Portland, OR. “Adventure Awaits” was the theme for the De La Salle North Catholic High School 2018 Fall Benefit. The fundraiser on October 24th raised $748,135, which was a new record by almost $200,000. Werner & Colleen Nistler, Board Chair Patti O’Mara and Terry Porter helped make the event a success. The school provides a faith-based, college preparatory education and an active corporate work study program to underserved students from the Portland area. (Photo credit, Andrea Lonas Photography)
Eight of the school’s nine Cassin Award winners attended the event. Pictured are Patti O’Mara, Matt Powell, Cyndy & Ed Maletis, Mike Kelley, Mary Boyle, Penny Guest (representing Nani Warren), Gay Jacobsen, Barb & Steve Spence.
Summer Widmer, Suzanne Price, & Caitlin MacMillen catch up during the reception.
2018 Cassin Award winner Mike Kelley and his wife Laurie enjoy the night.
Board member Cyndy Maletis enjoys a laugh during the program.
President Oscar Leong, Vincent Dixon-Jones and mother Kimberely Jones, and Rosa Leong. Vincent and Kimberely were featured in video The Community We Build.
Board member Bernie Pliska and wife Pamela before the program.
The highlight video shows what an adventure the night was. Stephanie Enriquez-Isais ’19 shared why the Corporate Work Study Program is the Secret Sauce of DLSNC. Vincent Jones-Dixon ’07 moved guests with his example of entering to learn, leaving to serve. Rachel Hartley ’13 performed “Put Your Records On” and got everyone’s feet tapping.
From De La Salle North Catholic High School:
It takes a community to provide a transformative education to a racially diverse population of capable, motivated and interested college-bound students. Thank you for being part of ours.
Thanks also to the Class of 2019, families, faculty and staff who volunteered at the event and helped make it a success.
We are grateful to our event Sponsors:
Platinum Sponsor
O’Donnell Law Firm LLC
Silver Sponsor OnPoint Community Credit Union
Bronze Sponsors Nancy & Bruce Bolton Cambia Health Solutions Clark Foundation Guardian Real Estate Services Walsh Construction
De La Salle Sponsors Becker Capital GBD Architects Moda Health Reliable Credit Sussman Shank Swagelok
Portland, OR. Lines for Life cut a the ribbon on a new call center that’s designed to support veterans nationwide. The nonprofit is expanding the Veterans Crisis Line (VCL). On hand for the November 9th ribbon cutting were Senator Ron Wyden, Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici, Chair Deborah Kafoury, Commissioner Sharon Meieran, Lines for Life CEO Dwight Holton and VCL team leadership and staff. Dwight Holton thanked the leadership of Senator Wyden who was instrumental in securing a contract with the National VCL and recognizing the Lines for Life team both in Oregon and in DC.
During the ceremony, Ryan Seymour, Military Crisis Intervention Specialist and Former Oregon Army Guard Sergeant, shared his experience and reason for joining the team, “When my friend from the army died by suicide, I thought to myself, ‘What do I need to do to be part of the solution?’”
Ryan joins several members of a new 30 person team with connections to Military Service. Their dedication and experience provides common ground for callers in crisis.
The new call center will offer free and anonymous help calls and texts for veterans, their family, and their friends struggling with mental health.
Lines for Life, a 24/7, 365-days-a-year suicide prevention hotline. The Veterans Association estimates that since 2008, roughly 6,ooo veterans kill themselves each year. This new call center, in partnership with the Veterans Crisis Line, is expected to field about 1,200 additional calls each month.
Lines for Life CEO Dwight Holton explained, “Services like this where we’ve got partnerships with national VA and organizations like Lines for Life are essential to helping meeting those mental health crisis needs and helping folks find a way forward and help build strong families among our veterans.”
There is a strong need to help care for the mental health of America’s veterans. According to the RAND Center for Military Health Policy Research, 20 percent of those who served in either Iraq or Afghanistan suffer from either major depression or post-traumatic stress disorder.
