Portland, OR. Most piano teachers and students aren’t able to sit side-by-side these days; they’re learning via zoom. That’s the case with the young teachers at the Play It Forward Foundation. It was originally established by famous Portland pianist Michael Allen Harrison and has aimed to keep young musicians moving forward since its inception. It primarily operates with two distinct missions: the first is to take in donated instruments (primarily pianos) to rehouse them in public school programs and student homes; the second aims to keep these musicians in lessons while offering new teachers consistent work.
The first mission, wherein donated instruments are rehoused into public school programs and particularly talented young musicians’ homes, is just a part of how the Play It Forward Foundation is helping the community. The program’s Executive Director, Marietta Harrison, says that they look at nearly three hundred pianos a year, ultimately accepting around one hundred of these (with sometimes up to five calls a day for potential donations). These pianos are vetted and reconditioned prior to being donated in order to offer better services to the school programs or child’s home they end up in. In a time when public school’s art funding seems to be ever-declining, the organization pays for these services out of pocket in order to better serve the community.
With classes moved entirely online for the foreseeable future, potential barriers are further erased.
Rather than simply donating and dipping, so to speak, the second part of their mission aims to keep a consistent hand within Portland’s musical community. The nonprofit’s goal here is to remove any potential barriers between the students and their music– whether that be economic, logistical, or otherwise. Started in 2017 with a mere twelve students, the program was up to one hundred students by 2019.
Online piano recitals with both Michael and Marietta Harrison present.
Prior to the COVID pandemic, the program would offer work to young teachers seeking experience who would often travel to the school or the student’s home in order to better erase these potential barriers faced. Currently, the program has gone completely online and classes are being held through Zoom meetings. Given everything going on in the world right now, Marietta Harrison says that this program has always aimed to be proactive rather than reactive; establishing itself in the community as an organization that erases barriers for students and encourages musical growth.
About Play it Forward:
Nearly 20 years ago, the City of Portland passed a measure that cut critical funding to music education in our public schools. Having benefited from free music education in public schools, that eventually led to a successful career as a composer and pianist, Michael Allen Harrison could not watch this happen silently. Play It Forward, affectionately known as PIF was born. Play It Forward distributes gently used instruments gifted by donors to students and music programs throughout the Portland Metropolitan Community.
If you’d like to donate to a great cause, you can do so here.
Portland, OR. Learning at home with a laptop is likely to become “de rigueur.” The French American International School (FAIS), which recently raised over $200,000 at its virtual fundraising event, will be starting the school year with a comprehensive distance learning model.
According to Shawna Foster, Director of Development at FAIS, the distance learning model will prioritize goals such as: Supporting the FAIS mission of cultivating intellect and character through rigorous multilingual academic programs in an environment that promotes appreciation of diverse cultures and experiences; fostering a learning experience of connection and interpersonal relationships where people feel safe, seen, and valued; enhancing predictability for students, families, and teachers by using consistent timeframes, platforms, and tools; optimizing teacher instruction and interaction time with students while respecting the developmental needs and sustainable patterns for teachers and families; and designing schedules and instruction times around the well-being of students.
“None of this would be possible without our wonderful teachers and staff who have worked tirelessly to provide stability and continuity for our students and develop meaningful learning experiences,” Foster said.
In addition to planning for distance learning, FAIS has also prepared schedules and student cohorts to transition to a hybrid or on-campus learning model. For those interested in exploring educational opportunities for their children at FAIS, you can visit the Virtual Admissions Center to watch a virtual open-house recording, browse a photo tour of the campus and schedule a one on one Zoom meeting with the admissions team.
“Last spring, FAIS friends and family came together to celebrate our student art and raise important funds to support our community during this time of financial uncertainty,” Foster said. “The FAIS Virtual Community Gathering, which replaced the annual gala due to COVID-19, drew over 180 families to participate and support the school. This community event was an opportunity to join together in a spirit of celebration and appreciation for the French American International School.”
