Portland, OR. As of June 5th, the Oregon Community Foundation (OCF) has offered $19.8 million in grants to 773 different nonprofits. $15 million has been contributed for relief since the start of the pandemic. 481 people have stepped forward recently to donate; here’s a link to the list of donors.
Organizations like the Sisters of the Road Café (pictured above) in Portland’s Old Town neighborhood, provide area-sourced meals plus opportunities for the homeless. They have seen an increase in costs due to COVID-19 in order to continue serving their community in the safest way possible. An Oregon Community Recovery grant helps Sisters to meet their Hot Meals Barter Program expense and dedicate funds to unforeseen costs during the pandemic.
In collaboration with a large network of statewide partners, OCF is mobilizing resources through discretionary dollars, donor-advised funds and pooled community funds.
Here’s a video about the fundraising efforts of the Oregon Community Fund.
With input from a network of volunteers, community leaders and partners, OCF is deploying funding and resources to nonprofits to help them fill gaps in funding during the crisis, providing resources where and when they are critically needed, focusing most on Oregon’s most vulnerable populations. Organization leaders say, “Demand for funding has been high, and our team is reviewing applications as quickly as possible. Grants are announced each week.”
Portland Refugee Support Group (PRSG) provides bags of food, household supplies and WinCo gift cards to more than 100 refugee families in the Portland metro community. An Oregon Community Recovery grant is helping the PRSG assist refugee families with emergent needs.
In addition, OCF donors also continue to award COVID-related grants from donor-advised funds, and Supporting Organizations of OCF continue to support organizations in their COVID-related needs. Here’s a link to the list of the organizations which have received help.
Oregon Community Foundation puts donated money to work in Oregon. Since 1973, OCF grantmaking, research, advocacy and community-advised solutions have helped individuals, families, businesses and organizations create charitable funds to improve lives for all Oregonians.
Portland, OR. Are you interested in supporting organizations in Oregon working on restorative justice, law enforcement reform and anti-racist initiatives? There are many options. You can learn more about these organizations in Oregon that are working on restorative justice, law enforcement reform and anti-racist initiatives. (Some have held gatherings like the Portland NAACP event on May 29th, pictured above called a “Eulogy for Black America”.)
The list of organizations is dynamic and continues to grow but includes nonprofits like The Portland African American Leadership Forum which helps the black community build civic participation and leadership, as well as Urban League of Portland, which is one of Oregon’s oldest civil rights and social service organizations, empowering African-Americans and others to achieve equality in education, employment, health, economic security and quality of life.
Portland, OR. The William Temple House Thrift Store will reopen on Monday, June 1st at noon. Administrators are reassuring the public they will be following best practices to keep everyone safe. “We are taking safety precautions to keep shoppers and staff safe…Face coverings are required to shop at the store,” the organization stipulated in a news release. The Thrift Store is located just off NW 23rd Avenue in the Nob Hill shopping district and profits from the store support the work of the nonprofit. William Temple House is a nonprofit offering mental health counseling, healthy food, and more to individuals and families in the Portland region.
Additionally, William Temple House is also starting to take donations.
Advocates say they’re seeing more requests for emergency clothes these days, so donations are appreciated.
From William Temple House:
Here’s information on How to Donate Items:
Donations are generally accepted every day except Mondays during store hours. We may limit the number of items we accept due to sanitation and space constraints. For larger donations, we recommend calling 503.222.3328 to make sure we have space to receive your items that day.
The new business hours are as follows:
10 am to 6 pm Monday through Saturday
11 am to 6 pm Sunday
When dropping off your items, please plan to unload items yourself and leave them outside the Thrift Store donation dock to maintain proper social distancing. Our donation pick-up service will not be available at this time.
Portland, OR. The Rose Parade on Saturday, June 6th will be a virtual parade featuring shoe box-size floats created by community members. Organizers say the event will be a celebration of marching bands, equestrian units, and other Rose Festival parade favorites. It will be a Facebook Live streaming event (here’s a link for the festivities), but viewers do not need a Facebook account to watch.