If you are a veteran in need, contact the free military help line at (888) 457-4838. You can also text MIL1 to 839863. Someone is available to talk to you at all hours of the day.
Portland, OR. Oregon Food Bank once again transformed its warehouse into a dinner and event venue to raise funds to fight hunger and its root causes in Oregon and Clark County, Washington. Loyal Oregon Food Bank supporters Bonny and Mike Fazzi were among the hundreds who attended the October 20th benefit. Sponsors, partners and their guests helped raise over $700,000 to feed the human spirit in neighbors experiencing food insecurity.
Special guest speaker Cindy Solari
Dinner and live auction
Tillamook County Creamery Association President & CEO and OFB Board Chair Patrick Criteser
Oregon Food Bank CEO Susannah Morgan
Oregon Food Bank supporters Fawwad and Lubna Qureshi
Silent auction
From Oregon Food Bank:
We’re probably not what you expect when you think of a food bank. In Oregon, we do things differently.
We started off like most food banks did back in 1988. That’s when Interagency Food Bank and Oregon Food Share merged to become Oregon Food Bank, and we distributed USDA Commodity Supplemental Food to over 200 hunger-relief agencies.
Today, Oregon Food Bank collects food from farmers, manufacturers, wholesalers, retailers, individuals and government sources. We distribute that food through a Statewide Network of 21 Regional Food Banks and approximately 1,200 food assistance sitesserving all of Oregon and Clark County, Washington.
It seems like a big job, and it is. We absolutely could not do it alone. But, distributing food is not the entire job. Like we said – we do things differently in Oregon.
Portland, OR. The Circus Project, a Portland non-profit dedicated to transforming lives through the circus arts, celebrated its tenth anniversary with Change(d) Together, a multi-media event incorporating storytelling and performances by world-class aerialists and acrobats. Circus Project coach and dancer Alicia Cutaia performed on an aerial bungee during the cocktail hour. The event took place on October 11th at Peter Corvallis Warehouse on North Randolph. The Circus Project converted the expansive venue into a heaven for trapeze, silks, lyra and acrobatics. The Circus Project was created with the mission of empowering homeless and traditionally underserved youth and young adults through the development of innovative, skilled circus productions.
Performer Ty Vennewitz entertains guests.
Featured artist Zoe Stasko, who also presented the ask, performs on aerial straps.
Circus Project students and invited guest performers perform in the final bows.
Circus Project coach and aerialist Alison Lockfeld pours champagne for guests from an aerial trapeze.
Guests were welcomed with a cocktail hour during which they could have their champagne poured by an aerialist upside-down on a trapeze. Entertainment included circus classics like a stilt-walker and juggler, alongside unusual images such as a bouncing aerial dancer and a giant aerial birdcage. Guests also had the opportunity to experience feats of strength by professional strong-woman Tera Nova Zara for a small donation.
A live band led a parade to bring the guests into the main dining area, where Crown Paella provided family-style paella. The entertainment continued, with roving entertainment such as a special bottle delivery by jugglers and a maître’d on rollerskates. Live Brazilian music was provided throughout dinner by POPgoji.
After opening remarks, the main program began. The show included video interviews with students sharing how their lives have changed through their time at the Circus Project, and complemented those with live circus performances by the video interviewees. A lively raise-the-paddle ensued, including a dramatic game of last-man-standing and a celebratory moment of strongwoman Tera Nova Zara breaking a wineglass with just her voice when the group reached a matching grant!
After the raise the paddle, we returned to the circus show, where a collection of national and international professional circus artists performed high-level, innovative acts and took the event out with a festive bang.
The event was the first fundraising gala the team had put on in seven years, and raised over $100,000.
From the Circus Project:
The Circus Project believes in art as a powerful vehicle for transformation, which cuts across social barriers to inspire new perspectives and creative solutions to conflict. We believe that art is most relevant and evocative when the process through which it is created reflects the diversity of our community.
Thus, the Circus Project strives to foster an atmosphere of diversity, creativity, and respect in which people feel able to participate, express themselves, and be heard independently of their gender, race, religion, physical abilities, mental diagnosis, national or ethnic origin, social status, income, age, size, sexual orientation, or gender identification.