French American International School Virtual Community Gathering fundraiser
In the week leading up to the event, families drove through campus to see all of the student art projects from the comfort of their car at a Drive-Thru Art Gallery.
“This was a celebration of the hard work that all of our students put into the art projects throughout the year, and was a wonderful reminder of what we can create together,” Foster said.
The virtual event was hosted by Johnna Wells of Benefit Auction 360. Families bid on art projects, entered the raffle to win a designated parking spot on FAIS campus, and gave generously during the moment of giving. The event raised over $200,000 for FAIS.
About the French American International School:
The French American International School cultivates intellect and character through rigorous multilingual academic programs in an environment that promotes appreciation of diverse cultures and experiences. Whether students join our community in preschool, kindergarten, or middle school, our goal is the same. By the time students graduate from FAIS, they will have established a foundation of lifelong skills to prepare them for high school and to succeed in a global, interconnected world.
Boring, Oregon. Guide Dogs for the Blind (GDB) celebrated its annual Oregon Fun Day event in a new way this year, with a virtual Fun Week for members of the nonprofit’s community of volunteers, clients, and employees. In past years, the event was a single, themed day of robust activities on its Boring, Oregon campus. However, because of social distancing protocols, the event was expanded into a week-long occasion in late July, occurring remotely for its puppy-raising community to enjoy. Attendees were able to virtually attend activities and events with GDB staff, bringing their dogs to the Zoom sessions, as seen above.
This year’s Oregon Fun Week theme was retro video games, resulting in creative puppy costumes. GBD’s volunteer puppy raisers were able to virtually interact and bond with the community. GDB team members created a video session titled “Canine Campus Life” to share what happens when guide dogs-in-training return to campus after living with their volunteer puppy raisers. Other activities included a “How To” video on drawing a guide dog and a healthy recipe for making treats for your dog created by GDB’s Canine Welfare Neonatal Department.
GDB’s 2020 Fun Week event theme was retro video games, complete with a Zoom background for participants to use while attending with their GDB puppy-in-training.
Another highlight of GDB’s Fun Week was the “Pack” Man Challenge. The activity gave participants the chance to venture on a scavenger hunt with their dogs to identify common obstacles a guide dog team may encounter. To conclude the week, GDB community members shared an image of themselves and their GDB guide dog, which was compiled into a mosaic art piece.
GDB puppy raiser, Cory Erickson participated in the GDB Fun Week “Pack” Man Challenge which involves an outdoor scavenger hunt for puppies-in-training to identify obstacles that a guide dog team may encounter such as traffic cones.
With Camp GDB being held virtually this year, GDB sent each camper supplies for the week, including some campfire snacks and a stuffed GDB guide dog toy.
GDB’s virtual Fun Week celebration was one of many virtual events the nonprofit held since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. In July, GDB also hosted its annual Camp GDB virtually, which is a special summer camp for teens ages 14-17 who are blind or visually impaired. The virtual camp included an opening campfire, a meet and greet with one of GDB’s veterinarians, Zoom bingo, and a discussion on the value and logistics of having a guide dog in a high school or college setting. Each camper was also sent a special camping kit in the mail to add the virtual Camp GDB experience. GDB remains committed to providing support for its clients during COVID-19.
Over 375 photos were submitted by GDB volunteer puppy raisers and leaders during Fun Week to create a virtual mosaic of members of the GDB community.
From Guide Dogs for the Blind:
We are more than an industry-leading guide dog school; we are a passionate community serving people who are blind or low vision. All of the services for our clients are provided free of charge, including personalized training and extensive post-graduation support, plus financial assistance for veterinary care, if needed. Our work is made possible by the generous support of our donors and volunteers; we receive no government funding.
Portland, OR. Within walking distance of Portland Community College’s Cascade campus off of Killingsworth Ave, you may come across a sidewalk decorated with raised fists, demands for justice, and more. This sits just outside of the Dismantle, Change, Build Center (DCBC) where nonprofits such as Don’t Shoot Portland operate. If you happen upon this location on a Tuesday afternoon, you may find a beautifully painted sign letting passerby’s know that Books to Prisoners is in session.
