has already announced that 10 shelters with a total of 675 units are on the chopping block amid a budget shortfall. Delta Park and Rockwood were not on that list, but county commissioners say they are looking at ways to potentially substitute some of the shelters set to close with the Sunstone facilities that are shutting down. It remains unclear whether those substitutions will result in the same number of units, as the outcome depends on cost per unit.

The city of Portland has not yet announced a plan for the shelters Sunstone Way operates under its contract.

"The news of Sunstone Way’s planned closure was shared with the City of Portland’s Shelter Services team yesterday afternoon. We will be evaluating options for continuity of service in the coming days and weeks but have no further updates at this time. We remain focused on finding ways to minimize the impacts of this change to staff and participants as a first priority," a spokesperson for Portland Shelter Services said in an email.

The nonprofit will close at the end of the fiscal year, meaning all invoice reimbursements under its city and county contracts will be finalized. The county auditor’s office is in the midst of a fiscal review of Sunstone as part of standard contract monitoring.

The nonprofit, formerly known as All Good Northwest, was flagged for unallowed expenses in 2022 after the county auditor’s office substantiated a hotline report made against the organization.

Despite the issue, the Joint Office of Homeless Services — now known as the Homeless Services Department — continued to work with the nonprofit, which rebranded as Sunstone in 2024.

Multnomah County Commissioner Shannon Singleton, who served as interim director of the Joint Office in 2022 when the county auditor’s office flagged the issue, said she does not regret the decision to approve additional contracts for Sunstone.

"As the joint office interim director, I don't regret that decision. I think that this program was serving some really folks in high need and that I don't think that when somebody makes one mistake, we should cut them off and say this no longer works. I do believe in giving people opportunity to improve. But should they not be able to improve, then absolutely we should stop that kind of contract," she said. "That's not just about fiscal monitoring. If people aren't meeting the outcomes, that also needs to be accountability."

Singleton did note that as a county commissioner, she will be looking at ways to increase the frequency of contract monitoring.

"I think that the way that fiscal monitoring works on county contracts is a process where every contract gets monitored, not every year, but through a rolling basis. And so, I think it is worth us looking at. Is that process actually functional? Do we need to do that more regularly?" she said.

County Commissioner Julia Brim-Edwards also called for increased scrutiny and contract monitoring. She said county executives, including the chair and leaders of the Homeless Services Department, should not have signed additional contracts with the nonprofit after the auditor flagged the issue in 2022.

"We've known since you know 2022 that Sunstone, at the time All Good Northwest, had expenses that weren't allowable that they were submitting. So, we also, there's due diligence that needs to happen on the county's part of making sure that we are protecting taxpayers' resources as well as ensuring that people who are in those shelters are not exited to the street," she said.

The union representing Sunstone Way Employees, AFSCME Local 1790, issued the following statement on the closure:

"AFSCME Local 1790 workers at Sunstone Way remain dedicated to our participants and the work that we do. Our clients deserve the highest standard in work quality and living conditions which only union labor can guarantee. Therefore, the union is actively advocating for these shelters to continue providing union jobs and services, regardless of who manages them."

Around 32,000 households are affected and residents whose collection day is changing will receive a letter explaining what the change means for them.

The changes are the result of a review of how the council organises waste collections from the Weymouth depot.

This redesign will help keep rounds balanced, manageable and resilient as the population grows.

The new routes have been tested to reflect real conditions, including road layout, access issues and the time each street typically takes to service.

Cllr Jon Andrews, Dorset Council’s Cabinet Member for Place Services, said: “Every household affected by this will receive a letter from us over the next couple of weeks. Please look out for your letter – everything you need to know will be in it.

“Keeping our waste collections running smoothly is one of the most important things we do. By using better data and modern route‑planning tools, we can make sure the service stays reliable for local people without needing extra vehicles or crews.

“These changes will help us keep collections efficient, resilient and ready for the future as Weymouth, Portland, and surrounding areas continue to grow. If your household is affected, you’ll receive a letter with all the information you need, and our teams will be on hand to help if you have any questions.”

Some households will move to a different collection day, while others will stay the same. Some households may also experience a change in the times the bins are collected.

There will be a short transition period while the changes come into effect, with some households receiving an extra bridging collection and others allowed to put out a small amount of side waste, and each affected home will be told in their letter which arrangement applies to them.

The letter will also inform households of their new collection day and the date the change starts. If residents do not receive a letter, their service will be staying the same.

Calling all chocolate connoisseurs, ice cream aficionados and dessert devotees! Portland is a sweet treat lover’s dream. From artisanal chocolates to locally inspired desserts, sink your sweet tooth into the city’s vibrant confectionery scene.

Ice Cream, Soft Serve and Frozen Treats

Portland’s frozen treats are locally inspired and as innovative as the city itself. Famous for their novel and fun flavors made with locally sourced ingredients, Salt & Straw is one of Portland’s most popular ice cream shops, at the forefront of a crop of scoop shops offering unique options. Check out Fifty Licks, a local favorite for scratch-made ice cream and distinct flavors like French toast or the must-try vegan mango sticky rice. And for the milkshake experience so classic it feels innovative, head to Fairley’s Pharmacy soda fountain, which dates back to 1914.

