Mt. Hood Kiwanis Camp Raises Over $150,000 at In-Person Gala

Mt. Hood Kiwanis Camp Raises Over $150,000 at In-Person Gala

by | Apr 30, 2022 | Events, Features, News

West Linn, OR. On April 22nd, supporters of Mt. Hood Kiwanis Camp (MHKC) gathered both virtually and in-person to raise over $150,000. Funds raised at MHKC’s Auction & Gala go toward its mission of helping empower children and adults with developmental disabilities and provide equitable access to outdoor recreation. MHKC’s Emcee, Art Edwards & MHKC Board Member, Tammy Miller posed for a photo. (Photo credit, Justin Tucker)

Over 70 guests were in attendance at the Meteor Lounge at West Linn’s Youth Music Project while guests were able to also tuned in virtually. (Photo credit, Justin Tucker)

Special Appeal Honoree: Nell Carlson and her parents, Steve & Juanita Carlson

MHKC VIP In-Person event

Here’s a video about the camp:

From Mt. Hood Kiwanis Camp (MHKC):

There are few places where individuals with disabilities can spend a week joyfully focusing on their abilities. For over 85 years, Mt. Hood Kiwanis Camp (MHKC) has offered incredible outdoor recreational programming for campers with developmental, intellectual, and physical disabilities at its fully accessible 22-acre campsite in the Mt. Hood National Forest.

On any given summer day, our campers are catching fish, conquering their fear on the adventure course and zipline, splashing at the pool, riding a horse for the first time, whitewater rafting, paddling a canoe on Trillium Lake, and dancing the night away at campfire. Wheelchair accessible trails and innovations such as adaptive saddles, harnesses, and bicycles make the traditional camp experience available to all. Camp doesn’t just offer outdoor activities, it offers a chance for people with disabilities to make new friends and build community in a friendly, non-judgmental environment where they can feel empowered and included.

Each year, MHKC offers 8 weeks of Main Camp, where campers enjoy a one-to-one camper-counselor ratio with the option for outgroup adventures, including Trip & Travel, Tent & Travel, and Lakeside Camp where campers pitch tents on Trillium Lake, paddle canoes, go whitewater rafting and more. June brings the opportunity for new campers to experience MHKC through Family Camp, while experienced campers can come back to Camp in the snow through two weekend winter retreats.

As camper Renae told us: “At Camp, I can fly!”

St. Mary’s Academy Raises Over $1,000,000 at 34th Annual Gala

St. Mary’s Academy Raises Over $1,000,000 at 34th Annual Gala

by | Apr 30, 2022 | Events, Features, News

Portland, OR. St. Mary’s Academy hosted its annual gala on April 9th and raised over $1,000,000. Guests gathered in-person once again to support the young women of St. Mary’s Academy at the school’s 34th annual auction: The Future is Bright. Guests included Lee and Marilyn Whitaker, Virginia Mathews, and Judie Simpson. (Photo credit, Greg Kozawa)

Bob Harold, Patricia and John Cheney

2022 St. Mary’s Auction Co-Chairs: Wendy Chan, Kim Patterson, Jennifer Wallenberg, Heidi Bell

Karis Stoudamire-Phillips ’94 and friend

Caitlin Whitty ‘08, Ashley Whitty ’02, Mya Brazile ‘19

Kristen Russo ’95 and friends

Jessica Hickox Meyer ’94 and Greg Meyer

Karen and Terry Newsom, Jill Newsom

Sarah Bracelin, Emily Niedermeyer Becker ’86, Stephanie Simpson-Narin

Sr. Maureen Delaney SNJM, Sr. Mollie Reavis SNJM, Christina Friedhoff, Steve Percy, Tom Fink