Further, the Circus Project strives to cultivate a deeper level of dialogue and inclusiveness that makes space for all people as well as various and competing views, tensions, feelings, styles of communication, and earth spirits – in a way that supports awareness of relative rank, power, and privilege, and the potential of these forces to marginalize other views, individuals, groups, and species.
Through outreach to underserved and marginalized populations, attention to imbalance, acceptance of people from all walks of life, and a commitment to eradicating both internalized and externalized oppression, the Circus Project strives to expand the definition of art beyond that of the various disciplines to encompass a way of looking at the world, appreciating diversity, and building sustainable communities.
Portland, OR. More than 220 patrons and volunteers attended the Portland Rose Festival’s annual “Jazz & Roses” gala at Montgomery Park on October 12th. Supporters like Adam Baker, 2018 Royal Rosarian Prime Minister and his wife, Lauren Baker bid for travel and other unique experiences to help raise $199,000. The annual dinner and auction is the major fundraiser for the Portland Rose Festival Foundation, a 501(c)(3] non-profit, supporting its mission to provide quality, family-friendly programs and events that promote the arts, education and volunteerism.
2018 Rose Festival Queen Kiara Johnson, Kim Corona (standing) and Marcia Randall-The Randall Group
Ron Carr-Board Member, Linda Merrihew and mother, Dorothy Poznanski of the Poznanski Family Foundation, Marilyn Clint-Rose Festival COO
Carla Stenberg-2018 Foundation Secretary, Brett Bigham 2014 Oregon State Teacher of the Year, Amy Johnson-2018 Starlight Parade Chair
More information about the Rose Festival Foundation can be found at http://www.rosefestival.org/.
Portland, OR. “What stood out to me about Friends of the Children was that they employ and train their mentors and that they commit to every child for 12 ½ years,” explained Michael Jordan. “That dedication is important to me. My mentors believed in me and taught me the power of perseverance. I want youth in Friends of the Children to see that they have that same potential.”
Michael Jordan is quick to give credit to his mentors, especially his father and his college coach, Dean Smith. So, when Jordan heard about Portland based Friends of the Children, a national nonprofit that pairs youth facing the highest risks with a salaried, professional mentor (a Friend) from kindergarten through graduation, he was sold. Jordan announced that he is making a multimillion-dollar investment in the organization with the donation of his proceeds from his upcoming ESPN Films and Netflix documentary series, “The Last Dance.” ESPN Films and Netflix are creating the 10 hour docu-series featuring Micheal Jordan and more than 500 hours of never before seen footage from Chicago bulls last championship run in the 1997/98 season. The film is scheduled for release in 2019.
According to Friends of the Children, Jordan’s investment will give thousands more youth a salaried, professional mentor for 12 1/2 years; Jordan to donate his proceeds from “The Last Dance” documentary.
Last spring, in partnership with Nike, Jordan donated the proceeds of a commemorative Michael Jordan Bulls jersey to Friends of the Children, which sold out—and for a good cause. His donation builds on his nationwide efforts to empower youth who are facing the greatest challenges. The donation, which is supporting the organization’s national expansion campaign and their work in Charlotte and Chicago, took Friends of the Children over the finish line for an aggressive fundraising campaign: raising $25 million in less than three years. Now in 15 locations across the country and in the U.K., the investment will go toward Friends of the Children’s goal of expanding to 25 cities by 2025, empowering a growing number of youth and families.
“It’s not every day that you get a call that Michael Jordan—arguably most famous athlete in the world— had heard about your organization and wanted to support it. We got that call,” says Terri Sorensen, CEO of Friends of the Children. “We are thrilled beyond measure for this generous gift and recognition for our lasting impact.”
