Write Around Portland

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Write Around Portland Changing lives through the power of writing. Nearly 500 adults and youth participate in these workshops each year.

We bring creative writing workshops to hospitals, schools, homeless youth shelters, senior centers, low income apartments, prisons, social service agencies and treatment facilities. Workshops culminate in community readings and two beautifully designed books annually. We also offer unique generative writing workshops for new and seasoned writers who want to participate in our workshops and support the communities we traditionally serve. We offer two workshops with an associated fee: Prompt at Powell's City of Books and twice monthly workshops at HOTLIPS Pizza.

This year's Raise Your Pen fundraiser and literary party was another wonderful celebration with our community of writers...
10/13/2026

This year's Raise Your Pen fundraiser and literary party was another wonderful celebration with our community of writers, supporters, and volunteers. We are humbled by those of you who ardently believe in the healing power of writing and continue to show up for us.

Because of you, we were able to raise 94% of our goal!

Thank you for standing with us and helping to make writing groups available to your friends and neighbors throughout the Portland area.

If you missed the event, you can still contribute to our work by visiting writearound.org/donation.

10/12/2026

📣 Call for volunteers! Soon we will begin producing our 67th anthology of work written by the participants in our fall writing groups. This season is always a busy and exciting time around our office and you're invited to participate.

We have three opportunities for you to join us for Selection Committee. This is where volunteers read each piece submitted for publication and help determine which written works will be included in the book.

We need volunteers for this work on:

Monday, October 26, 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the Write Around Portland office
Tuesday, October 27, 10 a.m.-12 p.m. at the Write Around Portland office
Tuesday, October 27, 5:30-7:30 p.m. VIRTUAL over Zoom

To sign up for any of the above opportunities, email Volunteer Coordinator Maya Friedman at [email protected] or call the office at 503-796-9224.

DAF Day 2026 is here! Today is a nationwide celebration of generosity through Donor-Advised Funds.When you make a DAF gi...
10/08/2026

DAF Day 2026 is here! Today is a nationwide celebration of generosity through Donor-Advised Funds.

When you make a DAF gift to Write Around Portland today, you will help us give more Portlanders access the healing power of creative writing to support people who are newly housed, incarcerated, and in addiction or mental health treatment.

More than $326 BILLION dollars in charitable funding sits unused in Donor Advised Funds and community foundations across the country. Think of the impact those dollars could make!

🧡 Today your DAF can do more than ever.
👉 Learn more about giving through your DAF at halfmydaf.com.
📖 Initiate a transfer to Write Around Portland from your Donor Advised Fund to be part of the movement.

Have you been feeling anxious about the upcoming midterm elections? With so much at stake, plus regular news reports abo...
10/07/2026

Have you been feeling anxious about the upcoming midterm elections? With so much at stake, plus regular news reports about active efforts to repress voting, it’s no wonder nerves are running high.

Many of us could use a moment to work through our feelings of fear and frustration on paper. In this session, we’ll free-write to dig into those feelings. What is driving our anxiety and what does it distract us from? How can we use our frustration in a more meaningful way?

Beginning TODAY, we are hosting a series of Freewrite writing circles that are free and open to all. These sessions are non-partisan and participants are free to share their point of view with the group.

✍️ Freewrite: Election Anxiety series
📆 Oct. 7, 14, 20 and Nov. 3
⭐️ Free!
💻️ Hosted virtually via Zoom

Register at writearound.org/freewrite

Write Around Portland and Oregon Humanities are hosting a free 90-minute writing circle on writing short-form personal n...
10/06/2026

Write Around Portland and Oregon Humanities are hosting a free 90-minute writing circle on writing short-form personal narrative. Oregon Humanities’ Posts section is dedicated to short, narrative essays built around personal stories and anecdotes.

This generative session will be guided by a Write Around Portland facilitator and Oregon Humanities editor Alexandra Silvester, who will guide the exploration of this economical form and how a tight word limit can help to sharpen focus and heighten emotional impact.