The event featured entertainment, testimonials, and bidding on auction packages, including a Zac Brown Band VIP experience, a week stay in Paris, a South African safari adventure and a private dinner for 20 at Portland-favorite Papa Haydn. For the first time in event history, St. Mary’s hosted an after-party with music and dancing.Emily Niedermeyer Becker ’86, Vice President for Development, captured the feeling in the room, “It was a magical night filled with incredible generosity, support, excitement and fun. Our community loved being back together to celebrate our rich 162 years of all-girls, Catholic education in downtown Portland and committed over $1m in support to St. Mary’s Academy. The future certainly is bright for our students, faculty, staff and community.”This year’s five auction co-chairs were all St. Mary’s Academy moms, including Heidi Bell, mom to Caroline ’25; Wendy Chan, mom to Mia ’25; Mechell Hansen, mom to Grace ’22 and Amelia ’25; Kim Patterson, mom to Jenna ’24 and Alex ’26; and Jennifer Wallenberg, mom to Madeline ‘25. Chan shares the impact of St. Mary’s on young women, “Having a St. Mary’s education in today’s world is so important for developing students into powerful, compassionate and contributing members of a community. St. Mary’s helps young women discover their passions, know themselves and use their voices to effectuate change for the better.”During the live event, current faculty members, alumnae and sisters, Ashley Whitty ’02 and Caitlin Whitty ‘08, credited St. Mary’s for molding them into the women leaders and educators they are today. As mothers of girls, Ashley, a St. Mary’s English teacher, and Caitlin, Director of Service, know firsthand the challenges facing young women in today’s world. They dedicate their careers to St. Mary’s because they know they would not be the independent, confident and heart-forward women they are without their SMA education. For the Whitty sisters, working at St. Mary’s gives them a chance to give back to their school and make a meaningful investment in young women.This year’s event also included a champagne toast and tribute to President Christina Friedhoff who will be retiring at the end of this school year after 30 years of service. In announcing her retirement, Friedhoff shared, “Throughout my entire career at St. Mary’s Academy, my efforts were sustained and inspired by my deep belief in the potential of young women. That belief motivated me to want to do my best each and every day to distinguish the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary’s mission of all-female Catholic education. Partnering with talented faculty and staff, administrators, the Board of Directors, alumnae and families, I was part of achievements that further the unique mission of St. Mary’s Academy in downtown Portland.”The live event was preceded by a week-long silent auction with over 200 packages available for bidding. Additionally, St. Mary’s again held its much-anticipated raffles for a 2021 Land Rover Discovery Sport, a $5,000 travel gift certificate, and a pair of 3ctw+ Malka diamond hoop earrings. Participants could also purchase tickets for a “Golden Ticket,” allowing the winner to select their choice of any of the live auction packages.From St. Mary’s Academy:Located in the heart of downtown Portland, OR, St. Mary’s Academy is the state’s oldest continuously operating school and only all-girls school. Founded in 1859 by the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary, St. Mary’s Academy serves 660 young women in grades 9-12. The school’s college acceptance rate is 100% and SMA students achieve, excel and are recognized locally, regionally and nationally in academic fields, leadership, STEM, the arts, athletics, community service and extra- and co-curricular activities. www.smapdx.org

KeyBank Pledges $150,000 to Support Under-Represented Entrepreneurs

KeyBank Pledges $150,000 to Support Under-Represented Entrepreneurs

by | Apr 8, 2022 | Events, Features, News

Portland, OR. Minority entrepreneurs in the Portland metro area and other parts of Oregon and S.W. Washington are receiving a boost. At a press conference at MESO’s headquarters in Portland, KeyBank announced a $150,000 commitment to support the nonprofit Micro Enterprise Services of Oregon (MESO). Above, Josh Lyons chats with Cobi Lewis at grant announcement. (Photo credit, Antjuan LaShawn)

Tralice Lewis, owner of Callie’s Custom Hat Wigs, said when she opened her first store, it was the first Black-owned wig shop in Oregon.

The entrepreneur, Tralice Lewis, first heard about MESO in 2020 from relatives who are also MESO clients. Lewis received financial assistance from MESO and attended several its classes where she learned about marketing online and managing cash flow. “They give you all the tools you need to build your business,” said Lewis (no relation to Cobi Lewis). “MESO has guided me. They check in with me. They help me along the way with the process. I know without a shadow of a doubt that I could not have done this without MESO. That organization is amazing.”

It’s all smiles for the group including: MESO client Gaila Lusby, KeyBank exec Josh Lyons, MESO head Cobi Lewis, MESO client Tralice Lewis, MESO exec Jataune Hall.

The funds will be delivered during the next two years. The $150,000 will enable MESO to expand its technical assistance and financing to unbanked, under-represented entrepreneurs – especially Black and Latino – in Portland metro, rural Oregon communities and S.W. Washington. The services help disadvantaged entrepreneurs start new small businesses and assist existing ones to recover from the pandemic.The new gift increases the total KeyBank has donated to MESO to $440,000 since 2016. It is the most the bank has ever given to a community organization in Oregon and S.W. Washington.

