Portland, OR. Have you been looking for a way to volunteer your time to help alleviate suffering during the COVID-19 crisis? Well, we’ve got some great ideas to share. You can learn about both remote and on-site volunteer options at the website: VolunteerMatch. Get involved in our community from the safety of your own home
The site offers thousands of volunteer options. There is both a local need and you can also help remotely across the country, in some of the hardest-hit areas by offering assistance with things like tutoring kids who are struggling to learn at home.
Independent Sector
Volunteerism is an essential part of our country’s social fabric and is perhaps most vital during times of crisis. And unlike familiar crises, the COVID-19 pandemic has fundamentally changed the very nature of how people can connect with and help each other.
Writing a quick card or letter with a positive message will brighten the day of clients who receive grocery deliveries! If you do not wish to write a message, that is okay! Artwork will also be accepted (photographs, drawings, paintings).
Feel free to be creative and have fun. Bonus points if you can incorporate food into your work!
This is also a great project for kids.
Please keep the cards secular and avoid mentioning any specific holidays.
For more details contact [email protected]
Please mail your finished cards to: Lift UP 2701 NW Vaughn Street Suite 102
Portland, OR 97210
Portland, OR. The Oregon Humane Society has launched a state-wide effort to distribute pet food to shelters, rescue organizations, and food pantries. On April 22nd, three OHS trucks were packed with dog food, cat food, and litter. They headed to Hood River, Pendleton, and Eugene. Deliveries will continue each Tuesday and Thursday for the next month with the goal of providing assistance to all 36 counties throughout Oregon. More than 50,000 pounds of pet food is expected to be distributed and GreaterGood.org donated about 27,000 pounds of pet food.
“The Oregon Humane Society is here to serve the entire state, especially during this difficult time,” says Sharon Harmon, OHS President and CEO. “We are very thankful to our partners who have supported OHS and made this donation possible,” added Harmon.
Recipients on April 22nd included Greenhill Humane Society in Eugene, FISH Food Bank in Hood River and PAWS in Pendleton. On April 24th, teams from OHS head to Humane Society of Central Oregon and Josephine County.
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.
Portland, OR. Every spring, DoveLewis Veterinary Emergency Hospital sees an increase in injured stray animal and wildlife cases. The nonprofit is encouraging good Samaritans who find healthy stray animals to keep them safe and contact their county’s animal services agency directly. DoveLewis President Ron Morgan explained, “Strays are more likely to be reunited with their families in their home shelter, and that helps us focus our team’s resources on the animals in need of medical care.”
Springtime is dubbed “Kitten Season” because of the boom of stray kittens inevitably born each spring, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg. “Last year we treated nearly 1,200 stray or wild animals, and we’ve started seeing an influx of baby birds already. We’re ready, but we could use some extra help from the community,” said Morgan. DoveLewis can provide emergency stabilization and care for hundreds of strays and wildlife each year through its donor-funded Stray Animal & Wildlife Program, but with agencies and veterinary clinics adjusting their services and protocols to accommodate COVID-19 precautions, capacity is limited. “We’re here to help always, but everyone can do their part to make sure care is going to the animals who need it most.”
If you find an injured wild animal or bird during regular business hours, call Portland Audubon. If you come across an injured animal in the evening or on the weekends, use your best judgment on whether the animal can be rescued and delivered to DoveLewis safely. Here’s a link to the Portland Audubon Society: http://www.audubonportland.org
Here’s what you can do if you find an injured or stray animal:
Determine if the animal is actually injured. Often times, stray domestic animals appear injured but are actually just fearful. If you see no obvious injuries or unhealthy behavior, contact your county’s animal services agency.
Uninjured wildlife should never be touched. Baby animals, especially birds, may appear abandoned, but they are likely being cared for by their parents even if it’s not immediately obvious. Some bird species leave the nest and spend as many as two to five days on the ground before they can fly. During this time, the birds are learning vital life skills. Unless an injury is visible and obvious, leaving them alone will give them the best chance of survival.
Assess the safety of the situation. Make sure you are protected from the environment, like moving cars and running water, as well as the animal. If an animal is in pain and fearful, you never know how it will react. If you have any reservations about rescuing or handling a domestic stray animal, call your local county animal services.
Cover and contain. If the animal is obviously injured and can be transported safely, find a towel, blanket or thick gloves to use while handling the animal to put a barrier between you and the animal. Place the animal in any available safe container – a carrier or a box is ideal. Make sure the animal is as comfortable as possible and secure in the container. Many animals, especially small ones, are stunned when injured and will fly or scurry away when they are more alert. Please remember, it is illegal (and unsafe for you and the injured animal) to attempt to rehabilitate a wild animal on your own.
