Our Mission:
Co-creating bravecommunities of belongingwhere everyone can flourish.
Reinventing Community-Based Transitional Housing
An innovative site and program where people experiencing homelessness from Eugene, Oregon come together to experience community, heal, rehabilitate, and prepare to successfully transition into the next chapter in their story.
60+ homes and centersfor community reintegrationand wellness.
Everyone Village (E1V) is a distinctive “transitional housing program” that serves previously unhoused individuals. The Village consists of a 3.5-acre parcel in West Eugene with over 50 individual dwelling-style homes, a Welcome Center, Resource Center, Workshop and Recycling Center where Villagers re-learn how to live within a community in a healthy way. One of the many distinctives of E1V is that our offices and gathering spaces are an integral part of the Village, which fosters a highly relational and organic connection between Villagers, staff, community partners and neighbors. Everyone Village is more than a standard “transitional housing program” or “homeless camp”. It is an innovative site and program where people experiencing homelessness from Eugene, Oregon come together to experience community, heal, rehabilitate, and prepare to successfully transition into the next chapter in their story.
As a site, Everyone Village provides the basic amenities villagers need to stabilize their situation and rebuild their lives. Features of the site include individual shelters with electricity, a kitchen for villagers to prepare meals, bathrooms, a showering station, a “free store” where villagers can get donated clothes and toiletries, a welcoming center for community gatherings and educational opportunities, a computer work station with internet access. All features of the site are ADA accessible.
Values of the Village
We hold these beliefs dearly...
Generosity
Giving radically of ourselves to help others flourish
Invitation
Welcoming any one – as is – into our every one
Creation
Affirming every one’s gifts to create beauty together and bless others
Celebration
Gathering to enjoy our diversity, friendship, and community service
Renewal
Creating opportunities to thrive (physically / mentally / emotionally / relationally / spiritually)
team
Meet our leadership team
Gabe Piechowicz
- Founder & Executive Director
Gabe Piechowicz began the work of Everyone Village in the summer of 2021 as he pioneered creative and effective solutions for the City of Eugene’s response to the worsening homelessness crisis at that time. Out of this effort he built a robust network of partnerships including government agencies, faith-based organizations and private businesses that he continues to grow and leverage towards the community’s response to homelessness. Prior to founding Everyone Village Gabe worked for a short time helping a Eugene nonprofit, SquareOne Villages, manage their transitional shelter micro-sites. This was preceded by a fifteen year career as a professional logger. Gabe graduated from Bushnell University with a Bachelor’s degree in Pastoral Ministry in 2019.
Gabe is passionate about his community’s health and flourishing. His sweet spot is serving those in the margins of the community that are struggling the most. By meeting folks where they are at and walking side-by-side with them up and out of the margins, Gabe finds great fulfillment in the connections and relationships that come. Repurposing his unique experiences from professional logging to high school athletics coaching into this work has brought great results and meaning.
Favorite Hobby: In his free time, Gabe enjoys rockhounding, cheering on the Ducks and keeping his three young children out of trouble!
Bruce White
- Associate Director “Wingman”
Bruce began his work at Everyone Village supporting the team with a crucial behind-the-scenes role including administrative work that supports the Everyone Village staff. With a wide range of experience working with both for-profit and nonprofit organizations he brings fantastic insight to the team. Prior to his time at Everyone Village Brice worked various jobs including a recovery-program overseer, organizational coach, mentor, pastor, teacher, and a writer.
Bruce is passionate about discovering how folks can take concrete steps towards flourishing. Similarly he feels called to help folks better understand how they are wired, so they can continually move toward their highest, God-given potential. This is rooted in his belief every human being has intrinsic value, and has been given a unique personality, along with a unique set of gifts, talents, abilities, and passions.
Hobbies: In his free time, Bruce enjoys camping outdoors.
Joseph Washburn
- Operations & Administrative Lead
Joseph was born and raised in Oregon, and joined the Army at 18. After spending 13 years in the military, he finished his career as a Sergeant First Class in Special Forces. Joseph and his wife, Mikki, got married here in Eugene, in 2005. Mikki and Joseph have four children, Ruby, Solomon, Samuel, and Miriam. He and his family moved back to Oregon in 2017 and have called the Eugene area home ever since. Joseph graduated from Bushnell University with a Bachelor degree in 2023. It was while attending Bushnell that Joseph learned about Everyone Village.