“We love MESO and all it does to help our fellow community members succeed financially,” said Josh Lyons, KeyBank’s market president for Oregon and S.W. Washington and Commercial Banking leader. “Our mission is to help our communities thrive. Nowhere is that more important than in underserved communities that often lack access to business expertise and funding.”

“This time of year typically brings May showers, but we’ll always remember this April as the month that brought a huge gift to our organization,” said Cobi Lewis, MESO executive director. “This outstanding level of support from a partner such as KeyBank will strengthen our community by helping entrepreneurs.”MESO clients will participate in classes to gain skills and knowledge to create a strong business foundation. They will also have access to market research to identify industry and market trends and be eligible for no-interest credit builder loans.

“In addition, when participating entrepreneurs and their businesses are determined to be ready, they’ll receive access to affordable capital through our innovative forgivable loan program, thanks to this support from KeyBank,” Lewis added.

“We are delighted to again partner with MESO to help these industrious, small-scale entrepreneurs improve their communities through business development,” Lyons said. “We’ve seen how MESO’s proven model and comprehensive services can lead to increased revenue, business retention and loan repayment.”

Gaila Lusby from the woman-owned Momma G’s Soup sells her homemade soups and gluten-free baked goods to wholesale and retail clients. She, too, received financial support from MESO and attended all its business classes.

“I can’t say enough about what they’ve done,” said Lusby. “Without them I would not be where I am right now, not in a million years. The advice they’ve given me has been priceless.”About MESOMESO has an incredibly successful track record. Its results include:• 85% of its clients increase revenues between 30 and 1,600%.• 94% of its clients remain in business after graduating from MESO’s program.• $5,000,000 in matched savings to entrepreneurs through Individual Development Accounts.• $11,000,000 in loans to more than 900 borrowers since 2011, with an average loan size of $15,000 and a 1% default rate.• 56% of loans are placed in communities of color.For more information, visit www.mesopdx.org.About KeyCorpKeyCorp’s roots trace back nearly 200 years to Albany, N.Y. Headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, Key is one of the nation’s largest bank-based financial services companies, with assets of approximately $186.3 billion on Dec. 31, 2021. Key provides deposit, lending, cash management and investment services to individuals and businesses in 15 states under the name KeyBank National Association through a network of 1,000 branches and approximately 1,300 ATMs. Key also provides a broad range of sophisticated corporate and investment banking products, such as merger and acquisition advice, public and private debt and equity, syndications and derivatives to middle market companies in selected industries throughout the United States under the KeyBanc Capital Markets trade name. For more information, visit www.key.com. KeyBank is a Member of the FDIC.

Which Nonprofits Recieved MacKenzie Scott’s $12 Billion in Grants

Which Nonprofits Recieved MacKenzie Scott’s $12 Billion in Grants

by | Apr 8, 2022 | Events, Features, News

Portland, OR. MacKenzie Scott’s latest round of charitable giving brings the total she’s donated since her divorce from Jeff Bezos to more than $12 billion. Scott announced her most recent gifts in a Medium post listing, “465 non-profits converting $3,863,125,000 into meaningful services for others.”

Scott explains, “Our team’s focus over these last nine months has included some new areas, but as always our aim has been to support the needs of underrepresented people from groups of all kinds.”

The latest list of Scott’s recipients includes the home-building organization Habitat for Humanity, which received $436 million,

The latest list of Scott’s recipients also includes several regional branches of the women’s health group Planned Parenthood; agricultural education group the National 4-H Council; several chapters of Boys & Girls Clubs throughout the U.S.; several groups providing relief for Ukraine; several branches of the dropout prevention group Communities in Schools, and others.

In Scott’s latest set of donations, 60% of the recipient organizations were led by women, she wrote, noting that only a “tiny fraction” of global humanitarian assistance goes to “organizations focused on the disproportionate challenges experienced by women and girls.”

In the U.S., less than 2% of charitable giving goes to groups directly serving women and girls, according to research by Indiana University’s Lilly Family School of Philanthropy.

Scott finalized her split from Amazon AMZN, +0.35% founder Jeff Bezos in 2019, and she then became the world’s fourth wealthiest woman when she left the marriage with a 4% ownership stake in Amazon. That same year, along with her new husband Dan Jewett, Scott signed the Giving Pledge, a public promise to give away most of her wealth either in her lifetime or in her will.

She quickly started deploying her fortune in charitable gifts, and meanwhile, her net worth has swelled to an estimated $49 billion, according to Forbes.

