Healing is a Home

“It takes a village.” For Everyone Village, a 70-unit community in Eugene for people transitioning out of homelessness, that phrase couldn’t be more accurate. “Our core baseline is that in order to live and survive as a human, a human being, you must have hope and belonging,” says Gabe Piechowicz, the founder and executive director of Everyone Village.

Started three and a half years ago by Piechowicz, a former logger with pastoral credentials, Everyone Village has continued to expand, initially housing 30 people and now accommodating 70.

To visit Everyone Village is to see charming tiny homes, a community garden, a community center and now a 10-bed recovery wing for individuals experiencing homelessness who have been discharged from the hospital. There is also a two-room, on-site medical clinic for those recovering in the 10 units as well as for Everyone Village’s residents.

Post-hospital stay recovery has long been an overlooked issue for those experiencing homelessness. “This is a big deal because our most vulnerable neighbors, homeless on the street, have surgeries and procedures, just like any other Eugene citizen, and when they are done with those, they leave RiverBend and they go to the street to recover, and the recovery doesn’t happen, and then the procedure or surgery doesn’t stick well, and they’re right back in the system getting that work done again,” Piechowicz explains.

“That’s a ton of wear and tear on the body,” he says, “and it costs the system an enormous amount of money. Now, like other places in the community, we’ve added to this reality where folks now have a safe place to go and have about a month to recover properly with support.”

At Everyone Village, the philosophy recognizes there are social determinants of health. “You’re more healthy if you’re housed. You’re more healthy if you have a community, more healthy if you’re in healthier relationships,” Piechowicz says.

At Everyone Village, health isn’t just a matter of proper nutrition and medical attention; it encompasses the health that comes from being in a caring community. Like everything at Everyone Village, the 10 recovery units and clinic are thoughtfully created. The construction of the units and clinic has been built by local high school students through the 4J Future Build Program.

The genesis of the recovery wing and on-site medical clinic began last December when Dr. Jim McGovern, chief hospital executive of the PeaceHealth Oregon network, visited Everyone Village and was astounded by what he saw. Seeing something special in the community, Everyone Village and PeaceHealth brainstormed ideas, leading to the creation of the recovery units and clinic.

The on-site clinic, a three-axle mobile unit that was originally a tiny home, will also be opening in partnership with Volunteers in Medicine. VIM, a nonprofit serving the health and wellness needs of the medically underserved in the greater Lane County area, will be helping to provide medical staff and care.

Everyone Village held a grand opening for its medical clinic and recovery units Sept. 16. For more information on the homes and medical care, reach out to Info@EveryoneVillage.org or call 541-505-7597, EveryoneVillage.org.

A Note From the Publisher

Dear Readers,

The last two years have been some of the hardest in Eugene Weekly’s 43 years. There were moments when keeping the paper alive felt uncertain. And yet, here we are — still publishing, still investigating, still showing up every week.

That’s because of you!

Not just because of financial support (though that matters enormously), but because of the emails, notes, conversations, encouragement and ideas you shared along the way. You reminded us why this paper exists and who it’s for.

Listening to readers has always been at the heart of Eugene Weekly. This year, that meant launching our popular weekly Activist Alert column, after many of you told us there was no single, reliable place to find information about rallies, meetings and ways to get involved. You asked. We responded.

We’ve also continued to deepen the coverage that sets Eugene Weekly apart, including our in-depth reporting on local real estate development through Bricks & Mortar — digging into what’s being built, who’s behind it and how those decisions shape our community.

And, of course, we’ve continued to bring you the stories and features many of you depend on: investigations and local government reporting, arts and culture coverage, sudoku and crossword puzzles, Savage Love, and our extensive community events calendar. We feature award-winning stories by University of Oregon student reporters getting real world journalism experience. All free. In print and online.

None of this happens by accident. It happens because readers step up and say: this matters.

As we head into a new year, please consider supporting Eugene Weekly if you’re able. Every dollar helps keep us digging, questioning, celebrating — and yes, occasionally annoying exactly the right people. We consider that a public service.

Thank you for standing with us!