The Dismantle, Change, Build Center (DCBC); used by multiple justice-oriented nonprofits.
Based out of Seattle since the 1970s, Books to Prisoners collects donated literary materials and sends those to incarcerated folks across the U.S. on their own dime. The Portland branch operates on volunteer time once per week for a couple of hours. During this time, they sort through donated books, deciding which can be resold to fund the operation’s expenses, which could go to a “free” box sitting outside for anyone who happens by and needs a new read, and which can be saved with the intent of mailing it to an imprisoned individual.
Donated books are organized by genre in order to better accommodate prisoner requests.
Anyone imprisoned can request a book to be mailed to them through the Books to Prisoners operation (with personalized letters, art, and more often accompanying that request). These requests are double-checked in order to make sure that the books will still be received by those behind bars. They will then be hand-wrapped by volunteers in preparation for delivery and shipping. Many of these volunteers are people who’ve either been locked behind State walls or who’ve had loved ones there.
Volunteers take a couple of hours out of their week to wrap books in preparation for shipping, offering invaluable resources for the organization that runs purely off of donated time and funds.
Portland’s Books to Prisoners continues to do great things despite a global pandemic and civil unrest. The nonprofit is always looking for new faces to volunteer their time, as this is the most valuable asset to their operation.
About Books to Prisoners:
If you’re interested in donating to their cause, you can do so here. If you want to see what they’re doing these days, you can check out their Facebook page here. If you’re interested in volunteering, you can find all the information you need here.
Portland, OR. The Sunflower Farm, an organic garden hosted by the nonprofit Focus on Youth, has expanded exponentially this summer, despite losing the support of its houseless youth volunteers. Founder Donna Lee Holmes said she was amazed at the willingness of the community to support one another during these tough times.
“It’s like a miracle happened,” she said. “We have had more volunteers this year than we have ever had, and it’s because people wanna channel their love and energy into something positive.”
The organization is still looking for volunteers who want a chance to connect with nature and like-minded people while they dig in the dirt. Volunteers say it’s a great place to learn something new every day. Morgan, pictured above, has been working hard on the garden since March.
This recent expansion didn’t come for free. Holmes said that at the beginning of the pandemic, the Templeton Foundation reached out with an offer to change what funding the nonprofit applied for. Since no youth volunteers were coming in, Focus on Youth decided to focus on the garden.
Selene is a volunteer at the Sunflower Farm. She started working there to get more involved with the community.
The Sunflower Farm donates its produce to the Neighborhood House and recently started donating to St. Anthony’s Church as well. Lines at food pantries have been long during the pandemic, so the extra produce is needed. Sunflower Farm is also home to 35 chickens, most of which were adopted recently to provide a good source of protein to people in need. The organization is hoping to donate over 9000 eggs by the end of the year. One thing they lack is egg cartons for transport; donations of these are appreciated.
The farm is home to lots of chickens.
Holmes hopes the farm will attract more young children and families in the coming months, as working at the garden is a tactile educational experience. This hands-on learning is even more needed as classrooms go online. “It’s as if you’re being immersed into a science book,” Holmes said. “I’d like as many children as possible to have that experience.”
A small watermelon growing at the farm.
The farm is home to a plethora of flower, vegetable, and tree species, many chickens, a resident dog, mason bees, an impressive amount of compost, and a pond where salamanders and small fish can be found.
Focus on Youth recently applied for funding to start a greenhouse so volunteers can save money by nurturing their own seedlings during the winter rather than buying them. And in a continuation of the farm’s expansion, they’ve also recently planted their first-ever batch of fall vegetables. Holmes hopes the flourishing of the garden will not only bring the community together but bring hope to all who are currently struggling.
The Sunflower Farm has many of its namesake flowers.
