Here’s some June nonprofit news from Milwaukie… Advantis Credit Union and Friends of the Children announced a new college scholarship program for Portland’s vulnerable youth. On hand for the presentation of the check were: Duncan Campbell, Founder and Co-Chair of Friends of the Children, Terri Sorensen, Executive Director, Wendy Edwards, VP of Marketing & Human Resources, and Misti Rooney, Community Relations Officer.
Friends of the Children, a non-profit organization that provides Portland’s most vulnerable children with intensive and long-term mentoring throughout their K-12 school years, has been growing roots in Portland area schools since 1993. Now, with the help of Advantis’ $20,000 GROW Scholarship Fund, the non-profit organization can help more youth achieve their dream of a college education.
Advantis Credit Union’s donation of $20,000 will grant scholarships to support education and vocational training to at-risk kids. The scholarships will range from $1,000 – $5,000 per student. Scholarship recipients are also eligible to apply for a summer internship at Advantis Credit Union, lending a hand to their career pathway.
“Friends of the Children provide an excellent avenue for us to reach children who really need our help getting to college,” says Wendy Edwards, Vice President of Marketing & Human Resources for Advantis. “Their mission to help youth with barriers to achievement become successful adults is an ideal fit with the goals of our GROW Scholarship Program.”
The GROW College Scholarship Program is a new addition to Advantis’ GROW Community Fund. Through GROW, which awarded $51,000 to eight local organizations in December, Advantis facilitates the enhancement and improvement of life in local communities one project at a time through programs that assist the underprivileged, at-risk children, enhancement of community spaces, education, and the arts.
“Thanks to Advantis and the GROW Scholarship fund, we can offer a college education to well-deserving but under-financed students. This opportunity will make a tremendous difference for these kids who have come from challenging circumstances and are on the way to turning their lives around,” says Terri Sorensen, executive director, Friends of the Children.
Unique among mentoring organizations, Friends of the Children selects the most highly vulnerable children in kindergarten. They match each child with a professional mentor who will stay with them as they journey through twelve years of school. This one-on-one, consistent and stable mentor/child relationship has proven successful at creating positive futures for youth.
Friends of the Children targets David Douglas, Reynolds, and Portland Public Schools with the highest number of youth living in poverty. They use evidence-based risk factors, including the amount of parental support the child has, the stability of their home life and their ability to adjust and perform in school to select children for their program. Because of the mentor’s steady guidance and support through a child’s elementary, middle school and high school years, there’s hope that the student will not only be the first in their family to graduate high school but they’ll want to continue on to college as well.
About Advantis
Advantis Credit Union, with over $905 million in assets, is one of Oregon’s largest member-owned not-for-profit, financial cooperatives with over 48,000 members and five branches in the Portland metro area. Advantis is one of the oldest credit unions in Oregon, serving the Portland metro area for over 84 years. Membership is open to anyone who lives, works or is a member of an organization in Benton, Clackamas, Columbia, Hood River, Lane, Linn, and Marion, Multnomah, Polk, Washington, or Yamhill counties in Oregon and anyone who lives, works, worships, or attends school in the state of Washington.
Portland, June 7th. Over 130 animal lovers gathered in support of Fences for Fido. Supporters raised enough to help over 50 dogs who would otherwise live their lives on chains. Daphna Andrews, Larry Chusid (the founder of the Pongo Fund) and Meg Willison posed with Tryke the dog. The celebration at the NW Natural Ballroom on NW 2nd included a mini-documentaries of recent unchainings of more than 350 fidos.
Emcees Ann Schatz and Francine Raften
Fences for Fido co-founded Kelly Peterson, Ginger Rappoport and Glenda Huges
Through our volunteer efforts, we create safer and improved conditions for chained dogs, provide education to the public, and help build healthier communities through awareness and compassion.For dogs living outdoors on a chain, Fences For Fido reaches out to their guardian and offers a free fence, a new shelter, and free or reduced cost spay/neuter. With our services, dogs who were once chained will learn what it’s like to live, run, and play in a safe and more comfortable environment.
In celebration of Flag Day (June 14th) we’re featuring this photo from the Oregon Historical Society. It shows David T. Mason and his family standing on their porch on the 4th of July 1922. The home is at 509 (Later 1525) SW Myrtle.