Scott is a member of the Giving Pledge. When she signed the pledge, she said, “I have a disproportionate amount of money to share. My approach to philanthropy will continue to be thoughtful. It will take time and effort, and care. But I won’t wait. And I will keep at it until the safe is empty.” Despite its name, the pledge is not legally binding.

Scott works on who to give her funding to with The Bridgespan Group, a national nonprofit organization that advises charities and philanthropies, including prominent philanthropists like Bill Gates and Michael Bloomberg. Bridgespan will not take calls or interviews about their clients. It is unclear if the team of advisors to which she refers is one and the same as The Bridgespan Group, but many of us in the fundraising world believe it to be so.

Becoming a grant recipient is difficult according to the Nonprofit Quarterly:

  1. Many of the nonprofits that received an award had a strong pre-existing relationship with Scott.
  2. Yet, for many other nonprofits, the award came without warning. The awards are usually unrestricted, and the nonprofits simply received notice by email.
  3. MacKenzie Scott seems to be nonresponsive to traditional approaches (i.e., application processes) and operates much more like a Donor-Advised Fund (DAFs). As you probably know, DAFs are not public entities, so there’s no application process unless the donor decides to make the process public, which Scott has not chosen to do. A DAF is not a private foundation, nor does it operate as such. There are no required distributions as of yet, although there is proposed legislation to change that.
  4. Scott’s funding operation has no known address—or even a website.

At her blog, she refers to a “team of advisers” rather than a large, dedicated staff. Her team of advisors helps her give her wealth away faster. She writes that her team’s focus has been on “identifying organizations with strong leadership teams and results. Her priorities are to those operating in communities facing high projected food insecurity, high measures of racial inequity, high local poverty rates, and low access to philanthropic capital.” She describes the advisors here on her Medium blog. You can subscribe to her blog to receive her future posts.

Some nonprofit consultants like Laurence Pagnoni, the chairman of LAPA Fundraising, believe future grant recipients may include:

  • Equity-oriented nonprofits working in areas that have been neglected will get more support, including some truly transformative gifts.
  • High-impact nonprofits in categories and communities that have been historically underfunded and overlooked will take priority.
  • Scott is a firm believer that higher education is a proven pathway to opportunity, so 2- and 4-year institutions successfully educating students who come from communities that have been chronically underserved will receive significant funding.
  • Scott is concerned about discrimination against ethnic and religious minorities, so nonprofits bridging divides through interfaith support and collaboration will benefit.
  • Smaller arts organizations will be funded because they benefit artists and audiences from culturally rich regions and identity groups that donors often overlook.

In her own words, from MacKenzie Scott’s blog:

Helping Any of Us Can Help Us All

The increasing stridency of opinions in the news can be divisive. But lately, I’ve heard something different in it. Turned up so loud, all I can notice is how similar it all sounds. The universal tendency to shout is an ironic reminder of how much we all have in common, as well as encouraging evidence that we have what we need to solve our shared problems. It’s as if the antidote is right there waiting in all that venom. We are all human. And we all have enormous energy to devote to helping and protecting those we love.

It’s easy to think of different groups struggling within the same systems as not only separate but also opposing. Yet when we help one group, we often help them all. A growing body of research on this contains numerous examples — bike lanes designed to protect cyclists improving local retail sales and property values for everyone, seatbelt laws adopted to protect young children saving the lives of people of all ages, students of all ethnicities achieving better learning outcomes at schools that are racially diverse, workforce and education opportunities for women and girls leading to global economic growth. And those are just the positive ripple effects that can be easily counted. The dividends of changes in attitude each time disparate groups help each other are harder to trace. But the trend line is clear. Communities with a habit of removing obstacles for different subsets of people tend to get better for everyone.

Below is a list of gift recipients since my post in June, 465 non-profits converting $3,863,125,000 into meaningful services for others. Our team’s focus over these last nine months has included some new areas, but as always our aim has been to support the needs of underrepresented people from groups of all kinds. The cause of equity has no sides.