“What a garden represents is hope, and we all need that right now … There’s so much worry and concern about staying safe, about having food,” she said. “There’s something that’s very spiritual about digging in the earth and knowing that you’re being of service to others, there’s a certain peace that comes with that, and just a quiet joy.”
A garden is a place where all people can come together, regardless of background. The foundation of Focus on Youth is in photography and gardening, but also in cooking.
“We all need to feel that we belong somewhere, and a garden is someplace where everybody can come,” Holmes said. “Whatever background someone is, we all join in food, and food is love.”
From Focus on Youth: Focus on Youth and our program Seeds of Hope teaches sustainable gardening and photography to at-risk and homeless youth at Sunflower Farm. Learn more on the nonprofit’s website: http://focusonyouth.org
Portland, OR. As social distancing mandates continue throughout the U.S., places like theaters face the dilemma of relying on audience presence to deliver art and performance. Portland Center Stage (PCS) at The Armory, is trying something new called The Community Voices Project. The goal is to bring the artist’s work directly to your home, skipping the middle man of theaters.
The PCS performance of Hedwig and the Angry Inch.
Associate Artistic Director, Chip Miller, says that this move to a digital platform was with the desire to use the PCS resources to uplift artists in a time when art is highly undervalued and many individuals are financially struggling. This platform will focus on artists of color for the next year, giving voices to poets, singers, actors, and more.
Chip Miller, Associate Artistic Director of Portland Center Stage.
Furthermore, The Community Voices Project is but a piece of the larger PCS Remix program. This program features online showings of theatric productions, community classes, and youth programs. Their goal with the Remix program is to uplift local talent, commission artists, and perform community outreach. As the future with COVID-19 still present is unpredictable, PCS will continue reaching out to the community and building bridges with artists.
From the Portland Center Stage website:
If you’d like to support a great organization, you can donate here. You can also find their event page for any upcoming artistic productions, classes, and more here. PCS is located downtown at 128 NW Eleventh Ave,
Portland, OR. Centro Latino Americano (“Centro”) is helping the Latino community connect to and navigate necessary resources such as healthcare, housing, food, mental health support, language accessibility, and anything else community members need during the pandemic. Executive Director David Saez said the organization has been working hard to address urgent needs of the community right now, and rent assistance has been a top priority. Centro has raised about $50,000 for households in need.
The organization called individuals to determine what exactly the community’s needs were. Using information from these calls, Centro published a report to inform leaders and legislators about the current situation. Furthermore, Centro is working with the Oregon Worker Relief Program to help individuals who don’t have access to unemployment benefits or federal relief checks.
The work is relentless, but gratifying.
Pre-covid activities in 2019.
“Community members know very well that the challenges faced right now are far bigger than any of the stability we’re able to secure through critical supports like rent assistance,” one staff member said. “They [Centro] fortify and strengthen the ability of the community as a whole to continue forward in spite of the terrible blows dealt it by the pandemic and resulting policies and/or lack thereof. The success is the relentlessness with which community members continue to meet each day.”
Another concern is the need for news and information about the pandemic communicated in Spanish.
“There was a lot of information going out early on, but it was not in Spanish, or it wasn’t getting to the community,” Saez said. “And we don’t have a significant Spanish language media source here in Lane County, so that makes it even more challenging.”
Centro has established a weekly briefing in Spanish with the Lane County Public Health Department, which is broadcast over Facebook Live and also texted to community members. Furthermore, the organization recently hired a speaker of Mam, an indigenous Guatemalan language, in order to reach those communities that don’t speak Spanish.
Mental health concerns are also greater than normal. Centro is offering a free initial therapy session for community members, and an addictions support group is starting back up, outdoors and with social distancing measures.
Community members graduating from a parent leadership training program
Centro has also worked with the Department of Public Health to provide COVID testing for Latino communities, and with a recent grant, they have been able to hire three new staff members to work on contact tracing and support for families of individuals who have the virus.
The Latino community has suffered disproportionately from the pandemic. Saez hopes this moment can shed light on the pressing racial disparities in health care.
