On a quiet Wednesday afternoon, McLean Boggess has come to Comfort Zone equipped with a vacuum, a 2011 Kirby Sentria II, from his sprawling collection, to give back to a space he says has given much to him.
The 41-year-old collector and enthusiast is a familiar face at this peer-run drop-in resource center.
Operated by integrative non-profit mental health agency New Narrative, Comfort Zone is an oasis tucked into a maze of squat, white office buildings in a Southwest Nimbus Avenue complex.
From the outside, only the logo – peacock fan of people, various shades and stripes – distinguishes it from a row of identical office fronts. Inside, it’s fully stocked with food and clothes free for the taking, lockers for long- and short-term storage, books, games, and plenty of nooks to cozy up for a conversation or quiet relaxation.
Additionally, there’s a full slate of weekly events, support groups, affinities, and mental wellness resources for folks dealing with personal challenges.
Most staffers, like the members, have lived experience navigating addiction, houselessness, or faltering mental wellness. Those shared perspectives create a trust crucial to fostering relationships.
Boggess, who was diagnosed with schizophrenia at 26, finds solace talking with others who understand the challenges of living with the constant chatter or voices.
“I literally have both the population living, the whole population of the world in my head, and I also have the dead. It’s really hard to navigate that,” he said. “It puts me at ease knowing there are other people who go through similar struggles.”
Manzie Butler, New Narrative’s senior program manager of peer services, says attendance varies from one-time drop-ins to long-term regulars.
“(Services are) person-driven based on what people want to get out of the space here,” she said. “We just try to support them with developing the tools that they need to continue pursuing their goals. Sometimes it’s just a matter of being in community spaces with folks and being able to be in social practice.”
Members find support with everything from obtaining legal documents like state IDs, birth certificates, and social security cards to immediate crisis support or help with housing and job searches.
Membership is free, no referral needed. Funding comes primarily through Washington County Behavioral Health, with CareOregon as a secondary source, in addition to city and county grants.
When the need for support exceeds what peer specialists can provide, they connect members with the appropriate resources.
It’s a mutual aid system where everyone benefits rather than a top-down treatment model where experts prescribe solutions. The goal is to empower people to create and achieve the lives they want, not to design a life for them.
Boggess finds a sense of purpose with his vacuuming,
Comfort Zone initially opened in 2016 in Hillsboro and moved to Tigard at the start of 2023.
“The city of Tigard provided a grant to support the move because there weren’t as many supports or spaces for folks to spend time in the Tigard area compared to Hillsboro,” said Haven Taylor, vice president of peer services.
While funding is secured for the coming fiscal year, Comfort Zone continues to seek and accept donations to keep the center stocked.
“We have had members ask for beading supplies for crafting, old magazines for collage making, journals, gender affirming products (binders, makeup), gender neutral seasonal clothing, board games, books, and more dry, canned foods,” says peer specialist Vivilynn Weaver.
Staffers estimate between 5 and 20 members drop in daily. On Thursdays – pizza and board game day – the center is popping.
“The space can feel pretty active or energetic when we have 15 or 20 people here, but because we have so many separate rooms, it allows for there to be a sense of it not being overwhelming,” Butler said.
Sharon Kelly has been visiting daily since she discovered the space during a Project Homeless Connect event last summer. The 31-year-old moved to Oregon from Maryland for a relationship that quickly deteriorated, leaving her without housing and far from family.
She calls Comfort Zone a life changer that helped lift her out of a devastating depression. Along with community, she found assistance in her housing search and signed up for vocational rehabilitation to help prepare for job interviews.
“I’m here every weekday because it’s a place I can always come to that feels like home,” she said. “It feels like you are making a family.”
Comfort Zone, 10130 SW Nimbus Ave, D2, is open 11 am- 4 pm weekdays. Membership is free. No referral needed. For a complete list of events, groups, and affinities, or to donate, visit: comfortzonenn.org/ourspace.
Contact Comfort Zone at 503-597-3992 or comfortzone@newnarrativepdx.org.