Flag Day commemorates the adoption of the flag of the United States, which happened by resolution of the Second Continental Congress in 1777. The United States Army also celebrates the Army Birthday on this date; Congress adopted “the American continental army” after reaching a consensus position in the Committee of the Whole on June 14, 1775.
In 1916, President Woodrow Wilson issued a proclamation that officially established June 14 as Flag Day; in August 1949, National Flag Day was established by an Act of Congress.
Flag Day is not an official federal holiday, however it is at the President’s discretion to officially proclaim the observance.
As the steward of Oregon’s history, the Oregon Historical Society educates, informs, and engages the public through collecting, preserving, and interpreting the past . . . in other words, Oregon history matters.
Through the generosity of Oregon’s citizens and friends, the Oregon Historical Society Research Library has gathered one of the most comprehensive collections of local, state, and regional history in the country, with holdings that chronicle the history of the Oregon Country from early exploration to the present day. Although the Oregon Historical Society is a private, non-profit institution, its resources are held in trust for the State of Oregon, and it functions as the state historical society. Collection strengths include: European discovery, exploration, and settlement; Native Americans; local history, family history, and genealogy; the fur trade; agriculture, timber, mining, and fisheries; performing arts; business; architecture and building history; politics and government; religion; and transportation. The Research Library houses more than 32,000 books, 25,000 maps, 12,500 linear feet of manuscripts, 4,000 serials titles, 6,000 vertical files, 18,000 reels of newspaper microfilm, 8.5 million feet of film and videotape, 10,000 oral history tapes, and more than 2.5 million photographs.
A lifestyle note…Portland Opera & Fred Meyer Broadway Across America sent us a couple of preview photos for the upcoming run of the Tony Award Winning musical, Jersey Boys. Featured are: Quinn VanAntwerp, Joseph Leo Bwarie, Matt Bailey, Steve Gouveia. The national touring company will take the stage of the Keller for the first time July 18th-Aug 12th. (Photo Credit, Joan Marcus)
Steve Gouveia, Joseph Leo Bwarie, Quinn VanAntwerp and Matt Bailey
The show is the 2006 Tony® Award-winning Best Musical about Rock and Roll Hall of Famers The Four Seasons: Frankie Valli, Bob Gaudio, Tommy DeVito and Nick Massi. Promoters say, “This is the story of how four blue-collar kids became one of the greatest successes in pop music history. They wrote their own songs, invented their own sounds and sold 175 million records worldwide-all before they were 30!” Jersey Boys, winner of the 2006 Grammy® Award for Best Musical Show Album and most recently, the 2009 Olivier Award for Best New Musical, features their hit songs “Sherry,” “Big Girls Don’t Cry,” “Rag Doll,” “Oh What a Night” and “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You.”
Portland, May 24, 2012. Three hundred pizza and beer lovers gathered to officially welcome Mellow Mushroom to the Pearl at a special party benefiting the Children’s Healing Art Project (CHAP). The event raised over $1,000 for CHAP through a bike raffle featuring an “art bike” decorated by staff and volunteers at CHAP. Guests also brought new art supplies to donate to CHAP. (Photo credit, Britt Gage)
Mellow Mushroom raffled off two bikes to benefit CHAP. One mountain bike from New Belgium Brewing Company and the "Art Bike" was decorated by the staff and volunteers at CHAP.
Party guests enjoyed Mellow Mushroom pizza hot from the oven!
Mellow Mushroom owner Cindy Waters greets a party guest.
Party guests brought art supplies to donate to CHAP's programs in area hospitals.
CHAP Interim Executive Director Roxie McGovern announces the winner of the art bike raffle: Mary Nichols.
CHAP brings the healing power of art to children in crisis and their families through a mobile team of teaching artists working in partnership with hospitals, schools, community organizations and local businesses, and not by their disease, diagnosis, or disability. CHAP has created art classes tailored to the needs of the children and families we serve in our partner facilities: Doernbecher Children’s Hospital, Harold Schnitzer Diabetes Center, Knight Cancer Institute and Shriners Hospital for Children.
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