Since leaving the military, Joseph has struggled to find meaningful community and employment. Here at Everyone Village Joseph has found both. “It’s funny to me how it took me working with the unhoused to finally feel at home,” Joseph observed. For Joseph, life at the Village feels a lot like life on a FOB (forward operating base) overseas. From the layout of the Village, the tight knit living arrangements, and the rhythm of life, the Village has strong resonance with Joseph. Having visited more than 25 countries on several continents, Joseph has cultivated a deep love and appreciation for people of all walks of life. His work as a Special Forces Engineer, a nurse conducting in-home care, and as paraprofessional mental health coach have prepared Joseph well for his role in operations and administration at Everyone Village. Joseph places a heavy emphasis on helping the staff flourish as much as the client Villagers.
Hobbies: Joseph enjoys camping with his wife and kids, reading, and trail running.
Amiel
- Shop Lead
Amiel was the first Everyone Village employee playing an instrumental role in its construction from the ground up. Amiel’s involvement can be confidently assumed in the creation of any structure on-site. He has valuable experience in farm infrastructure and equipment maintenance as well as operating farm equipment. All of which greatly translated to his work at the Village.
Amiel is a big fan of variety and Everyone Village offers him an array of projects, all in which provide support to residents. Amiel extends a helping hand to residents because he, too, was once assisted when in a rut, and now he desires to pay that kindness forward.
Hobbies: In his free time Amiel enjoys spending quality time with his family.
Christina Lambert
- Intake and Villager Assistance / Peer Support Specialist
Christina joined the Everyone Village team bringing experience from many different areas of both healthcare and human services. She attended Job Corps at the age of 16 and graduated high school with a Medical Assistant certificate, Phlebotomy certificate and Electrocardiograph Technician certificate. Later, she worked as a caregiver and later as a medical technician. This was followed by experience as a Direct Support Professional for adults with disabilities and then a shift manager for a brain injury facility.
Christina has always been a natural born caregiver and is passionate about supporting others in making steps to improve their quality of life. After her experiences working in healthcare and its fast paced routine nature, she developed a desire to spend more quality time with people which would better allow her to make positive differences towards their quality of life. At Everyone Village, as residents face trials and tribulations, she unfailingly stands with open arms, eagerly prepared to offer support in any way possible. “It has become a second home to me, and my boys” she says. Christina is grateful for Everyone Village as it is a place she looks forward to going to work each day and has found joy in watching it grow.
Hobbies: In her free time, Christina enjoys traveling with her kids as well as hiking, fishing, painting and binge watching movies on days that call for that.
Patrick Walters
- Site Lead
Patrick joined the Everyone Village team while simultaneously working as a Peer Support Specialist (Certified Recovery Mentor) and manages a recovery house for men. In addition to having three years of experience working as a shift lead at a St. Vincent DePaul emergency shelter, “Dust to Dawn,” Patrick has over 25 years of lived experience with homelessness and addiction. Through his experiences, he has developed a deep understanding of the struggles and challenges related to those complex issues.
Seven years clean and sober now, Patrick is passionate about his mission of helping others achieve their goals and milestones in developing their own success stories. With empathy and compassion he strives to share his journey and by example lead and encourage others to face and overcome the challenges and stumbling blocks life throws their way. Patrick has two daughters and six grandchildren, who by God’s grace have allowed him to share in their lives and are a cornerstone in his own recovery.
Hobbies: In his free time, Patrick is an avid rockhound, amateur astronomer, motorcycle enthusiast and loves hiking, music and learning new things.
Wyatt Johnston
- Garden Lead
Wyatt is responsible for developing garden infrastructure at Everyone’s Village so villagers can then use these growing facilities to produce food, profitable farming skills, and a work ethic. Wyatt believes that if just one villager can walk away having learned that they can grow their own food, create a profitable income, or develop a sense of ownership within intensive small-scale growing, then his mission is successful. “There is high demand for responsible, small-scale market gardeners in the Eugene wide area. The clientele at Everyone Village are now being exposed to the low entry barrier, profitable, and community building career of market gardening.” Wyatt is a graduate of Modesto Junior College in greenhouse production and Oregon State University in Botany and Plant Diseases. He has traveled the United States, Taiwan, and has lived in Africa learning how to grow, thrive, and teach in the developed and developing world. Wyatt enjoys his role as an agriculture teacher at Emerald Christian Academy, Youth Ministry Leader at Springfield SDA Church, and as a father and husband on his own farm with his lovely wife, Alyssa.
Alisa Johnston
- Site Lead
Alisa volunteered at Everyone Village for a few months before joining the Staff in 2024. Both she and her husband have been enthusiastic supporters since before it began! Together they have 7 children, 4 grandchildren and have served in the community for 13 years as foster parents.
Alisa is committed to seeing people improve their life stories. She is creative and tenacious in finding solutions that help people take their best next steps. She loves getting to know people and sharing life with them.
Alisa enjoys traveling, reading, coffee, playing sudoku and hugging her grandbabies.
