The Freshwater Trust Relocates Headquarters to Southeast Portland

Team members from The Freshwater Trust (TFT) have recently set up an office at Kiln, a shared office space in southeast Portland, just off historic Hawthorne Boulevard.

“It’s been a major change moving from our 13,000 square-foot space in downtown Portland to this smaller shared space, but it was the right choice for our organization’s current needs,” Kimberlee Obilana, VP of people and operations, said. “With many of our Portland-based team members working hybrid, if not completely remote, leasing a large office space no longer made sense.”

Entryway view at Kiln Portland. (Photo provided by Kiln) 

Like other shared workspaces, Kiln offers open spaces to work but also allows businesses to rent private office space. This unique solution provides TFT’s Portland-based staff with a friendly workspace that still offers a sense of community.

Within Kiln Portland, a 36,000-square-foot facility, TFT has access to its own private office space as well as shared conference rooms, a recording studio, outdoor deck seating, and a fully stocked kitchen. While the building was initially designed as a candy and bakery manufacturing facility for the Fred Meyer Company in 1938, it’s gone through many renovations. Today, its chic, old-world industrial charm makes it an eye-catching venue for Portlanders.

Although TFT’s headquarters has relocated, there are no current plans to relocate other TFT offices in Ashland, Oregon, and Sacramento, California. The organization also has team members working outside of these main offices, including those working in Idaho and Colorado.

TFT’s last big office move was in 2016. Downsizing office space in recognition of the post-pandemic workplace reality was no easy feat. “Figuring out the logistics to pack up our downtown Portland office was one of the biggest hurdles for the move,” Obilana commented. “Thankfully, our amazing team members offered so much help by cleaning, packaging items, and helping identify donatable goods.”

While business-critical items were moved to the new Kiln location, TFT quickly realized that they could not take the bulk of the office equipment, supplies, and furniture. Fortunately, thanks to connections with other nonprofits, TFT donated their office equipment, furniture, and supplies to two local charities: Childcare for Regenerative Economies (CFRE), a 501(c)(3) dedicated to “preserving and expanding the childcare ecosystem to solve the childcare crisis;” and the Portland Village School, “a Public Waldorf charter school in the Portland Public school district.”

Our Portland office’s new physical address is 1120 SE Madison St., Portland, OR 97214. For donations, inquiries, or any other mailing needs, please send everything to: PO Box 9205, Portland, OR 97207.