Participants were invited to use materials from home to build parade floats and submit a photograph or video for a June 6th video streaming presentation.
On May 22nd, the Portland Rose Festival kicked off its 2020 season with a virtual opening night concert and fireworks streamed on Facebook. This year, most Rose Festival events and activities have been suspended, so organizers had to find creative ways to celebrate despite the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Porch Parade encouraged people to decorate outside their homes.
Taking inspiration from the holiday tradition of loading the family in the car and touring neighborhood light displays, the Rose Festival has created a spring-time version with a Porch Parade.
Dignitaries formed a procession to tour selected homes that have registered at ParadingInPlace.com.
Porch Parade decorations are to remain on display May 16 through May 31.
You can check out the map at this link: View the Map
Residents with rose gardens visible from the street or sidewalks were also encouraged to register.
The Royal Rosarians “Roses for Hope” rose garden celebration included in the Porch Parade map features rose gardens visible from the street. Although viewable all summer, the Rosarians Roses for Hope will conclude with a virtual Rose Garden celebration on June 16, at 6:30 p.m. (via Zoom). #ROSESforHOPE
From The Rose Festival:
The Portland Rose Festival Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit that serves families and individuals with programs and events that promote the arts, education and volunteerism. We value environmental responsibility, diversity, patriotism and our historic & floral heritage.
Portland, OR. The Oregon Humane Society (OHS) received a record-breaking donation of $51,560 from Lithia Subaru of Oregon City on May 5th. The gift will help provide care for the thousands of animals who come to OHS each year. Pictured above is Ryan Vaughan, General Sales Manager for Lithia Subaru of Oregon City during a “socially distanced” check presentation for OHS.
“This generous donation is critical as we work to care for animals during these challenging times,” said Sharon Harmon, OHS President, and CEO. “We are so grateful to Lithia Subaru of Oregon City for their ongoing support. They recognize the special connection people have with animals and have been a valued partner for more than a decade.”
Lithia Subaru selected OHS for the sixth year in a row as the beneficiary of their “Share the Love” event, where $300 from every vehicle purchased or leased from Nov. 14, 2019 to Jan. 2, 2020 went toward the cause.
“We are proud to continue supporting such an important organization,” said Ryan Vaughan, General Sales Manager for Lithia Subaru of Oregon City. “We simply could not provide this level of assistance without the support of our amazing customers.”
The national “Share the Love” event, now in its 12th year, is expected to bring $170 million to local and national charities, proving there is no limit to the amount of love we can all share.
From 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. The William Temple House “Style & Sustainability” live-streamed fashion show raised $89,000. Proceeds benefit the mental health counseling, food pantry, and emergency assistance services of William Temple House. The event was supposed to be a fundraising luncheon, but because of the COVID-19 crisis organizers shifted to an online experience that was streamed-live on May 21st. It was the second annual fundraiser celebrating sustainable fashion, thrift store style, and the work of William Temple House.
The event featured the live fashion show, guest speaker Kelly Raynor of Modify Style, and a special message from Executive Director Carrie Hoops.
Designers featured included: Patty Armstrong, Amy Daileda of Vivid Element, Sundari of Minnie Opal and Irene Veldstra.
Here’s a link to a recording of the online fashion show:
Organizers are still taking donations and hope to meet their $100,000 goal.
Send a check payable to William Temple House with “Luncheon” on the memo line to 2023 NW Hoyt Street, Portland, OR 97209
We provide affordable mental health counseling and support for basic needs to individuals and families in the Portland area. We also operate the William Temple House Thrift Store to support our programs and services.
Portland, OR. The Dougy Center 2020 “Reflection” virtual benefit was held on May 13th. The nonprofit raised $530,366, which exceeded its goal of $500,000. Rey Cumplido, who posed for a photo with his family, was the winner of the 23rd Annual Porsche Boxster Raffle and happily drove away with the big prize.
Administrators at the Dougy Center say because of the COVID-19 pandemic they’re working remotely with families. The Dougy Center provides support for children, teens, young adults, and their families grieving a death can share their experiences. Here’s a video about the organization:
Organizers say If you were not able to tune in and would like to make a gift, the event donation page can be found here at this link. It will remain open for a limited time.