“Despite all these really hard, difficult things, I really have hope that there’ll be some transformative outcome out of all of this, and I hope that it’s gonna make life better for Black, Indigenous, communities of color, the trans and LGBTQIA community,” he said. “It feels like we’re in a brilliant, critical moment socially. I think we have the opportunity to come out of it stronger if we follow the right leadership.”
From Centro Latino Americano: Centro Latino Americano empowers Latino families by providing opportunities and building bridges for a stronger community. Our vision is a thriving, connected community where all people are valued.
Portland, OR. A nonprofit serving disabled children is holding its annual “All Ability Tri4Youth” event. Unlike the in-person event seen above, for 2020 FACT Oregon is going online, and finding the format is allowing for more creativity and state-wide participation. The free event is open for registration and participation until August 22nd. Registrants can send in footage or pictures of activities to be included in a compilation video shared via social media.
FACT Oregon’s All Ability Tri4Youth event will be held virtually this year.
For the past three years, FACT hosted the event at Tualatin Hills District Park, where participants swam, biked, and ran for a total of 2.53 miles. This year FACT decided to embrace the flexibility virtual participation allows while keeping with the theme of “2.53”. Participants can choose to do any activity for 2.53 miles, 2.53 minutes, 253 reps, etc.
“We can get very creative; however you want to participate, you can participate,” support supervisor Karen McKenney emphasized. “It’s just a really good way of promoting a fun and fit event without letting the momentum slide, so hopefully next year we’re back up and running in person.” All registrants will get a medal and can purchase a commemorative t-shirt.
She noted the added benefit of families from around the state not having to travel to Portland this year, which enables a much broader demographic of their base to participate. “We were trying to draw families from across the state since that’s who we serve. So now if you live in Baker County in Eastern Oregon, you can still participate, which is a really cool positive.”
This event falls is just one of the ways that FACT facilitates connections between families within their community. The grant-funded nonprofit (self-described as “an organization that is by families for families“) specializes in providing information, training, resources, and support to families and professionals navigating disability, in addition to building person-centered one-page profiles for kids. The website includes a support line and a variety of general resources as well as COVID-19 specific information for families.
FACT Oregon offers a variety of informational services and resources to families experiencing disability.
Since the start of the Pandemic, FACT has been conducting webinars surrounding special education through distance learning, which have all been recorded and are available for free on their website. The organization offers over 150 training, workshops, and learning summits throughout the year on a variety of subjects for parents, teachers, and professionals navigating disability services and awareness.
“For families with disabilities, it’s common to feel incredibly isolated, just in general – and then to throw a pandemic on top of it! So we’re hoping that holding an event like this could be a way of keeping people engaged, knowing that there are other families out there like them doing the same kinds of things,” Karen added. “Anything to help families feel like they can make it through this. We’re all in this together; we don’t know what to expect and we’re doing the best we can with the news that we’ve got.”
About FACT Oregon:
FACT empowers Oregon families experiencing disability in their pursuit of a whole life by expanding awareness, growing community, and equipping families.
Seattle, Wa. The Pacific Science Center continues to connect with the Seattle-are community by hosting in-person science camps for kids K-8 and online experiences. Virtual camps for Curious Minds are “hands-on experiences this summer from the comfort of your home.” This multiple-week event allows children to explore “different activities and experiments around a theme, as well as ways to connect with other campers in this new, digital way. Group sizes are kept small and led by two virtual counselors so that experiences are interactive and engaging”. There is still time to sign up for the camps which run through August 28th. The camps are listed here.
A preview for Camps for Curious Minds hosted by Pacific Science Center.
