Portland, OR. “JDRF is the world’s largest nonprofit funder of type 1 diabetes (T1D) research. Our focus is on finding a cure; until we do, the advancements we’re making every day ease the burden of those living with the disease.” That’s the message the JDRF of Oregon/SW Washington wants you to hear. It offers many programs to support the community, like youth art groups for kids with T1D.
Summer Art Group is just one of the offerings of the local nonprofit, others include advocacy, outreach and research advancements.
JDRF has been leading the charge against diabetes for 25 years and leaders want you to be a part of their anniversary celebration. There are many ways to become involved and contribute to JDRF of Oregon/SW Washington. One is to support JDRF’s ticket sales for the VIP Sneak Peek at the Portland Auto Show on February 19th, 2020 at the Oregon Convention Center. You’ll see 600 of the best production, exotic and concept vehicles 2020 has to offer. $100 of your $125 ticket will benefit JDFR.
Last February many JDRF supporters took advantage of the Charity VIP event. They were among the first to attend the Portland International Auto Show, minus the crowds. JDRF is one of the 8 Charities who benefited.
The annual JDRF Hope Gala is another way to celebrate and support the nonprofit.
Here’s information about the 2020 Hope Gala: On April 25th, 2020 the annual JDRF Hope Gala will bring together over 500 passionate community leaders and T1D leaders at the Sentinel Hotel to reflect on the past 25 years and to raise much-needed funding for fulfill JDRF’s mission of improving lives today and tomorrow by accelerating life-changing breakthroughs to cure, prevent and treat type 1 diabetes and its complications. Click here for more information about the event.
JDRF is the leading global organization funding type 1 diabetes (T1D) research. Our strength lies in our exclusive focus and singular influence on the worldwide effort to end T1D.
Vision: A world without type 1 diabetes
Mission: Improving lives today and tomorrow by accelerating life-changing breakthroughs to cure, prevent and treat T1D and its complications
Why we fight type 1 diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease that strikes both children and adults suddenly. It has nothing to do with diet or lifestyle. There is nothing you can do to prevent it. And, at present, there is no cure.
In T1D, your pancreas stops producing insulin—a hormone the body needs to get energy from food. This means a process your body does naturally and automatically becomes something that now requires your daily attention and manual intervention. If you have T1D, you must constantly monitor your blood-sugar level, inject or infuse insulin through a pump, and carefully balance these insulin doses with your eating and activity throughout the day and night.
However, insulin is not a cure for diabetes. Even with the most vigilant disease management, a significant portion of your day will be spent with either high or low blood sugar levels. These fluctuations place people with T1D at risk for potentially life-threatening hypoglycemic and hyperglycemic episodes as well as devastating long-term complications such as kidney failure, heart attack, stroke, blindness, and amputation. Learn more about T1D.
JDRF wants a world without T1D
JDRF works every day to change the reality of this disease for millions of people—and to prevent anyone else from ever knowing it—by funding research, advocating for government support of research and new therapies, ensuring new therapies come to market and connecting and engaging the T1D community. Founded by parents determined to find a cure for their children with T1D, JDRF expanded through grassroots fundraising and advocacy efforts to become a powerhouse in the scientific community with dozens of U.S. locations and six international affiliates. We’ve funded more than $2 billion in research to date and made significant progress in understanding and fighting the disease. We must keep up the pace of funding so progress doesn’t slow or stop entirely.
You’re the reason for our success.
Every dollar we put toward research comes from donations. So when you support JDRF with your time, talent, voice and, yes, your money, you enable us to advance even more research.
There are many ways to join the JDRF family, but for 47 years there has been only one reason—because we are the organization that will turn Type One into Type None.
We have some of the best ratings for an organization focused on a single disease from charity watchdog groups and media. In 2012, Forbes named JDRF one of its five “All-Star” charities, based on its evaluation of our financial efficiency.