Nor can it have a single solution. Equity can only be realized when all people involved have an opportunity to help shape it. And even people who spend years learning about the same problem will disagree on the best approach. When our giving team focuses on any system in which people are struggling, we don’t assume that we, or any other single group, can know how to fix it. We don’t advocate for particular policies or reforms. Instead, we seek a portfolio of organizations that supports the ability of all people to participate in solutions. This means a focus on the needs of those whose voices have been underrepresented. It also means including others within the system who want to help improve it, harnessing insights and engagement from every role. Teachers, administrators, parents, and students. Incarcerated people, crime survivors, police officers, and the family members of them all. Veterans and refugees. Kids enrolled in public schools as well as charters. Rural students as well as urban ones. Affordable housing and job training for people in any geography. Healthcare for people with circumstances and beliefs of every kind. Very few solutions gain universal agreement. I don’t know the best outcome of each debate, but there’s heartening evidence that supporting the capacity of all people to be heard leads to better outcomes for all.

This belief in a diversity of voices also inspires our commitment to a vital category of leaders. The leadership of people directly experiencing inequities is essential, both because it is informed by insights no one else can contribute, and because it seeds power and opportunity within the community itself. Yet only a tiny fraction of global humanitarian assistance today is given directly to local and national organizations, and to organizations focused on the disproportionate challenges experienced by women and girls. Though we support many great organizations doing work for groups distant or different from their own, we invest extra time and money to elevate high-impact teams with leadership from the communities they’re serving. Approximately 60% of the organizations listed below are led by women, and 75% by people with lived experience in the regions they support and the issues they seek to address.

A belief in a diversity of voices drives my own communication choices as well. It’s what inspired me to override a personal preference for privacy and write a series of essays that bring attention to the work of these organizations. It’s what motivated my recent decision to invite them to speak for themselves first, if they want to, before I share their names. It’s what underlies my approach to press inquiries — respecting the autonomy and role of journalists by doing nothing to try to influence or control what they report. And it’s what governs the pace and design of the website we’re creating, which will go live only after it reflects the preferences of every one of these non-profit teams about how details of their gifts are shared.

We look forward to sharing the work of these remarkable organizations through this database of their gifts, 1257 to date since my pledge to give away this money with steadiness and care. Each non-profit it will list was selected through a rigorous process, and has a strong track record of serving under-supported needs. If you are looking for a way to serve humanity’s common cause, every one of them is a great candidate. Helping any of us can help us all.

A New Way of Life

Achievement Network

Active Minds

African Population and Health Research Center

African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF)

