Nike Employee Grant Fund of The Oregon Community Foundation Awards $300,000

Beaverton, October 17th, 2013. NIKE, Inc. has announced grants totaling $300,000 to 26 local nonprofits and schools through the Nike Employee Grant Fund of The Oregon Community Foundation (NEGF) for its Summer 2013 cycle.

The Nike Employee Grant Fund, which was established in 2010 and is administered in a unique partnership with The Oregon Community Foundation (OCF), supports projects that encourage physical activity in meaningful ways, especially those that create early positive experiences for children through physical education, sports and play. Since its launch, NEGF has provided 170 grants to organizations and schools that contribute to making Oregon and Southwest Washington great places to live and work.

The Summer 2013 award recipients feature a wide variety of organizations in greater Portland, including 4 Worlds United Soccer Alliance, a local nonprofit that works to bridge the gap between first and fourth world children by bringing them together on the soccer field, and Northwest Dance Project, to support the dance troupe’s interactive dance education activities with underserved youth.

“From grassroots nonprofits to neighborhood schools, these 26 award recipients are shining examples of groups with innovative programs that improve our community through physical activity opportunities for young people,” said Kathy Webb, Nike Community Impact Manager and administrator of this program.

“We are proud to support these local projects and connect Nike employees with our communities, not only through the grant making process but through their continued volunteerism efforts with these important organizations.”

Nike employees are integrally involved with the Nike Employee Grant Fund grant-making process. With OCF oversight, a Nike employee advisory committee develops grant recommendations. Employees at Nike World Headquarters continue their involvement by volunteering their time and professional experience to help the winning nonprofits achieve their overall objectives.

“We are very excited about our grant from the Nike Employee Grant Fund, which will allow us to expand our programming to help more immigrant and refugee youth participate in organized soccer,” said Mark Verna, President and Founder of 4 Worlds United Soccer Alliance. “Opportunity does not come often or easily to these kids, and through soccer, they gain confidence in their skills and increased self worth. With Nike’s generous support, 4 Worlds United will be able to help enhance the lives of more children, and bridge the gap between first and fourth world children by bringing them together on the soccer field.”

Next Funding Cycle Open Now

The next Nike awards cycle is now open, with $250,000 in cash grants being offered to nonprofits and schools in the greater Portland area (Multnomah, Clackamas, Washington, Yamhill, and Columbia counties in Oregon and Clark County in southwest Washington). Grants are one-year awards totaling between $5,000 and $20,000 each. 80 percent of grant awards support organizations and projects that are creating a world where physical activity, play and sports are highly valued, and 20 percent support organizations and projects that address community challenges through innovative community-based solutions.

Applications are due December 1, 2013, and are available online at www.oregoncf.org/nike.

Summer 2013 Nike Employee Grant Fund of The Oregon Community Foundation Awardees

The following 26 organizations received Summer 2013 grants:

Organization	Project Description
4 Worlds United Soccer Alliance (Portland)	Increase opportunities for immigrant and refugee youth to play on integrated soccer teams as a way of improving self-esteem and social integration.
Beaverton Education Foundation (Beaverton)	Provide financial assistance and volunteer coaching for Aloha area student participation in Girls on the Run at multiple neighborhood schools.
Beaverton PAL (Police Activities League) (Beaverton)	Teach youth discipline, respect and teamwork through the art of boxing while building youth self-esteem and providing a safe place to play.
Central City Concern (Portland)	Create a safe, inclusive and environmentally friendly outdoor play area for children who reside with their mothers being treated for addictions at the Letty Owings Center.
Children’s Healing Art Project (Portland)	Bring the healing power of art to more children and families through program expansion at Doernbecher Children’s Hospital.
Daniel A. Grout Elementary School PTA (Portland)	Complete a walking track at Grout Elementary School for youth health and fitness activities.
Eagle Creek Elementary (Eagle Creek)	Create a safe environment that encourages positive, creative and active play for the students and community of Eagle Creek.
Friends of Zenger Farm (Portland)	Expand existing program that equips under served families with the education, skills and tools needed to access and prepare fresh, healthy meals on a limited budget.
Hacienda Community Development Corporation (Portland)	Provide soccer and nutrition programming for students in the Expresiones After School Program by utilizing Hacienda CDC’s newly constructed Futsal court.
Impact NW (Portland)	Provide 60 at-risk students at Barnes Elementary with healthy physical activity programs and positive adult role models.
Momentum Alliance (Portland)	Provide support for physical activities and healthy lifestyle skills development during the Student Alliance Project’s Winter, Spring and Summer Leadership Camps.
Native American Youth & Family Center (Portland)	Create an innovative after-school recreation program while teaching youth the essentials of health and wellness based on a culturally specific service delivery model.
Northwest Dance Project (Portland)	Promote lifelong physical fitness by providing interactive dance education activities to underserved youth in the Portland metro region.
Oregon Disability Sports (Portland)	Create a level playing field by providing sports programs for youth with disabilities.
Oregon School Activities Association Foundation (Wilsonville)	Assist high school students with necessary equipment, clothing or footwear to participate in extra-curricular activities.
Playworks (Portland)	Improve school climate & increase the physical/emotional health of Portland area kids in low-income schools through inclusive and positive recesses and intramural sports.
Pleasant Valley School (Gresham)	Enhance a recreational trail network at Pleasant Valley School, providing student, family and community access, increasing recreation onsite, while protecting the habitat.
Portland Public Schools	Introduce a new play environment at Whitman School, where all children can be active, imaginative and encourage health and play as a part of their learning environment.
Resolutions Northwest (Portland)	Reduce disproportionate minority student referrals for school discipline and to juvenile justice by disrupting traditional exclusionary discipline practices.
Rose City Rollers (Portland)	Expand a successful roller derby outreach program focused on reducing the barriers to participation in roller derby for at-risk teen girls.
SMART (Portland)	Increase adult participation in reading one-on-one with PreK-3rd grade children who need additional reading support at Barnes Elementary School.
Sycamore Lane Therapeutic Riding Center (Oregon City)	Provide additional Aquine Therapy, which is a proven method of play that builds strength, balance, sensory integration and spatial awareness for youth with developmental disabilities (DD).
The Children’s Course, Inc./The First Tee of Greater Portland (Gladstone)	Help underserved children develop life skills and healthy habits through the game of golf.
Tualatin Riverkeepers (Tualatin)	Engage Latino youth and their families through hands-on environmental education and outdoor on-the-river recreation experiences.
Wheel to Walk Foundation (Portland)	Continue and expand efforts to purchase medical equipment or services for children with disabilities when they are denied by their insurance company.
Yamhill Community Action Partnership (McMinnville)	Provide bicycle transportation to low-income children and adults in Yamhill County.

 

About NIKE, Inc.

NIKE, Inc. based near Beaverton, Oregon, is the world’s leading designer, marketer and distributor of authentic athletic footwear, apparel, equipment and accessories for a wide variety of sports and fitness activities. Wholly-owned NIKE subsidiaries include Converse Inc., which designs, markets and distributes athletic lifestyle footwear, apparel and accessories and Hurley International LLC, which designs, markets and distributes surf and youth lifestyle footwear, apparel and accessories. For more information, visit www.nikeinc.com and follow @Nike.

The Oregon Community Foundation (OCF)

The mission of The Oregon Community Foundation is to improve life in Oregon and promote effective philanthropy. OCF works with individuals, families, businesses and organizations to create charitable funds to support the community causes they care about. Through these funds OCF awarded more than $66 million in grants and scholarships in 2012. Information at oregoncf.org.

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