This past fall, IRCO, the Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization, opened the New Beginnings Market in northeast Portland. The Market, located in a large warehouse space, is a no-cost shop offering used and new furniture, clothing, and household items to immigrants and refugees, plus those coming out of homelessness, and domestic or gang violence.

New Beginnings Market allows individuals to choose the items they need as they build a new life in a new place. This “shop-our-store” format has long been used by another local nonprofit, Community Warehouse, and gives individuals a greater sense of choice in how they set up their new homes.

Megumi Harn, IRCO’s In-Kind Fundraising Lead, shared that since the New Beginnings Market opened in October 2022, they’ve served 2,215 clients, with a total value of household items offered at over $135,000.

The Market is a new program from a long-standing Oregon nonprofit

IRCO has deep roots in Portland and throughout Oregon. IRCO Fundraising Manager, Nami Bigos, shared that there are over 100 programs, including 19 food pantries, that serve 20,000-30,000 people a year.

After 45 years of providing refugee employment services, IRCO recently became a refugee resettlement provider under the United States Commission of Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI), a national volunteer agency. In the past year, they have welcomed over 250 new arrivals from Afghanistan and Iraq. With the Ukrainian humanitarian crisis in February 2022, over 2,000 Ukrainian humanitarian parolees arrived in the Portland-Vancouver area also needing resettlement help, with limited support from traditional resources.  

New Beginnings Market is one of their newest programs and was created to provide a one-stop shop for basic needs. Navigating support services can be hard for anyone, and even harder for immigrants and refugees who are learning a new language and culture. IRCO aims to make the Market shopping experience easy for clients: The Market is located on a TriMet bus line and IRCO will deliver large furniture directly to clients. 

New Beginnings Market allows IRCO to collect and distribute donated goods more efficiently: They no longer must move donations to and from storage units. The space also allows IRCO to collect more items, display them in a more customer-friendly way, and provide clients with a better shopping experience. 

The need for donations is great

Not only are people’s needs greater since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, but resources are slimmer. Also, with the startup of the refugee resettlement program in 2021, placing families in completely outfitted homes has become a core part of IRCO’s service delivery.

In addition to collecting donated goods from Portland community members, the Market receives donations from businesses and corporations including Columbia Sportswear, Nike, Rejuvenation and BedMart. IRCO also relies on volunteer groups and individual volunteers to help organize and run the Market.

How you can support New Beginnings Market

While the Market is not a retail space, or open to the public, a variety of new and gently used donations are welcome!

The most needed items are:

  • Diapers

  • Laundry detergent

  • Mattresses

  • Couches

  • Dressers

Other items needed include:

  • Kitchen, housewares, and décor 

  • Beauty and personal care products 

  • Cleaning supplies 

  • Baby and school supplies 

  • Linens and clothing 

See the full list of items IRCO needs. This list is regularly updated, and things may be added or removed from the list based on client needs and current inventory.

For gently used donations, IRCO wants clean and functional pieces, with no stains, tears, or pet hair. The Market Team will check for pest infestation.

Before you donate, contact the New Beginnings Market to describe the items you would like to donate: Donations@IRCO.org or 971-271-6461. Emailing photos of your items helps staff determine which items would best meet their clients’ needs. Once you’ve heard from IRCO staff about which items they can use, you can drop them off Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. Market staff will provide the drop-off address.

For larger items, like couches or dressers, IRCO may be able to pick them up from your home for a suggested donation to cover transportation and gas costs. 

To learn more about the New Beginnings Market, how to donate new or gently used goods, or to volunteer, contact Nami and Megumi at Donations@IRCO.org or call 971-271-6461. Monetary and Amazon Wish List donations are also welcome.