 The organization was founded to serve Portland's "alienated youth", some of whom had substance abuse problems and most of whom had mental health issues.It initially rented its Downtown Portland space from the First Unitarian Church of Portland.Spray helped found the organization after learning that the Unitarian church's youth coffeehouse space, Charix, was in danger of being shut down by the city and a group that had successfully shut down the Crystal Ballroom music venue because of its association with the 1960s drug culture.