Visit https://events.humanitix.com/freewrite-in-person-writing-circle-tell-it-in-400-words-with-oregon-humanities

✍️ Freewrite: Tell it in 400 Words
📆 Tuesday, October 13
😊 Hosted in collaboration with Oregon Humanities
⭐️ Free!
📍 East County Library 475 NW Division Street, Gresham, Oregon

If you’ve been waiting for the perfect reason to make writing part of your week, this is it. Prompt at Powell’s is an 8-...
09/21/2026

If you’ve been waiting for the perfect reason to make writing part of your week, this is it. Prompt at Powell’s is an 8-week writing group hosted behind the scenes at Powell’s City of Books, with freewriting, deep listening, supportive feedback, built-in accountability, and a huge bookstore full of inspiration.

No writing experience is required. Whether you’re brand-new, returning to writing, or looking for community and momentum, Prompt is designed to help you get words on the page and leave with new ideas.

Questions? Drop them in the comments, DM us, or email [email protected]. We’re happy to help!

Claim your spot today at writearound.org/prompt.

🖊️ Prompt at Powell’s City of Books
📅 Sept. 28 - Nov. 16
⏰ Mondays, 6-8 p.m. PT
📍 1005 W Burnside St, Portland, OR
💰 $295

Tomorrow is the big day! We are ready to celebrate the healing power of writing with all of you at Raise Your Pen, our a...
09/18/2026

Tomorrow is the big day! We are ready to celebrate the healing power of writing with all of you at Raise Your Pen, our annual one-night-only literary party and fundraiser!

If you haven't grabbed tickets yet, there are still a few left and we would love to see you at Jupiter NEXT tomorrow. We'll have dinner from ¿Por Qué No?; amazing packages up for bidding in the raffle; readings from writers who have participated in our programs; and our rockstar host for the evening, Andrew Dickson!

Visit writearound.org/raiseyourpen to get your tickets today!

🎟️ If you can't make it, you can still enter the raffle for a coastal getaway in Lincoln City! See website for details!

It's almost time! Raise Your Pen is on Saturday and we are so excited to share this year's event with you. We have inspi...
09/16/2026

It's almost time! Raise Your Pen is on Saturday and we are so excited to share this year's event with you. We have inspirational readings from our writers; a fantastic MC in Andrew Dickson; great food thanks to ¿Por Qué No?; a beautiful event space at the Jupiter NEXT thanks to The Standard; and dozens of fun and and PNW-centric auction items donated by our community.

🎟️ Don't forget that if you can't attend this year, you can still purchase raffle tickets for the coastal getaway at writearound.org/raiseyourpen. Or you can make a tax-deductible donation on our website to help support our fall season of writing programs at writearound.org/donation.

For those who can attend, we look forward to seeing you Saturday at the Jupiter NEXT!

LAST CALL: Don't forget to drop off your journals at by today, 9/15, or contact our office to make an appointment to dr...
09/15/2026

LAST CALL: Don't forget to drop off your journals at by today, 9/15, or contact our office to make an appointment to drop off your donation. We're still looking for a variety notebooks and journals larger than 5" by 7" to give to participants in our community writing groups this fall.

Each participant receives a journal on the first day of their writing group and it is theirs to keep after the close of the 10-week series. It is a simple tool that is used to create healing and transformation through writing in community.

If you're short on time, no sweat, you can make a donation online at writearound.org/donation and we’ll shop for you!

Learn more at writearound.org/journals

Thank you to everyone who has already donated! We appreciate your support of our Portland neighbors.

This week we're putting the finishing touches on Raise Your Pen for Saturday! While we're at it, we thought would thank ...
09/14/2026

This week we're putting the finishing touches on Raise Your Pen for Saturday! While we're at it, we thought would thank our sponsors who have come through with major support this year.

The Standard and ¿Por Qué No? taqueria not only contributed resources to our annual literary party and fundraiser this year, but for the past several years. Their renewed support year after year is extremely valuable to Raise Your Pen and to our organization as a whole. Thank you, sponsors, for your continued support!

Address

133 SW 2nd Avenue, Ste 304
Portland, OR
97204

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

Telephone

+15037969224

Website

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