About DoveLewis Veterinary Emergency and Specialty Hospital:
DoveLewis Veterinary Emergency and Specialty Hospital, established in 1973 and based in Portland, Oregon, is the only nonprofit, 24-hour emergency and intensive care unit in the region. With over 46 years of service to the community, DoveLewis has treated more than 500,000 animals. DoveLewis also has seven donor-supported community programs that serve animals in need and the animal-loving community. For more information, please visit dovelewis.org.
Portland, OR. Pittock Mansion’s current exhibit, Mount Hood Perspectives, is now available to view online. The exhibit is a juried community art show featuring the artistic interpretations of Portland’s most famous natural focal point by local photographers and artists. The gallery features photographs, like Joe Whittington‘s The Pearly Gates, which can be purchased through the site’s secure web store.
You can also take an interesting and educational virtual tour of the Pittock Mansion, which includes some “off-limit” staff areas. Check out this link: Pittock Mansion Virtual Tour.
Supporters hope the tour will whet your appetite for an in-person visit when the historic mansion reopens.
Pittock Mansion’s Mount Hood Perspectives was created by curators to draw visitors. Outreach for the exhibit includes this explanation: Mount Hood is a key part of Portland’s skyline, seated atop the Cascade Range to the east of the city. Residents and visitors alike look forward to when the clouds part and the mountain is visible, admiring how its snowy slopes vary from hour to hour, season to season. Discover artistic interpretations of this Portland icon by local artists. Click through the artists’ names below for more information and to view their online portfolios.
“It was particularly hard to close the Mansion during this exhibit because the art show features the work of local artists,” Curator Patti Larkin explains. “So we are excited that this exhibit is now available online for people to enjoy, while also providing an opportunity for individuals to support a section of our community that has been hit hard by the current situation.”
All the artwork is on display at the mansion, but the COVID19 closure has made viewing impossible right now.
Jarred Decker’s “St. Johns Fog” is an Aluminum chromaprint.
Harley Talkington’s “Bloom With A View” was created with Soft Pastels.
The exhibit is scheduled to be on view both online and when the Pittock Mansion reopens. Any artwork that is purchased will be available for pick-up after the exhibit closes. Shipping options are also available.
From Pittock Mansion:
With picture-perfect views of rivers, forests, bridges, and mountaintops – and 23 treasure-filled rooms – no other place in town offers a more breathtaking view and more revealing glimpse of Portland’s past. Portland pioneers Henry and Georgiana Pittock built Pittock Mansion in 1914 and it now stands as a living memorial of the family’s contributions to the blossoming city of Portland and its people. Situated on 46 acres of land almost 1,000 feet atop downtown Portland, the Pittock celebrated its centennial year in 2014.
Portland, OR. For the month of April, the Nonprofit Professionals Now (NPN) job board is free for all paid and volunteer positions. The organization is trying to help nonprofits in need of employees, and people who need jobs, by opening access to the information.
The job of Development Manager is available at the Community Cycling Center.
Here’s a sample from the Nonprofit Professionals Now Job Board:
Job: St. Mary’s Academy Director of Annual Giving:
Full-time, salaried, exempt, 12-month position. The Director of Annual Giving is an integral part of the St. Mary’s Academy development department and reports to the Director of Major Gifts. This position is responsible for the strategic leadership and implementation of all aspects of the annual giving program. Additional responsibilities include: foundation and corporate grant management and writing, maintaining a portfolio of leadership gift prospects, facilitating all annual fund campaigns.
Job: Program Director at Morrison Child and Family Services
Our shelter residential facility is seeking to hire a Bilingual Program Director to provide leadership to their program. The Program Director is responsible for the overall management of the programmatic, administrative, financial, and operational systems related to the provision of care and services for youth; provision of regular and timely reports to Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) regarding operations, services, and finances; establishing a respective and supportive workplace environment; and elevating any issues or concerns to the Morrison Division Director and ORR Project Officer. This position works out of Portland, Oregon in a residential facility for immigrant youth services.!
Portland, OR. The 16th Annual Wine and Golf Ball raised over $210,000 for The Children’s Course/The First Tee of Greater Portland. Originally, the event was scheduled for the same night and was to include a live auction, dinner and wine tasting at the Downtown Hilton. Due to the COVID 19 outbreak and subsequent “Stay at Home” order, the April 15th benefit became a virtual gala. It was live-streamed using Vimeo and broadcast on YouTube.
The Children’s Course is a non-profit and is funded by private donations from foundations, corporations, and individuals. The golf course is home to the First Tee of Greater Portland, which provides young people with character-building and life skills lessons using golf as the platform.
