After many meaningful years on Thompson Street, Sunshine Division is officially turning the page.
This month, we said goodbye to 687 N Thompson Street, the warehouse Sunshine Division has called home since the 1970s. For more than five decades, this 97-year-old building quietly supported our mission of providing food to neighbors in need across Portland.
But Thompson Street was never just a warehouse.
Inside those walls were early mornings and late nights, big ideas, hard work, laughter, and challenges. It was a place where partnerships deepened, where thousands of volunteers showed up to help pack food boxes, and where staff worked tirelessly to serve neighbors with dignity and care.
Executive Director Kyle Camberg, who spent more than 14 years working in the Thompson Street building, reflected on the moment:
“That warehouse held more than food and supplies. It held decades of service, incredible staff, and thousands upon thousands of volunteers. It held resilience, generosity, and community.”
Through economic downturns, natural disasters, and the COVID-19 pandemic, Thompson Street helped Sunshine Division respond when Portland families needed support most. The building often challenged us with tight quarters and aging infrastructure, but it also shaped who we are. It built grit, strengthened relationships, and reminded us daily that the mission is bigger than the space we work in.
Now, we’re looking ahead.
Sunshine Division is moving into our newly remodeled headquarters on NW Front Avenue, a space designed to serve more families with greater efficiency, dignity, and care. The new facility will expand our ability to distribute food, welcome volunteers, and respond quickly when our community needs us.
While it’s bittersweet to say goodbye to Thompson Street, its spirit comes with us.
We are deeply grateful to everyone who walked through those doors over the decades: staff, volunteers, partners, donors, and community members who helped bring that space to life.
Thompson Street will always be part of our story.
The mission remains the same.
The impact only grows.
Onward.