Auctioneer Johnna Lee Wells and Dougy Center Executive Director, Brennan Wood connect with supporters online.
The Dougy Center provides support in a safe place where children, teens, young adults, and their families grieving a death can share their experiences. The program was launched in 1982.
Event chairs were Ashleigh and Mike Gunter. The event was presented by KinderCare Educaton and the raffle was sponsored by Porsche Beaverton.
From The Dougy Center:
The mission of The Dougy Center is to provide support for children, teens, young adults and their families grieving a death, through peer support groups, training and education. Through our National Center for Grieving Children & Families, we provide support and training locally, nationally and internationally to individuals and organizations seeking to assist grieving children. More info at: https://www.dougy.org/
Portland, OR. Portland Center Stage has joined the national theater project Play at Home and commissioned four Portland playwrights to create short plays. Play at Home scripts are designed to be read — and performed — by the public from their own homes. The plays are ten minutes or shorter and available for free at playathome.org. The new plays commissioned by Portland Center Stage will be posted soon and also shared at pcs.org.
The new script offerings are Sara Jean Accuardi’s Joy Frickin’ Hates Her Dumb Stupid Room, E. M. Lewis’ The Third Prisoner, Anya Pearson’s Three Love Songs, and Josie Seid’s Wing and a Prayer.
Sara Jean Accuardi, E. M. Lewis, Anya Pearson, and Josie Seid
“It’s a joy to lift up the voices of fantastic playwrights from across the country in conjunction with The Public Theatre and its collaborators,” said Artistic Director Marissa Wolf. “I’m thrilled to have these four gifted Portland writers bring powerful, lively, humor-filled short plays to life. We hope our community will join us by performing the plays at home and letting us know about it!”
People are encouraged to record their performances and share them with others. Those who upload their videos to YouTube and tag #PlayatHomePlays may even have their performances featured on the Play at Home website and shared by participating theaters.
ABOUT THE PLAYS
SARA JEAN ACCUARDI Joy Frickin’ Hates Her Dumb Stupid Room
A Trapped Little Play for Trapped Little Times
A girl is trapped inside a house, a hamster is trapped inside a cage, and the soul of a 15th-century Dutch painter is trapped inside a hamster.
Sara Jean Accuardi’s writing has been produced and developed around the country, including with Theatre Vertigo, Seven Devils Playwrights Conference, and Victory Gardens. Her plays include The Storyteller (winner of the International Thomas Wolfe Playwriting Competition) and The Delays (Drammy Award for Outstanding Original Script). She is a proud member of LineStorm Playwrights. sarajeanaccuardi.com
M. LEWIS The Third Prisoner
Prisoner #4588930 and Prisoner #8836729 have been locked away for a very long time. For what feels like forever. But when someone new is thrown into their cell, everything changes.
M. Lewis is an award-winning playwright and opera librettist. She received the Steinberg Award twice, the Primus Prize from the American Theater Critics Association, the Ted Schmitt Award from the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle, a Hodder Fellowship from Princeton University, a fellowship from the New Jersey State Arts Commission, the 2016 Oregon Literary Fellowship in Drama, and an Edgerton Award. emlewisplaywright.com
ANYA PEARSON Three Love Songs For those of us who have been taught to fear the silence, I offer you: a counter-attack. An ode, a dirge, a lament, an operatic examination of quarantine life.
Anya Pearson is an award-winning actress, playwright, poet, producer, and activist. She was the inaugural winner of the $10,000 Voice is a Muscle Grant from the Corporeal Voices Foundation, for her choreopoem, Made to Dance in Burning Buildings. Made to Dance in Burning Buildings was showcased at Joe’s Pub at The Public Theater and received its world premiere at Shaking the Tree. anyapearson.com
JOSIE SEID Wing and a Prayer Four modern women are planning to attend a socially conscious, feminist lecture. One of the women accidentally summons a wand-toting fairy godmother who is all set to beautify them for a ball! When she discovers she has wandered into a contemporary catastrophe, they must work together to make sure that the wish that summoned her is honored.