The Children’s Course is nestled between the Clackamas and Willamette Rivers in Gladstone. It originally opened for play as Rivergreens Golf Course in 1961 as an 18-hole, par 3 course. In 1989, following the development of apartments on the perimeter, the course was redesigned into a 9-hole, par 3 course.
Here’s more from The Children’s Course:
If you missed your chance during the virtual event, we welcome any donation. There are opportunities still available on our website, wineandgolfball.com. You can still help support our participants and our programs directly through purchasing a Club Fitting for a Child, Supply Nutritious Snacks or Fill-er Up to buy gas for our van to transport the kids.
We are overjoyed and thankful for youth like Griffin who started First Tee classes at eight years of age, and found it challenging to interact with other kids his age or adults in his day to day activities. Now 15 and a volunteer junior coach, Griffin credits the life skills he learned at The Children’s Course / First Tee of Greater Portland with developing the respectful and charismatic individual he is today. Thank you for your generosity as it will help continue to make dreams come true for youth at The Children’s Course, where we coach the THRIVE Mentor Program, Girls Golf, and First Tee of Greater Portland, and our seven additional First Tee sites throughout Portland and Eugene.
Construction continues on our new Learning Center that opens this fall. We will double the number of youth and provide year-round programming and mentorship. The future looks bright, and because of your kindness, we will continue to impact children positively year-round at The Children’s Course and throughout Portland and Eugene.
The mailing address for The Children’s Course is 19825 River Road, Gladstone, OR 97027.
Portland, OR. Due to the health impacts from COVID-19 (coronavirus) in our community, and in line with Governor Kate Brown’s direction on large gatherings, Cascadia Behavioral Healthcare’s Culture of Caring Gala, which was scheduled for April 2nd, has been POSTPONED. Cascadia has rescheduled the Gala for Thursday, October 8th. (At the 2018 gala, John Washington, Cupid Alexander, Christina Hawkins posed for the photo above.)
Cascadia is working in cooperation with Multnomah County and the Oregon Health Authority, as well as following CDC (Centers for Disease Control & Prevention) and WHO (World Health Organization) guidelines. Organizational leaders say they take this outbreak very seriously and released the following statement:
“While we are disappointed to be losing the opportunity to come together, putting the health of our community first is critical at this time. We hope that by pushing the event back, our community will be able to stay healthy and then come back together for an impactful night of rising together in support of whole health care.
We appreciate your continued partnership and support of Cascadia Behavioral Healthcare. We will keep you updated with next steps. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact [email protected].”
Last year, Lisa Oyler, Chiki Nussbaumer, Gayathrai Ramprasad, Toc Soneoulay-Gillespie and Tamara Pedrojetti were among the hundreds who enjoyed the night.
Below are all the new details:
DATE
Thursday, October 8, 2020
LOCATION
The Redd on Salmon
TIME
5:30 Cocktail, Reception & Art Viewing, 7:00 Dinner, Awards & Special Program
Multnomah County, Mental Health & Addiction Services Division
Pacific Office Automation
PayCom
Providence Health
Radler White Parks & Alexander LLP
USI
Vendor partners and contributions
Special thanks to Apolloni Vineyards, Breakside Brewery, Ecliptic Brewing, Tito’s Vodka, and Widmer Brothers Brewery.
Production and printing services provided by StevensIS.
Portland’s premier 360° photo booth company, Limelight Photo Booth will be on-site to capture the night’s memories providing a custom photo booth with prints, props, email sharing, and fun!
Portland, OR. Do you have an old computer you’re not using? You can donate it to a nonprofit called Free Geek to help meet a 4,000% increase in the number of requests for computers so low-income people can get online. A good portion of requests come from students who suddenly need to get online in order to participate in K-12 education or college. Many people are reaching out on behalf of aging parents who are no longer able to visit their doctors and others are desperate for access to mental health or addiction treatment services.
If you donate, rest assured, your data will be secure. “Data security is our top concern when receiving donations – and we will thoroughly wipe (or physically destroy) any hard drives that we receive,” explains the organization. In the first weeks of the pandemic, the organization saw the demand for used laptops spike from about 300 requests per month to 3,000 per week. “Folks need the internet to be able to see a doctor, to pay their bills, do work so they can continue to get a paycheck or get an education,” said Hilary Shohoney, director of community development for Portland nonprofit Free Geek. “It touches every area of our life right now.” But an estimated 17% of Portlanders aren’t connected to the internet. In rural parts of the Northwest, that number balloons to nearly 40%. With the coronavirus pandemic all but canceling face-to-face interactions, the internet is no longer a luxury — it’s a necessity. “For us, the numbers changed exponentially,” Shohoney said. Here’s a link with info on donating: https://www.freegeek.org/get-involved/donate-technology
Free Geek accepts donations of computers and other electronics at its Portland facility. It offers a donation receipt you can use for tax purposes. (Photo credit, OPB)
On April 1st, Free Geek sold its first round of machines to students at PSU who didn’t have laptops for remote studying through its Low Cost Tech Community Program.