For non-camp related events, there’s also a program called Curiosity at Home. This is an online virtual classroom that is “curating science learning materials for kids and families! Check back often for new content to inspire learners of all ages”. This webpage has many options for children and parents to explore and learn various topics being taught at the Pacific Science Center. An activity included is utilizing the video game Minecraft that allows a user to explore various planets and materials found inside this virtual world. For an interactive approach to exploring more, there are also virtual events and live-streams. These can be found on Facebook and YouTube Live. This virtual classroom allows children to “join us and meet some of our animals, caretakers, educators, and scientists in the community, as well as try fun at-home experiments”. There are new live shows being published on YouTube every week. Going over various topics in STEM and exploring other sciences and their properties in 20-30 minute videos.
Staying Safe and Curious during the Curiosity Summer Camp -2020.
The Pacific Science Center is also providing links to talk about more serious subjects with children and families. Such as “Talking to Kids about Race and Racism” where Pacific Science Center gives resources that help make understanding of such a hard but necessary topic. Other resources given explain the celebration of Juneteenth as well as many other subjects based on race. There are also documentary suggestions to help explain climate change and how it affects our environment around us. For parents, there are educator’s guides to help coach children through various subjects. The Pacific Science Center’s goal is to help people understand the “Science is for everyone. We believe that curiosity and critical thinking are essential to equity and justice for all. We embrace science as a process of inquiry, discovery, and problem-solving that helps us better understand our universe and each other. Science has the power to connect people and to develop solutions for the common good”.
Experimenting with Ooze at the Curiosity Summer Camp -2020,
Pacific Science Center Mission Statement:
Pacific Science Center ignites curiosity in every child and fuels a passion for discovery, experimentation, and critical thinking in all of us.
Pacific Science Center Location and Contact Information:
Pacific Science Center 200 Second Avenue North, Seattle, Washington 98109
Portland, OR. The Assistance League of Greater Portland’s thrift and consignment shop reopened for a one-day sale on August 15th. The money raised at the sale is earmarked for the Operation School Bell Program, which clothed 4,196 children last year in the Beaverton, Hillsboro and Portland Public Schools districts. Janice Cushman, Vice President of Marketing/Communications says the Assistance League’s motto is “No child should wear poverty to school.” Cushman said one of the biggest challenges will be finding which kids need vouchers or clothing the most, as students initially will not be in schools. School counselors will be working on identifying the children most in need.
The Assistance League also provides Fred Meyer shopping vouchers for kids in need.
“My family has experienced homelessness for a long time and last year we finally had a place to call home,” said one parent. “It was a blessing to have my kids chosen for this [Operation School Bell] program. It made them feel special. They told me, ‘Now with my new clothes, I won’t be picked on in school.’ I cried happy tears.”
Every child should have adequate clothing to wear to school.
Assistance League members also coordinate three additional philanthropic programs. ASK (Assault Survivor Kits) distributed 153 kits to 17 local hospitals and facilities to provide victims of rape and assault with clothing and personal items. Thirteen Portland Community College scholarships were granted to students pursuing careers in trades. Funds for tuition, books and materials help students develop skills and expertise to earn a livable wage. Cordero House, a Janus Youth program, is supported by members to enrich the lives of teen boys as they rebuild their lives with bi-monthly activities.
The Assistance League is always looking for volunteer members which make up its backbone. Members work in Thrift and Consignment helping with selling, inventory, prepping donations and more. There are a variety of committees where member skills are put to use in fundraising, finance, marketing, retail and program implementation, plus the enjoyment of making new friends while make a difference. Find out more online www.portland.assistanceleague.org or email [email protected]. Follow them on Facebook and Instagram, too.
The nonprofit’s annual fundraiser, Promenade Portland Fashion Show was canceled due to COVID, but the organization has been busy. Members are meeting on Zoom to finalize program needs and revamp the Thrift and Consignment Shop for a safe shopping experience. It’s located at 4000 SW 117th Ave, Beaverton, OR 97005.
From the Assistance League: Assistance League of Greater Portland has been serving the greater Portland area since 1961. Our local community service programs benefit children and victims of violence. We offer a scholarship for students pursuing a trade school education. We fund these programs by operating Assistance League Thrift and Consignment Shops, through grants, special events, and donations.
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