Josie Seid is the author of Petite Dames, which was nominated for the Kilroy List in 2015 and was recently workshopped at Lewis and Clark’s Ray Warren Symposium on Race and Revolutionary Struggle. Other works include Path of Glory,The Great God of the Dark Storm Cloud, Jordan’s Wisdom,Overdue, Stand by Me, and This is Message Number 13. Josie is a proud member of LineStorm Playwrights collective.
PLAY AT HOME
Play at Home was developed to inspire joy and connection during this period of social isolation. More than 100 playwrights have been commissioned nationwide, resulting in $50,000 paid to playwrights during this difficult time when all theater productions have ceased. Play at Home was originally developed by The Public Theater, Baltimore Center Stage, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company, Long Wharf Theatre, and Repertory Theater of St Louis, and the project continues to grow as new theater companies join the effort.
Many nationally celebrated playwrights have been commissioned, including some who have recently been featured at Portland Center Stage, including Heather Raffo, whose powerful play 9 Parts of Desire was on stage in March and had to be canceled, and Karen Zacarías, whose hilarious play Native Gardens was a hit last spring.
PORTLAND CENTER STAGE
Portland Center Stage is committed to identifying and interrupting instances of racism and all forms of oppression, through the principles of inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility (IDEA). Learn more at pcs.org/idea.
Portland Center Stage is the largest theater company in Portland and among the top 20 regional theaters in the country. Established in 1988 as a branch of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, the company became independent in 1994, and is under the leadership of Artistic Director Marissa Wolf and Managing Director Cynthia Fuhrman. Around 160,000 visitors attend The Armory annually to enjoy a mix of classic, contemporary, and world premiere productions, along with a variety of high quality education and community programs. As part of its dedication to new play development, the company has produced 28 world premieres and presents an annual new works festival, JAW: A Playwrights Festival. Home to two theaters, The Armory (originally built in 1891) opened its doors in 2006 as the first building on the National Register of Historic Places, and the first performing arts venue in the country, to achieve a LEED Platinum rating.
Portland Center Stage is funded in part by Season Superstars Tim and Mary Boyle, Mary and Don Blair, and Lead Corporate Champion Umpqua Bank. Further support comes from Season Sponsors Advance Gender Equity in the Arts (AGE); the Regional Arts and Culture Council; and the Oregon Arts Commission, a state agency funded by the state of Oregon and the National Endowment for the Arts.
Portland, OR. The Oregon Shakespeare Festival announced that David Schmitz will become its fourth executive director in fall 2020. Schmitz succeeds Cynthia Rider, who held the position from 2013 through 2018, and Paul Christy, who became acting executive director in January 2019 and has been leading the Festival’s transition throughout the executive search period. Schmitz has worked at Steppenwolf Theatre for the past 15 years, serving in the role of Director of Finance and Administration, General Manager, Managing Director, and currently as Executive Director.
He takes over at a critical time for the organization, which just canceled its 2020 season. Since suspending performances on March 12th, OSF teams have been working to plan and schedule a 2021 season. OSF is also currently running a $5 million dollar critical relief fundraising campaign, Dare to Dream.
As the executive director of OSF, Schmitz will provide shared leadership with Artistic Director Nataki Garrett, enhance the role of philanthropy in the organization’s success, support ongoing artistic and education programming and impact, while overseeing all administrative functions, including development, marketing, facilities, and operations.
“The OSF Board of Directors is enormously pleased that David Schmitz will join us in September as our new executive director,” said Diane Yu, OSF board chair and chairperson of the executive search committee. “He is a consummate professional who has impressive breadth and depth of experience in all phases of theatre management—from finance to marketing to development to operations to community relations to theatre building.”
“David’s reputation and accomplishments working with theatre makers, artists, patrons, and partners in the arts, combined with an extraordinary sense for community building, precede him,” said Nataki Garrett, OSF artistic director. “I’m grateful for the breadth of experience he brings to OSF through a variety of pivotal leadership roles critical to ensuring the future of this organization for many years to come, including our current top priority to return transformative theatre to our stages in 2021.”