If your tummy troubles you, check out Kate’s Ice Cream for an all-vegan menu with signature flavors like salted peanut butter brittle. Fresh fruit lovers must stop by Nico’s for a swirl of New Zealand-style ice cream mixes that blend fresh fruit from the Willamette Valley with creamy vanilla.

Led by local culinary maven Mika Paredes, Cornet Custard offers the richest, creamiest custard you’ll ever have, with all-fresh ingredients and 12 egg yolks a pint. Their scoops menu includes standouts like Vietnamese iced coffee and blood orange creamsicle. For a lighter frozen treat, try the frozen yogurt at Eb & Bean or the soft serve at Cheese & Crack – both deploy a fun selection of toppings and seasonal flavors.

Perfect for summer picnics and daytime dates, Ice Queen serves plant-based paletas in flavors like mangonada, an icy take on the classic mango and chamoy dessert. Drop by popular Cafe Maiko, Oregon’s only location in SE Portland for some of the best matcha soft serves, with seasonal flavors like ube and black sesame. For Vietnamese dessert lovers, Bambu has a menu full of chè, a sweet dessert soup often topped with pandan jelly, longan, coconut and shaved ice.

Portland’s chocolate and candy offerings feature gourmet craftsmanship and bold flavor, from single-origin bars to small-batch confections. Creo Chocolate offers a variety of truffles, handcrafted bars, and milk and dark chocolate-covered goodies like crystalized ginger and gummy bears—and don’t miss a true Portland chocolatier experience with the build-a-bar tour where visitors can take a behind-the-scenes look into Creo’s small factory and create their customized a dark chocolate bar. Hailing from Ecuador, chocolatiers at dreamy Cloudforest serve up delectable drinking chocolate and a healthy offering of tea, pastries, and their signature chocolate bars and assorted candies.

Ranger Chocolate is another shop offering chocolate snacks like granola and caramels, in addition to bars made from ethically sourced, organic ingredients. The bean-to-bar factory and shop at Woodblock Chocolate are a must-visit for a peek at how their single-origin bars are made. Located inside the Heathman Hotel, Azar Indulgence highlights Lebanese influence with truffles infused with pistachio, rosewater and cardamom flavors. Missionary Chocolates handmakes vegan truffles like Meyer lemon explosion or whiskey.

For visitors short on time, The Meadow is a one-stop shop with a selection of Portland-made chocolate bars and confections from many of the shops mentioned above, as well as their house-made bars, gourmet salts and other cooking goodies. I recommend picking up one of my favorite local candies, Tom Bumble, from Oregon Bark. It’s their take on a Butterfinger with flakey, sticky, pressed peanut butter flakes covered in chocolate.

Know Before You Go

JinJu Patisserie closed temporarily at the end of 2025 — they are looking for a new space and hope to reopen soon.

Dig into Portland’s abundance of pastry and pie options that celebrate classic desserts and inventive twists for something filling and robust. Two talented pastry chefs take the helm at JinJu Patisserie, a James Beard-nominated spot with tarts, cakes, and bonbons; their laminated pastries are a must-have — especially the chocolate croissant. Try the miso butterscotch sticky buns at Orange & Blossom or the seasonal Danish at Sweetpea Baking Co. — both shops are fully vegan and offer options for gluten-free travelers.

Ever need a sugar fix in the middle of the night? Try Portland’s only dessert vending machine, the Pix-O-Matic. Serving up sleek French pastries and cakes since 2001, the machine offers 24-hour access to sate your cravings with cake slices, macarons, petit fours and chocolates. Over on Hawthorne, Farina Bakery attracts hundreds of hungry visitors each day with handmade macarons, Marionberry pop tarts and generous portions of cake by the slice.

While An Xuyên is the perfect neighborhood spot to pick up a banh mi, you can also find a selection of pastries in their cold cases. Anytime I pop into An Xuyên for a banh mi, I also pick up one of their flaky Chinese red bean paste pastries. Stay on the sweet and savory train with Dos Hermanos, whose hearty chopped sandwiches shine alongside classics like conchas and coffee cakes. Don’t miss Portland’s pie shops, chock-full of sweet desserts with golden crusts and fillings that spotlight Pacific Northwest flavors and ingredients. Lauretta Jean’s slices up hearty pieces of pie with classics like heirloom apple or coconut cream. The Pie Spot offers cupcake-sized mini pies with flavors like Oregon’s unofficial berry, the Marionberry, or s’mores topped with toasted marshmallows. If you can’t get enough of s’mores at the Pie Spot, pop into the Toasted S’mores Bar. Co-founded by Nico Vergara of Nico’s Ice Cream, this niche dessert bar brews fireside nostalgia featuring cinnamon graham crackers from Dos Hermanos.