Portland, OR. The Northwest Catholic Counseling Center (NCC) hosted its annual spring fundraiser at the Lagunitas Community Brewing Room. Nearly 160 of NCC’s friends, both new and old, gathered for the NCC Community Block Party in NE Portland on April 6th. “All fun, no fuss” was the theme of the night. NCC Development Assistant, Ellie Benjamin; NCC Therapist, Tod Fiste; NCC Co-Founder and Therapist Sr. Barbara Kennedy joined with guests who enjoyed beer, local wines, and food from two local food trucks. The fun atmosphere created a spirit of camaraderie, all of which was rooted in a powerful purpose: raising money to provide mental health care to anyone in need, regardless of ability to pay. (Photo credit, Cynthia Ryan and Martin Salinsky)
Guests from St. Mary’s Cathedral enjoying appetizers and beer.
NCC therapist, Alan Rutherford, delivering food from the Koi Fusion and PDX Sliders food trucks.
NCC Executive Director, Erin Peters, and Event Speaker, Mary Tobin, announcing the raffle prize winners.
Guests heard from Mary Tobin, the mother of a former client of the Center. Mary’s son came to NCC as a young child, when he first started experiencing symptoms of anxiety. As Mary told her son’s story, she relayed the impact the Center had, not just on her son, but on their entire family. Through counseling, Mary’s son learned how to manage living with anxiety and depression. He is now a thriving college student and a vocal mental health advocate.
As highlighted by Mary, what sets The Northwest Catholic Counseling Center apart from other organizations is its commitment to individuals who are without insurance or with limited financial resources. In its 32 years, NCC has never turned anyone away because of an inability to pay. Some clients pay as low as $5 per session.
Offering quality, affordable counseling services would not be possible without the generosity of NCC supporters. From sponsors, such as Alpha Media, Magnacorp, and Glen and Monet Rubin, to hundreds of individual donors, the event raised nearly $50,000. Every dollar will go directly to cover the costs of counseling for those who have previously and unjustly been denied access to mental health services.
From Northwest Catholic Counseling:
Our Mission
The Northwest Catholic Counseling Center supports and strengthens our community by providing professional mental health services to all, regardless of faith or finances.
Our Vision
All people, regardless of social, economic or religious circumstances, have access to professional mental health counseling. The community recognizes the importance of good mental health and value of accessible mental health care, understanding that appropriate counseling and medication management leads to positive social outcomes: healthier relationships, more stable families, more effective parenting, decreased domestic violence, more productive employees, decreased criminal activity, and wiser use of financial resources.
The Northwest Catholic Counseling Center commits its professional, creative, and fiscal resources to the compassionate care of each person it encounters. The non-profit agency serves a wide variety of people and has a special commitment to women and children, who bear the greatest weight of the dual burdens of poverty and mental health issues. Staff members employ a broad range of therapeutic models and tools, all focused on the healing and well-being of clients. The organization draws support from a broad cross-section of community partners, including clients, care-providers, organizations, and individual supporters. While always keeping client care at the forefront, the organization utilizes a successful business model and sound fiscal policies, ensuring its ability to always provide mental health care for those requesting it.
Our Values – We believe in:
Justice – receiving health care as a basic right
Compassion – nurturing hope and healing
Collaboration – partnering with clients, the community and our staff
Excellence – assuring the highest level of care for all