In the executive director role at Steppenwolf, Schmitz has led strategy and execution for all fundraising, marketing, and business-related activities. His work includes securing the necessary resources and institutional support for the world-famous ensemble to achieve their creative ambitions in the present and the future.
“I am thrilled to be named incoming executive director of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival and to begin this extraordinary partnership with Nataki Garrett, the OSF Board, its artists, staff, volunteers, and the entire community of Ashland, the Rogue Valley, and Southern Oregon,” said David Schmitz. “I’m equally inspired by the legacy and dedication of OSF’s audience, patrons, and supporters to become their partner at this unprecedented time in the world of live theatre.”
Schmitz’s stellar track record has won him widespread national acclaim for what he has accomplished at Steppenwolf. Under Schmitz’s leadership, Steppenwolf enjoyed significant growth in annual
fundraising, including a total increase in annual giving of 25% over his tenure as executive director, and forged significant partnerships with national foundations including the Wallace Foundation, Roy
Cockrum Foundation, and Doris Duke Charitable Foundation.
“David is well known for his strategic thinking and interpersonal and communication skills, and is committed to OSF’s core values, including inclusion and diversity,” added Yu.
Schmitz’s experience as an actor, designer, and director gives him a unique perspective into the artistic world and informs his approach to administration. During his tenure, Steppenwolf produced over 115 plays, which included the transfer of more than 20 productions to Broadway, regionally, and internationally, and was recognized as a Top Small Workplace by the Wall Street Journal. Schmitz is a founding member of Enrich Chicago (an organization working to end racism in the arts in Chicago) and was an initial participant in the Theatre Communications Group’s Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Institute.
About OSF
Founded by Angus Bowmer in 1935, the Oregon Shakespeare Festival (OSF) has grown from a three day festival of two plays to a nationally renowned theatre arts organization that presents an eight-month season of up to 11 plays including works by Shakespeare as well as a mix of classics, musicals, and world-premiere plays and musicals. OSF’s play-commissioning programs, which include American Revolutions: the United States History Cycle, have generated works that have been produced on Broadway, internationally, and at regional, community, and high school theatres across the country. The Festival draws attendance of upwards of 400,000 to more than 800 performances annually and employs 400 to 600 theatre professionals.
OSF invites and welcomes everyone, and believes the inclusion of diverse people, ideas, cultures, and traditions enriches both our insights into the work we present onstage and our relationships with each other. OSF is committed to equity and diversity in all areas of our work and in our audiences.
OSF’s mission statement: “Inspired by Shakespeare’s work and the cultural richness of the United States, we reveal our collective humanity through illuminating interpretations of new and classic plays, deepened by the kaleidoscope of rotating repertory.”
Support for OSF during COVID-19
Canceling the 2020 season has very real financial consequences for OSF. Since suspending performances on March 12, OSF teams have been working to plan and schedule a 2021 season. All 2020 ticketholders are invited to donate tickets or consider a voucher for use in 2021. Ticket donations and vouchers represent an investment in the future of OSF, the communities of Ashland and the Rogue Valley, and the importance of art and storytelling in a post-pandemic world. OSF is also currently running a $5 million dollar critical relief fundraising campaign, Dare to Dream.
While OSF can’t currently receive visitors on the campus, they welcome patrons to visit O!, a new interactive and immersive digital platform that extends the artistry and creativity of OSF to patrons, supporters, fans, and virtual communities everywhere. O! will be the world’s connection to OSF’s work throughout the COVID-19 pandemic closure, and will continue delivering the transformative power of theatre into the future.
Portland, OR. The Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI) transformed its annual Gala into a virtual evening called Celebrating Science. With the help of KGW-TV, the May 2nd virtual benefit met its original fundraising goal of more than $1 million dollars in contributions.