What’s in a name? A bit of “JDRF” history
JDRF has led the search for a cure for T1D since our founding in 1970. In those days, people commonly called the disease “juvenile diabetes” because it was frequently diagnosed in, and strongly associated with, young children. Our organization began as the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation. Later, to emphasize exactly how we planned to end the disease, we added a word and became the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. Today, we know an equal number of children and adults are diagnosed every day—approximately 110 people per day. Thanks to better therapies—which JDRF funding has been instrumental in developing and making available—people with T1D live longer and stay healthier while they await the cure. So a few years ago, we changed our name to JDRF:
To remove the misconception that T1D is only a childhood disease
To acknowledge that nearly 85 percent of people living with the disease are over age 18
To reinforce our commitment to funding research that improves life for people of all ages and all stages of the disease
*This informational feature story is a sponsored story from Portland Society Page.
Portland, OR. Advantis Credit Union and Safeway found two ways to support the Portland Police Bureau’s Sunshine Division this holiday season. One way was by loading food boxes for distribution to 3,000 families. The boxes were filled with a holiday feast including mashed potatoes, stuffing, ham, rolls, and more. The Sunshine Division provides free accessible food and clothing assistance to struggling local families and individuals year-round.
The boxes were filled with care.
Advantis Credit Union and Safeway volunteers pose for a photo.
Additional support for the nonprofit came in the form of sponsorship of the Winter Wonderland at Portland International Raceway. Over 43 tons of food has been donated to the Sunshine Division via Winter Wonderland.
From Sunshine Division: If you need help with food and clothing, please call 503-823-2102 to listen to our informational message or email us at: [email protected]
Portland, OR. The 37th annual Providence Festival of Trees was a lively kick-off for a season of philanthropic holiday events. The four-day festival raised nearly $1.5 million, had 20,000 visitors and featured more than 100 decorated trees, mini-trees, and holiday displays. The event has raised more than $18 million since it began in 1983. At an opening night gala on December 5th, Chief Philanthropy Officer for Providence Foundations of Oregon, Kelly Buechler, posed for a photo with Blake and Liz Howells, and daughter Ellie. One decorated tree took top honors:
Best of Show was “Country Christmas” sponsored by Play Smart Youth Heart Screenings. Designers: Leslie Radke, Sandy Miller, and friends
Steve Dunn and Angelica Thornton from KATU serve as hosts for the evening.
Doug Cain, Executive Director of Providence Newberg Health Foundation and wife Jill
Portland’s Singing Christmas Tree entertains.
Auctioneer Johnna Wells and Safeway’s Jill McGinnis are joined by raffle tree winner Cheri Hick
Johnna Wells with Rick Mahler from Packhouz Jewelers announce the winner of the Diamond raffle – 75 tickets sold for the 75th anniversary of the child center.
After the gala dinner auction, the halls are thrown open for visitors.
The money raised supports the programs and services of Providence Health & Services, providing critically needed health care for children and adults and advancing nationally recognized clinical research.
From Providence:
Many thanks to the donors, community partners and local businesses who generously provided financial support and in-kind gifts – and to the hundreds of volunteers who worked long hours to create the festival’s magic and help local children make special holiday memories.
Portland, OR. Would you like to join the parade of giving this December? William Temple House was selected by the Christmas Ships organization as its 2019 charity and you can help the organization as well. At two Christmas Ship Meet & Greet events you can bring new winter coats for the Children’s Clothing Closet at William Temple House. You can also donate money, anytime; here’s a link where you can make a tax-deductible donation today.
Here’s event information for the “Meet and Greet” events with the Christmas Ships organization: Saturday, December 21st, from 8-10 PM and Sunday, December 22nd, from 2-4:30 PM. The “Meet and Greets” are held at the Portland waterfront docks near Riverplace Marina. Again, William Temple House will have a booth set up to collect warm coats for children in need. Cash/credit card donations will also be gratefully accepted.
Donations will help further the mission of William Temple House to provide social services, mental health counseling, and spiritual care to individuals and families in need.
Christmas Ship organizers explain why they selected the nonprofit: “William Temple House is a nonprofit social service agency located in NW Portland that supports people in need, especially those who are affected by two major concerns in our area: extremely high rates of mental illness and the affordable housing crisis. Their services include affordable access to mental health counseling for individuals, couples, and families; a healthy food pantry; hygiene items; new clothing for children; dental and vision care; and energy assistance so that families don’t have to choose between paying rent or basic living expenses. William Temple House has been making a difference in the lives of Portlanders for 54 years. The Christmas Ships are honored to work with organizations like this and we hope you’ll consider contributing.”
