About Homewoods
A nonprofit community rooted in Jennings Lodge.
Homewoods on the Willamette is an independent senior housing community on a wooded riverfront campus near Portland, Oregon.
Our purpose
A good home, not just a place to live.
Homewoods was incorporated in 1989 by members of the Pacific Conference of the Evangelical Church, who wanted to use the land from their former retreat center to create a good home for retired pastors and other older adults.
From our opening in 1991, Homewoods has worked to keep independent living financially accessible while providing long-term stability and a strong sense of community for older adults. As a nonprofit organization, revenue is reinvested into the campus, services, residents, staff, and broader charitable mission of the organization.
What guides the organization
Nonprofit stewardship
Homewoods is governed by a volunteer nonprofit board of directors, with income reinvested into the community, buildings, grounds, services, and long-term stability.
Independent operation
Homewoods is independently operated, with day-to-day and long-term decisions made with residents, staff, neighbors, and the future of the community in mind.
We work with you
Homewoods works alongside residents and families to solve problems practically, support individual circumstances, and maintain a community that feels stable, welcoming, and truly like home.
Inclusive community
Homewoods welcomes residents and staff from different backgrounds, beliefs, identities, and life experiences.
Mission and values
A home-like community shaped by integrity, hospitality, kindness, service, and joy.
In daily practice, that means treating residents, families, staff, and neighbors with honesty, care, flexibility, and respect. The goal is to maintain a place that feels welcoming, stable, alive, and genuinely like home while taking good care of the people and community entrusted to it.
How Homewoods works
Active board leadership
The volunteer board includes experience in long-term care, law, real estate, marketing, health care, ministry, and finance, and remains active in shaping the organization’s mission and priorities.
Long-term staffing and management
Many staff members have worked at Homewoods for years or decades, creating continuity throughout the community. Leadership experience at Homewoods has grown from years of direct service, operations, activities, resident services, and administration.
Resident Council partnership
Resident Council is an indispensable part of Homewoods. Residents help shape activities, events, volunteer efforts, community priorities, and many parts of daily life.
Practical care
Homewoods prioritizes practical decisions, personal relationships, and human judgment when residents, families, staff, or the campus need attention.
Continuity
A community shaped over time.
Many residents, staff, volunteers, board members, and families remain connected to Homewoods over long periods of time. Leadership and staff experience often grows from years of direct involvement in the community itself, while new residents frequently arrive through personal referrals from residents, families, staff, churches, neighbors, and friends.
That continuity helps preserve a sense of familiarity, accountability, stewardship, and trust that shapes daily life throughout the community.
Common questions
What does it mean that Homewoods is a nonprofit?
Homewoods reinvests in its residents, staff, buildings, grounds, services, and long-term stewardship rather than outside ownership or shareholders.
Do residents or staff need to share a particular faith?
No. Homewoods welcomes residents and staff from all backgrounds, beliefs, identities, and life experiences. Homewoods is an equal opportunity employer and fair housing community.
Is Homewoods locally operated?
Yes. Homewoods is independently operated from within the Homewoods campus. Decisions made close to the residents, staff, and the neighboring community.
How is Homewoods governed?
Homewoods is governed by a volunteer nonprofit board with experience in long-term care, health care, law, finance, ministry, real estate, marketing, and community leadership.
Visit Homewoods in person.
Tour the apartments, shared spaces, wooded grounds, and riverfront setting.