Trans Relocation Fund & Aid Network - Transgender People Deserve Safety
- Meda Thompson
- Jun 3
- 3 min read
Soft Landings in a Hard World: How Portland's Trans Relocation Fund Is Building a Lifeline for Queer Futures
In the past three years, as anti-trans legislation and targeted violence swept across red states, Portland, Oregon quietly became a beacon of safety for transgender people fleeing increasingly hostile environments. But relocation isn't easy. The costs are high, the risks are real, and the support systems are often non-existent. That’s where the Trans Relocation Fund & Aid Network (TRFAN) steps in.
Launched February 2025 by Eli Gray (they/them), a mixed-race trans community organizer who relocated to Portland from Texas in 2024, TRFAN is already reshaping what community-based relocation support can look like.
“We knew folks were coming with or without us,” Gray says. “We just wanted to make sure they didn't have to go through it alone.”
A New Model for Trans Relocation
TRFAN is not a traditional nonprofit—at least not yet. It began as a mutual aid effort but has since filed for nonprofit status under the larger umbrella of WERQ TOGETHER, a queer community care organization Gray founded. The mission: to support trans, nonbinary, and gender-diverse people fleeing unsafe regions and help them establish safe, stable lives in Portland and across Oregon.
In just its first twelve weeks, the Fund has:
Helped 28 trans individuals relocate safely to Oregon
Created personalized relocation plans for 20+ others
Distributed over $7,000 in direct-aid
Opened its first transitional housing unit in April
Built a peer support Discord with almost 600 members
Each relocation includes a personalized plan: transportation, housing, job search, healthcare navigation, and most critically, a soft landing.
More Than Point A to Point Awesome
The tagline they use internally is silly but sincere: "We're not just moving people from Point A to Point Awesome here in Portland. We're bringing them into a community and setting them up for the rest of their lives."
What makes TRFAN different is its emphasis on community integration. Relocated individuals are invited into the Trans PDX Support Group, a grassroots peer support space that meets every Tuesday night virtually and Saturday mornings in person at Equi Center. Group members host socials, share job leads, donate furniture, give each other rides, and provide the kind of soft landing that government programs often overlook.
One relocated community member arrived from North Carolina on her 30th birthday thanks to TRFAN's partnership with Elevated Access, a nonprofit that provides flights for people seeking abortion and gender-affirming care. "She sold her car to make the move," Gray says. "We met her at the airport and made sure she had housing, groceries, and a micro-grant to get settled."
She now lives in a queer community house and attends support group regularly.
What It Takes to Relocate
While each relocation varies, the expenses are often daunting:
A one-way Amtrak ticket: $300
A moving truck: $1300
A first month’s rent + deposit: $1500 + $1700
Application fees, groceries, phone bills, a coat for the Oregon rain: Add another $300
TRFAN meets those needs through direct giving and a network of volunteers. Every newcomer receives a relocation plan and ongoing check-ins for at least six months. “We don’t really say goodbye, just hello again.” Gray says.
Soft Infrastructure, Real Results
The organization operates out of necessity, with just five core staff members and dozens of volunteers. Monthly donations keep the lights on. Micro-grants of $100-$400 have helped folks afford everything from prescriptions to move-in fees.
In May, TRFAN will move three residents into their first shared transitional apartment—a two-bedroom unit that will house trans newcomers. And while it might not solve Portland’s housing crisis, it’s one more step toward sustainable queer futures.
Building Systems of Care
TRFAN’s long-term goal is more than just relocation. It’s about creating a robust, queer-centered safety net.
They're
Collaborating with the Oregon Food Bank to deliver groceries to trans folks
Planning peer navigator training sessions to scale up support
Creating employment resource guides and building relationships with affirming employers
Partnering with therapists and case managers to ensure folks aren’t just safe, but thriving
How You Can Help:
If you’re wondering how to get involved, the answer is simple: they need everything.
$50/month covers transit and rideshares
$100 provides a micro-grant for housing or essentials
$300 buys a one-way ticket out of a red state
$500+ helps secure permanent housing options
You can also donate supplies, offer a room, refer jobs, or help research housing! “It’s an all-hands-on-deck moment,” Gray says.
As they prepare to welcome 10 more newcomers in the next 30 days, the message is clear: Portland can be a place of soft landings—but it takes all of us to make it happen.
Learn more and support the work at TransRelocationFund.com
Follow along at @TransRelocationFund and @TransPDXSupport
Written by Eli Gray (they/them)
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