From Free Geek:
Free Geek continues to provide computers to those in need and we need your reusable laptops.
Our current focus is on receiving Macbooks and laptops with i-series processors. Secondarily we have a need for desktop computers, LCD monitors, mice, webcams and headsets. This is the aspect of our work that is essential at this time and we hope that most other hardware donations can wait until safety concerns and our capacity improve.
For hardware donations we offer the following options:
Public Drop offs (limited hours and quantity) In the parking lot on the northeast side of our building. We will have collection bins set outside the warehouse entrance. Please be prepared to unload your own vehicle and form a line if needed. For the safety of our community, we ask that you wear a face covering and maintain a 6 foot distance from staff and other donors at all times. If you don’t see John at the warehouse door when you arrive during one of the following times: please call the Warehouse Desk at (503) 232-9350 x 124. Receipts will be available by request, this can be expedited by attaching your name and email address to your donation.
Friday April 24, between 10:30am and 1pm
Saturday April 25, between 3pm and 5pm.
Thursday April 30, between 10:30am and 1pm,
Friday May 1, between 10:30am and 1pm
Saturday May 2, 2020 between 3pm and 5pm.
Drop off by appointment for 10 or more computers, or large loads of other equipment.
Please email [email protected] to let us know what you have and when you would like to bring it by.
Availability may be limited but we will work to accommodate your needs.
You can mail your donation to
Free Geek: Hardware Donation, 1731 SE 10th Ave, Portland, OR 97214.
We can pickup your equipment (limited availability, fees apply)
Currently this works best if can arrange for your items can be brought outside and, for larger volumes, secured onto pallets.
We can wait this out together, and be there for you in the future.
Free Geek’s mission is to sustainably reuse technology, enable digital access, and provide education to create a community that empowers people to realize their potential. Here’s more info on our donations: https://www.freegeek.org/get-involved/donate-technology
Portland, OR. Now you can shop the Habitat for Humanity ReStore online at shoppdxrestore.org. Due to COVID-19 the brick and mortar stores remain closed. When Habitat for Humanity ReStore can safely reopen it will publicize the news on Facebook, Instagram and in its newsletter.
Its online inventory includes discounted furniture, appliance, textiles, clothing, home improvement items and building materials. Customers will be able to pick up their online purchases at the ReStore warehouse by appointment. Delivery options will be available on specified items. (Shipping options are currently in development.)
Developing the online store will allow ReStore to continue to build revenue to support homebuilding programs at Habitat for Humanity Portland Metro East, Willamette West Habitat for Humanity, and Evergreen Habitat for Humanity.
Portland, OR. As Oregon responds to the global COVID-19 pandemic, Ronald McDonald House Charities of Oregon & SW Washington (RMHC) has stepped in to provide the hospitality for frontline medical workers here in Portland.
In partnership with Oregon Health and Sciences University, RMHC has temporarily re-purposed the Rood Family Pavilion on Portland’s South Waterfront making available 76 comfortable, clean rooms for frontline workers.
These rooms are providing much-needed respite to medical professionals who are working long hours on the front lines. RMHC is honored to temporarily welcome them into their new “home away from home.”
From RMHC:
RMHC remains committed to continuing to safely house and feed the seriously ill children and families that have made our four Ronald McDonald Houses their home across the state of Oregon. All families originally staying at the Rood Family Pavilion have been relocated to RMHC’s other Portland-area Ronald McDonald House on the campus of Randall Children’s Hospital Northeast Portland.
“In addition to housing and feeding nearly 100 pediatric patients and families members in three Ronald McDonald Houses, we are also enabling health care providers from across the region to step up, and step in, in unprecedented ways to keep us all safe. I have never been prouder.” states Jessica Jarratt Miller, CEO of RMHC of Oregon & SW Washington. “I’m incredibly grateful to our partners and dedicated staff for so quickly and effectively pivoting to mobilize our resources for the greater good of the community.”
In the last two years, RMHC has experienced a 126% increase in demand for our programming and has offered comfort and support, home-cooked meals, and a comfortable bed to more than 35,000 families since opening in 1984.
You can make a difference right now by helping to ensure that that Ronald McDonald House Charities can continue to care for the most vulnerable of our community, be it medical professionals or families in crisis. Give now at RMHCOregon.org.
For more information about the work RMHC does to support the community and to stay up-to-date about their COVID-19 response, visit us online at RMHCOregon.org.
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