Knowing how his mentors shaped his life, Jordan saw the life-changing potential that youth could find through Friends of the Children. A philanthropist who believes in impact investing, Jordan saw their evidence-based model as an attractive social investment. It’s hard to ignore the outcomes:
–83% graduate from high school, although 60% of their parents did not graduate
–93% avoid the juvenile justice system, although 50% have parents who were incarcerated
–98% avoid early parenting, although 85% were born to a teen parent
A Harvard Business School Association of Oregon return on investment study also found that for every $1 invested in Friends of the Children, the community benefits more than $7 in saved social costs, saving the community $900,000 per child.
With Jordan’s investment, Friends of the Children will be growing their impact in the Two-Generation (2Gen) space which empowers families together, and serving more youth in foster care. The model is also being sought after as a possible solution to counteracting the effects of childhood trauma and toxic stress.
“There are so many communities across the country that we want to serve. With Michael’s investment, we can now expand more quickly to 25 cities,” says Sorensen.
Portland, OR. The Special Olympics Oregon (SOOR) state office has moved to donated space at 419 NE 10th Ave. It’s one of several steps the local nonprofit is taking to regain its financial footing. Leaders are reaching out to athletes and their families asking for patience. “While SOOR is rebuilding a sustainable organization… we had to make the difficult, but responsible decision to temporarily suspend regional and state competitions.” According to the most recent financial statements for Special Olympics Oregon:
The Organization is undertaking significant actions designed to return the Organization to profitability and to generate positive cash flows to fund its operations. Under new management as of June 1, 2018, the Organization has executed on dramatic cost reductions including staff downsizing, moving to donated office space, and pausing in mission delivery at the local, regional and state level, including the Summer and Fall 2018 and Winter 2019 State Games. The Organization has secured interim donation-based funding to assist in the debt restructuring and fundraising efforts.
The annual Polar Plunge is still happening this year and sign up is open. Program organizers encourage participation: “Our mission continues to live in communities across the state as our athletes train and engage with their friends and teammates, which is being funded through locally-raised dollars. Your participation and fundraising for Polar Plunge directly impacts athlete experiences at this local level, as $25 from every plunger goes directly to the Local Program in the plunger’s community.”
Registration for 2019 is OPEN for the Polar Plunge!
Portland, OR. Alisha Zhao started the nonprofit Kids First Project in 2015. Now she’s been named one of 2018 L’Oréal Woman of Worth. Her charity can also win an additional $25,000 if supporters vote for Alisha at womenofworth.com.
Today the Kids First Project serves 10 locations with more than 400 volunteers in Portland and the San Francisco Bay area. It serves approximately 500 families who are experiencing homelessness each year.
Given the social, cognitive, and academic benefits of extracurricular activities, programs and volunteers are needed in shelters to empower youth experiencing homelessness to reach their full potential.
When Alisha Zhao first volunteered at a family homeless shelter at age 14, she was surrounded by children who shared hopes of becoming dancers, doctors, and even the president of the United States. While these dreams were inspiring, they opened Alisha’s eyes to the unmet needs of youth experiencing homelessness and led Alisha to found the Kids First Project in 2015 to help bridge the gap between a child experiencing homelessness and the resources they need to help them reach their full potential. Through a unique approach that brings extracurricular programs directly to kids living in shelters, Kids First Project offers peer mentoring, physical activities, arts and crafts, tutoring, life skills classes, monthly field trips, and themed programs from puzzle to poetry nights. Kids First Project also supports parents and gives them time to relax, find housing, and focus on themselves through enrichment programs that offer civic and government programs to educate adults about their rights as a homeless individual.
Here’s a link with more information about Kids First Project: http://kidsfirstproject.org/about.html
Portland, OR. Families of seriously ill or injured children had their spirits lifted by 500 supporters at the October 13th Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) Hearts & Hands gala. The benefit at the Oregon Convention Center raised over $730,000. Jessica Jarratt Miller, CEO of RMHC, (center) thanked donors like Gary and Christine Rood. “I am so grateful for everyone that attended this year’s Hearts & Hands Gala & Auction. From Gary & Christine Rood to Claudine Tanner, our biggest supporters made it a night to remember.”
