Impact NorthWest

mission is to help people prosper through a community of support.

Impact NW is a private non-profit organization that began in 1966 as Portland Action Committees Together, Inc. (PACT). Four neighborhoods came together and created the agency to address the growing problems associated with poverty in the area.

Since 1966, Impact NW has been a leader in providing individuals of all ages with the skills and resources necessary to achieve success and to advocate for themselves and their communities.  Annually, over 60,000 low-income children, youth, families, seniors, and adults with disabilities participate in Impact NW’s comprehensive anti-poverty programs.

Impact NW was founded when four neighborhoods came together to combat poverty and deteriorating conditions in Southeast Portland.  The agency was originally named Portland Action Communities Together, Inc. (PACT).  Early agency projects included employment programs, family counseling, food buying clubs, and a tool lending library.  The organization was renamed Portland Impact in the 1980s, and later Impact NW as we expanded our services outside the Portland Metropolitan area.

Impact NW implements innovative programs that respond to our community’s specific needs, connecting our clients with tools and resources that empower them to break the intergenerational cycle of poverty and transition into financial independence. We helped develop Southeast Portland’s first Senior Center, Youth Service Center, and free health clinic.  In the 1990s, we piloted Multnomah County’s first Parent Child Development Services program and the Schools Uniting Neighborhoods (SUN) program.  Over the past three years, Impact NW has helped stabilize and improve Portland’s social services sector by merging with established nonprofits—Senior GAP, Urban Opportunities and the Kids on the Block Awareness Program—to increase the agency’s service area, expertise and direct client benefit.

Impact NW has grown to serve over 60,000 residents in Multnomah, Clark, Washington and Clacakmas Counties and parts of Washington State, including children, families, seniors, and adults with disabilities. Community partnerships and innovation are essential to achieving our mission. Impact NW works closely with area schools, businesses, community-based organizations, and governmental agencies to create a safety net and springboard for our region’s low-income residents.