Sam Koekkoek
- Site Lead
Sam joined the Everyone Village team in 2024. He is a local to the area, born and raised in Springfield, and living there now with his wife Delaney and their cat Sophia. In 2015, he graduated from Bushnell University with a bachelor’s degree in music, and then in 2021 from the Seattle School of Theology & Psychology with a Master of Divinity.
Sam became passionate about homelessness through his hobbyist’s interest in urban and city planning, and the construction of his own tiny house. He observed how the odds are stacked against so many people when it comes to housing in our cities, and how folks who need help often get forgotten and ignored. He is excited to be a part of Everyone Village because it’s the kind of place that puts people first and is committed to helping them reach their goals. His training and experience in pastoral care & counseling has taught him to see potential and beauty in every person, and that everybody deserves to see that in themselves.
In his free time, Sam enjoys watching movies and TV, making music, cooking, and spending time with his family.
Michelle Garcia
- Housing Navigator
Michelle joined the Everyone Village team a year ago while continuing to serve at Sponsors as a support staff. Since joining the Village team she has quickly become a beloved leader and helper for the Villagers in her role as housing navigator. Before coming to the Village Michelle was also an intake specialist at St. Vincent DePaul’s “Dusk to Dawn” shelter for a few years.
In addition to having experience working at different emergency shelter programs in the
community, Michelle has over 6 years of sobriety. Through her experiences, victories and life skills, she is able to relate with, understand and support Villagers through the struggles and hardships they have so that they can get healthy, hopeful and housed.
Michelle is driven out of a deep conviction to help her community and give back to those around her. She has a beautiful talent and ability to be inspiring and encouraging to Villagers in the
ways that work best for them. From helping a Villager tenderly through a difficult day to helping a Villager fill-out and submit an important housing application on time, she is always in the corner of whoever she is helping.
Hobbies: In her free time, Michelle really enjoys spending time with her big family and playing with her big dog, Koda! Michelle also loves keeping the house tidy on the weekends and getting prepared for the work week to come at the Village.
Linsday Cruz-Snyder
- Site Lead
Lindsay joined the Everyone Village team bringing with her a desire to foster collaboration, innovation, and compassion within both the Village and the greater community. She has years of experience working as a Support Staff at St. Vincent De Paul emergency shelters assisting unhoused individuals.
Lindsay believes that by working together, the broader community can create a substantial impact in the lives of unhoused and formerly unhoused individuals, offering them the support and resources necessary to regain stability and hope. Beyond her professional role, her life’s purpose revolves around fostering a compassionate and inclusive society. Lindsay believes “every individual, irrespective of their circumstances, deserves dignity, respect and opportunities for a brighter future,” and considers this the driving force behind her daily work.
Hobbies: In her free time, Lindsay enjoys staying active, spending time with her family and friends and taking her little nephew out for fun adventures.
Plaedo
- Site Lead
Plaedo was recruited as one of the first employees at Everyone Village when it was just starting, finding the project very exciting. With over ten years of experience working and volunteering with the unhoused, his work in this field began with him volunteering as a peacekeeper and facilitator at various unsanctioned homeless camps around Eugene. From there he participated in advocacy work to help make sanctioned safe sleep sites a reality. Plaedo then worked with the city of Eugene doing street outreach and then facilitating safe sleep sites for Community Supported Shelters.
Plaedo’s passion within this work is designing, implementing and maintaining trauma informed care systems as well as incorporating permacultural gardening and other earth based ways of living into the Everyone Village transitional housing site Plaedo believes that these focuses will ultimately contribute to a society where homelessness is much less of an issue.
Hobbies: In his free time, Plaedo enjoys being creative and being a dad and community member.
Rosie Yerke
- Garden Grant Lead
Rosie joined the Everyone Village team after partnering with Everyone Village as a graduate student in Landscape Architecture at the University of Oregon to help develop a transitional employment program centered around gardening and sustainable living. Her work and research focus on developing therapeutic landscapes using a trauma-informed design process. Before going back to school for her master’s, Rosie gained valuable experience working in youth development, financial education, and multimedia marketing. Rosie graduated with a Bachelor of International Studies from the University of Oregon in 2014 and a Master of Landscape Architecture from the University of Oregon in 2023.
Rosie discovered her passion for service while volunteering as a camp counselor in high school. She strongly advocates using landscape architecture and gardening as therapeutic tools to connect communities with the natural world and each other. This commitment drives Rosie to continuously seek ways to engage with our environment to create healthier, more inclusive communities for everyone.
Hobbies: In her free time, Rosie enjoys crafting, hiking, and dancing, which includes all flavors of partner dance.