Right now there are two local Ronald McDonald Houses, but in early 2019, (RMHC) of Oregon & SW Washington will open its new South Waterfront House on the west side of town at the OHSU Gary & Christine Rood Family Pavilion. (RMHC) Provides a “home away from home” for families with seriously ill children, and supports initiatives to improve pediatric health. (Photo credit, Trevor Pound)
Susan Schnitzer, Phil Fogg, Jessica Jarratt Miller
Brad & Judy Johnson
The Tanner Family
David Payne, Jessica Jarratt Miller
Paddles Raise to Support Families for One Night
Guests from OHSU
Supporters of RMHC celebrate to close out the evening
The event supports families like the Ornie family, from Raymond, Washington, whose two-year old daughter Kaylina is receiving cancer treatment at OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital. Here’s a video about their journey.
“Kaylina and her family are so brave and we at Ronald McDonald House Charities are lucky to be able to support them though their journey. Our Oregon Ronald McDonald Houses have provided the whole Ornie clan from grandma to younger sister, Irelynn, a chance to stay close to Kaylina during her treatment,” said Jessica Jarratt Miller, CEO of RMHC. “The Ornies are prime examples of why we gather in support and strive to serve more and more families in need.”
With over $730,000 raised, the impact to the four Oregon Ronald McDonald Houses is substantial. It costs RMHC $150 to host a family for one night, and the Gala’s success allows the organization to provide a loving “home away from home” for families for over 4,833 nights. For families who must travel far from home and grapple with the stress and uncertainty of having a sick child, having a place to call home and a supportive community is priceless.
The sponsors who made the event possible, included: (Presenting Sponsor): John L. Scott Foundation (Platinum Sponsors): Coca-Cola Company; Swire Coca-Cola, USA; OHSU; (Gold Sponsors): Hoffman Construction Company; KPFF; McDonald’s Owner/Operators; US Bank; ZGF (Silver Sponsors): Baird, First Tech Federal Credit Union; Netrush, OEG (Bronze Sponsors); Kaiser Permanente; McDonalds Owners and Operators; Moda; Parr Lumber; Turner Construction (Enrichment Sponsors): Allied Partners; Barran Liebman Attorneys; DR Pepper Snapple Group; Douglas & Gloria Rumberger Foundation; Ken Wright Cellars Moonstruck Chocolates; McDonald Jacobs; Moss Adams, LLP; Pacific Office Automation.
Portland, OR. Oregon Energy Fund (OEF) raised a record-breaking $80,000 at its annual Power Gala on October 6th. The funds will support its mission of helping Oregonians in financial crisis pay their energy bills. More than 100 guests attended the Roaring ’20s-themed event, which was emceed by Drew Carney of KGW-TV and featured live and silent auctions hosted by Misty Marquam, live blues music by Smut City Jellyroll Society, and a speakeasy photo booth by instaPix NW. The PGE team included Tyler Richardson, Rimma Richardson, Mark Gilgan, Kalia Savage, Kelly Gilgan, Daniel Carrasco, Elisa Gary, Lauren Isaac, Anne Wahr, and Sarah Sims. (Photo credit, Nina Johnson)
Bob Harding (Columbia Bank) and Jay Phillipe show their enthusiasm for Oregon Energy Fund.
Brian, Susan, and Bob Walsh of Walsh Trucking arrive at the gala.
Executive Director Brian Allbritton addresses the room at the Sentinel.
Jason & Melica Heuser (Eugene Water & Electric Board) raise a bid for energy assistance.
Smut City Jellyroll Society livens up the silent auction with some swinging tunes.
Auctioneer Misty Marquam and emcee Drew Carney prepare to announce the raffle winner.
Cassidy Johnston and Brendan Tonkin (R\West) take a break from dessert to share their excitement.
From Oregon Energy Fund:
Representatives from Portland General Electric, Walsh Trucking, Pacific Power, R\West, NW Natural, McDowell Rackner Gibson PC, and TEC Equipment were among those who contributed to this year’s success; OEF looks forward to continuing the momentum at next year’s 30th anniversary celebration.
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