One such person who has benefited from the services of William Temple House is Karen. Here’s Karen’s William Temple House story:
Karen is an avid reader with a passion for helping others. This year she organized a book drive for the free library at William Temple House. “Today I’m a giver in the world,” she says, “and it feels really good.” But it wasn’t always that way. Before Karen came to William Temple House, she felt lost and afraid. Her struggle with bipolar disorder made it difficult to get by and strained her relationship with her husband Ed.
“I had done everything I could and I heard that William Temple House had couples counseling. I felt like we really needed that. And that was the beginning.”
Here’s a video about Karen:
The affordable counseling appointments at William Temple House made it possible for Karen and Ed to meet with their counselors regularly as a couple and individually. With therapy tailored to their specific needs, Karen noticed that she and her husband began to work better as a team. After a few months of counseling, Karen knew they would be able to achieve their goal of staying together.
Karen and Ed are doing well now. And if they need support, they know William Temple House can be a resource for them.
Karen and Ed received mental health support at a difficult time in their lives, as well as free healthy food and check-ins with our community chaplain when they needed it. Karen believes our counseling program saved her marriage and nurtured her growth as a person. “William Temple saved our life. I don’t know what would have happened… and I’m very grateful right now, that this is the life we have.” Karen and Ed are doing well now. And if they need support, they know William Temple House can be a resource for them.
Today, Karen is a giver because it feels good to give back. “It’s empowering to give, because then you grow more. And then the good goes on. The good is multiplied.”
From William Temple House:
Your donation to William Temple House helps provide our current and future clients much-needed access to affordable counseling averaging $5 a session, healthy groceries, and many other services that families need to move forward in their lives. Your support makes a difference! Thank you.
William Temple House is a place of hope for people in our community.
With low- and no-cost counseling, social services and spiritual care, we lend a helping hand to Portland’s most vulnerable populations.
This year we experienced a 14% increase in the number of clients we served. Will you help us meet this growing need with a donation today?
Together we brighten the lives of thousands of our neighbors, helping them make it through difficult times and get back on their feet. Please open your hearts this holiday season and give generously for the well-being of our community.
Portland, OR. Vets at Oregon Humane Society (OHS) are getting the blind kitten they call Ilene ready to go. She was adopted on Saturday, December 14th. Ilene was originally found soaked by the cold rain, wrapped in a bag in a pile of trash. A good Samaritan heard her cries for help, wrapped her in a t-shirt and brought her to the local animal shelter in Madera, CA.
Despite all Ilene had gone through, she started purring and soliciting affection the moment she was rescued.
While Ilene’s story began at a small, crowded shelter in central California, thanks to a partnership between the Oregon Humane Society, Madera Animal Services and PetSmart Charities, she was transported to Oregon. With the new Cat and Kitten Intake Center at OHS, the shelter is able to save more feline lives by accepting large transports of cats and kittens from underserved communities.
“When we got the call to help with Ilene, we immediately said ‘yes,’” says Mia Heaslet, OHS Second Chance Program Manager. “We are fortunate at OHS to have a great medical team who are well versed in unusual conditions.”
“It’s likely that she has a condition called microphthalmia in both eyes and was already blind,” says Dr. Maia Titcomb, OHS veterinarian. “This condition is usually caused by a congenital defect in cats, but can also be due to trauma or infection.”
Ilene received surgery this week to treat the eye area and prevent any future infections. “Not being able to see has not slowed Ilene down a bit,” added Dr. Titcomb. “She is a happy, playful kitten.”
While Ilene was adopted on December 14th, there are still many more animals to adopt; you can search the organization website at https://www.oregonhumane.org/adopt/.
“The resiliency of this tiny kitten and the compassion of the people who saved her are inspiring,” says Sharon Harmon, OHS President and CEO. “The next step for this special feline is to spend the holidays with a new, loving family.”
From the Oregon Humane Society:
The Oregon Humane Society is the Northwest’s oldest and largest humane society, with one of the highest adoption rates in the nation. OHS receives no government funds for its adoption, education and animal cruelty investigation programs. Visit oregonhumane.org for more information.
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