FORGOTTEN
TEMPLE OF THE
ABOUT
OUR VISION
We envision a world where every person’s spiritual dignity is recognized and upheld; where unhoused and exhumanized neighbors have full access to spiritual care, community belonging, and pathways to healing; and where communities use spirituality as a force for liberation, resilience, and justice.
OUR WORK
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Spiritual Rights Advocacy
We champion the spiritual rights of unhoused and exhumanized people, promoting policies and practices that honor freedom of belief, spiritual expression, and access to care. -
Interfaith Spiritual Care on the Streets
We provide compassionate, non-denominational spiritual care—including presence, ritual, listening, grief support, and meaning-making—to people living outside or in extreme marginalization. -
Community Education & Training
We train service providers, volunteers, faith communities, and neighbors to use spiritually grounded tools when engaging unhoused and marginalized people, emphasizing dignity, trauma awareness, and mutual humanity. -
Innovative Spiritual Tools for Healing
We develop and share new interfaith practices, frameworks, and resources that use spirituality to counter the impacts of trauma, addiction, poverty, and social exclusion. -
Research & Public Storytelling
We study and document the role of spirituality in the lives of unhoused communities to shift public narratives, inform policy, and elevate voices that are often ignored.
OUR MISSION
Our mission is to defend the spiritual rights of unhoused and exhumanized people by providing interfaith spiritual care, educating communities, and creating innovative spiritual tools that interrupt cycles of poverty, trauma, and addiction.
OUR VALUES
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Empowerment: We stand under the belief that true change comes from within, not from others. Our role is to uplift strengths, provide brave space for healing, and to demonstrate healthy, communicative relationships. We use these skills to empower individuals, interpersonal relationships and larger communities.
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Connection: We see that so many communities in the US are deprived of the kind of connection that allows for a healthy, thriving and positive community experience. We seek to find ways to build and heal connections within a community.
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Spiritual Care: We believe that spiritual care is the most essential and undervalued piece of the social services system in our society and must be brought to the forefront if we are interested in seeing any sort of cultural change.
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Radical Space of Belonging: We seek to create radical spaces of belonging wherever we are and in every space we support. This means that people of all races, genders, sexualities, socio-economic statuses, mental states, sobriety states and housing states are treated with respect, human dignity, kindness, compassion and welcome.
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Compassionate Boundaries: We believe that at the core of any community of belonging are strong, clear, and compassionate boundaries that protect and serve all people within the community.
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Abundance: We believe that abundance and prosperity is a sacred human experience. We believe that every human being has an inalienable right to abundance, prosperity, and pleasure.
About Founder & Street Chaplain
Rev. Charlotte Cramer
Rev. Charlotte Cramer is the founder of Temple of the Forgotten, an Interspiritual Minister and a Street Chaplain based in Portland, OR. She is a graduate of Starr King School for the Ministry with a Master of Divinity and Concentration in Chaplaincy, an ordained minister and certified chaplain with The Chaplaincy Institute, and a graduate of The Shaw Chaplaincy Institute with four Clinical Pastoral Education units.
Charlotte is a social–spiritual innovator, educator on homelessness and spiritual care, and an active provider of support in her community. With extensive chaplaincy training, years of advocacy, and a bold vision for systemic change rooted in spirituality and the values of younger generations, Charlotte brings both depth and creativity to her work.
Charlotte began her ministry in Marin County, CA, and now continues in Portland, OR. Through her outreach, she has built meaningful relationships and offered care to hundreds of individuals living on the streets, in jail, and in treatment. She has led non-denominational spiritual programs in county jail, facilitated memorials and services, and preaches across the West Coast on the practice of street chaplaincy. She also leads workshops and trainings on spiritual care for the unhoused, addiction, poverty bias, and deep listening.
She lives in Portland with her sweet dog, Willie, and enjoys hiking, running, practicing jiu jitsu, and camping in her free time.
Keep up to date with Rev. Charlotte's work as an interfaith street chaplain by subscribing to her Substack below!