Over Zoom (pictured above) OMSI thanked sponsors in the top row, Presenting Sponsors Kimberly Cooper and Jon Jaqua of the Jon V. Jaqua and Kimberly B. Cooper Fund of the Oregon Community Foundation, Christine and David Vernier of Vernier Software & Technology. In the second row: Gina and Max Williams, Emily Karr, and Sally Bany. And in the third row: Chris and Jill Hall, Kristin Luck and Su Embree, and Janeese Jackson and Ross Lienhart. Fourth Row: Penny and Peter Serrurier, and Tom Liu and Holly Coit.
On camera, OMSI COO and Incoming President Erin Graham, Gala Chair Jordan Schnitzer, and OMSI President and CEO Nancy Stueber announce a demonstration to celebrate science with a bang.
OMSI Educator Meng Vue demonstrates a hydrogen balloon explosion during Celebrating Science.
During the Celebrating Science program, kids tour the water play area in the newly refreshed Science Playground at OMSI.
Jean Paul, Gregory Chaillé, and Adrienne Chaillé Celebrating Science with OMSI from home.
Innovating in response to the pandemic shutdown, OMSI partnered with KGW, Meyer Pro, and Sisbro Studios to broadcast and stream the Celebrating Science program, sharing entertaining science and inspiring curiosity with 500 Gala guests and the broader Oregon community.
Gala guests enjoyed Oregon snacks and fine wine from packages picked up at OMSI before the event and hosted Zoom tables to share the evening. Meanwhile, new community members joined existing donors as Sustaining Supporters of OMSI, with their contributions matched $200,000 by long-time OMSI partners. In Celebrating Science, OMSI’s talented educators ignited exciting explosions, led viewers on a “sneak peek” tour of two newly-constructed areas at OMSI—Science Playground and the Teen Tech Center—introduced insects and reptiles from the Life Sciences Hall, and presented an inspiring segment documenting the profound impact of OMSI statewide outreach programs, featuring a visit to rural Crane, Oregon. Viewers could call-in to become sustaining members and to purchase never-before offered OMSI experiences, such as a virtual program for a household with an OMSI educator.
OMSI leaders—including Nancy Stueber, who retires at the end of this month after 20 years as President and CEO, and current COO and Incoming President Erin Graham—along with Gala Chair and community leader Jordan Schnitzer, also made special appearances. OMSI has benefited from Stueber’s science background, focus on students and visitor experiences, knowledge of effective STEAM programs that inspire young learners, world-class exhibits, robust partnerships, community engagement, successful fundraising, team development and exemplary leadership throughout her tenure, and looks forward to building on these successes through the presidency of Graham.
OMSI celebrates the notion that everyone can be successful science learners. Funds raised through the Gala are used for OMSI’s multitude of programs, including current work in digital programming and emergency relief childcare for families of frontline workers. “We rely on the support of everyone in our region to help us continue to provide our unique services. Your support of any amount will help to make sure OMSI will always be here to welcome you and your family,” said Stueber.
David and Christine Vernier, co-founders of Vernier Software & Technology and long-time contributors to OMSI, discussed their ongoing support as Presenting Sponsors of the OMSI Gala 2020: Celebrating Science in this way: “Now more than ever, Oregon needs a scientifically literate community, and OMSI provides experiences that help people understand how science affects all of our lives. Through STEM education … we all become part of the solution to the most pressing issues of the 21st century.”
At the conclusion of the program, Graham gratefully expressed, “Thanks to the support of everyone watching, OMSI can continue to improve and deliver on our mission. We have always been a place by and for our community, and you all came together and proved that once again.”
Anyone can get involved and assist OMSI in its ongoing efforts to extend science-learning across Oregon and throughout the Pacific Northwest. Visit omsi.edu/donate or send an email to [email protected] for more information. To watch Celebrating Science again or share it with a friend, visit https://www.facebook.com/95214830735/videos/219530146015165/.
About OMSI: Our Mission The Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI) inspires curiosity through engaging science learning experiences, fosters experimentation and the exchange of ideas, and stimulates informed action. OMSI is an independent non-profit 501(c)(3) organization and relies on admissions, memberships, and donations to continue our educational mission, programs, and exhibits. More information at omsi.edu.
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