Alliance for a Healthier Generation

Amani Global Works

Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum

BellXcel

Benefits Data Trust

Bipartisan Policy Center

Black Teacher Collaborative

Black Women’s Health Imperative

Blue Meridian Partners — The Justice and Mobility Fund

Blue Star Families

Blue Ventures

Bob Woodruff Foundation

Boys & Girls Clubs of America

· Boys & Girls Club of Benton Harbor

· Boys & Girls Club of Collier County

· Boys & Girls Club of the Northern Neck

· Boys & Girls Club of the West Valley

· Boys & Girls Club of Whittier

· Boys & Girls Clubs of Acadiana

· Boys & Girls Clubs of Boston

· Boys & Girls Clubs of Carlsbad

· Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Florida

· Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Orange Coast

· Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Texas

· Boys & Girls Clubs of Chicago

· Boys & Girls Clubs of Dane County

· Boys & Girls Clubs of Edinburg Rio Grande Valley

· Boys & Girls Clubs of Fresno County

· Boys & Girls Clubs of Garden Grove

· Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Augusta

· Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Dallas

· Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater High Point

· Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee

· Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Oxnard and Port Hueneme

· Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater St. Louis

· Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Tarrant County

· Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Washington

· Boys & Girls Clubs of Hartford

· Boys & Girls Clubs of Lanier

· Boys & Girls Clubs of Manatee County

· Boys & Girls Clubs of Mercer County

· Boys & Girls Clubs of Miami-Dade

· Boys & Girls Clubs of Monterey County

· Boys & Girls Clubs of North Alabama

· Boys & Girls Clubs of North Central Georgia

· Boys & Girls Clubs of North Louisiana

· Boys & Girls Clubs of Northeast Florida

· Boys & Girls Clubs of Northeast Ohio

· Boys & Girls Clubs of Oklahoma County

· Boys & Girls Clubs of Puerto Rico

· Boys & Girls Clubs of Sonoma-Marin

· Boys & Girls Clubs of South County

· Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeast Virginia

· Boys & Girls Clubs of the Golden Triangle

· Boys & Girls Clubs of the Los Angeles Harbor

· Boys & Girls Clubs of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians

· Boys & Girls Clubs of the Mississippi Delta

· Boys & Girls Clubs of the Pee Dee Area

· Boys & Girls Clubs of the Peninsula

· Boys & Girls Clubs of the Seminole Tribe of Florida

· Boys & Girls Clubs of the Tar River Region

· Boys & Girls Clubs of the Three Affiliated Tribes

· Boys & Girls Clubs of the Twin Cities

· Boys & Girls Clubs of the Valley

· Boys & Girls Clubs of Toledo

· Boys & Girls Clubs of Tucson

· Boys & Girls Clubs of Wake County

· Boys & Girls Clubs of West San Gabriel Valley and Eastside

· Cherokee Youth Center

· Kips Bay Boys & Girls Club

· Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina Boys & Girls Clubs

· Marguerite Neel Williams Boys & Girls Clubs of Southwest Georgia

· Red Lake Nation Boys & Girls Club

· The Antelope Valley Boys & Girls Club

· White Earth Nation Boys & Girls Clubs

BRAC

Branch Alliance for Educator Diversity

BrazilFoundation

CARE — Ukraine relief efforts

Center for Black Educator Development

Center for Disaster Philanthropy — Ukraine Humanitarian Crisis Recovery Fund

Center for Health Care Strategies

Center for Law and Social Policy

Center for Rural Strategies

Center for Science in the Public Interest

Center for Tech and Civic Life

ChangeLab Solutions

Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science

Child Mind Institute

Child Trends

Children’s Home Society of North Carolina

Children’s Home Society of Washington

Choose Love — Ukraine relief efforts

Citizen Schools

City Year

Clean Slate Initiative

Climate Justice Resilience Fund

ClimateWorks Foundation — Drive Electric Campaign

Code for America

Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL)

Collaborative for Gender + Reproductive Equity

Common Justice

Communities for Just Schools Fund

Communities In Schools National

· Communities In Schools — Bay Area

· Communities In Schools of Atlanta

· Communities In Schools of Benton-Franklin

· Communities In Schools of Cape Fear

· Communities In Schools of Central Texas

· Communities In Schools of Charlotte-Mecklenburg

· Communities In Schools of Chicago

· Communities In Schools of East Texas

· Communities In Schools of Eastern Pennsylvania

· Communities In Schools of Georgia

· Communities In Schools of Greater Tarrant County

· Communities In Schools of Hampton Roads

· Communities In Schools of Houston

· Communities In Schools of Indiana

· Communities In Schools of Los Angeles (CISLA)

· Communities In Schools of Memphis

· Communities In Schools of Michigan

· Communities In Schools of Mid-America

· Communities In Schools of Nevada

· Communities In Schools of North Carolina

· Communities In Schools of North Texas

· Communities In Schools of Northwest Michigan

· Communities In Schools of NOVA

· Communities In Schools of Ohio

· Communities In Schools of Palm Beach County

· Communities In Schools of Peninsula

· Communities In Schools of Pennsylvania

· Communities In Schools of Renton-Tukwila

· Communities In Schools of San Antonio

· Communities In Schools of South Carolina

· Communities In Schools of South Central Texas

· Communities In Schools of Southeast Texas

· Communities In Schools of Southwest Virginia

· Communities In Schools of Tennessee

· Communities In Schools of the Big Country

· Communities In Schools of the Dallas Region

· Communities In Schools of the Heart of Texas

· Communities In Schools of the South Plains

· Communities In Schools of Virginia

· Communities In Schools of Washington

Community Catalyst

Community Justice Exchange — National Bail Fund Network

Community Organizing and Family Issues

Conectas Direitos Humanos

Convergence Center for Policy Resolution

Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption

de Beaumont Foundation — Vose River Charitable Fund

DigDeep

Digital Promise

Diverse Elders Coalition

Education Law Center

Education Leaders of Color

EL Education

Equal Justice Initiative

Equal Opportunity Schools

Equality Now

Essie Justice Group

exalt

Fines and Fees Justice Center

Firelight Foundation

First Responders Children’s Foundation

Fondo Centroamericano de Mujeres

Fondo de Mujeres del Sur

FoodCorps

Forward Promise

Fountain House

Four Oaks Family and Children’s Services

FRIDA | The Young Feminist Fund

Friendship Bench

Fugees Family

Fund for Global Human Rights

Fundo Baobá

Fundo Brasil de Direitos Humanos (Brazil Human Rights Fund)

Fundo Casa Socioambiental

Fundo ELAS

Gerando Falcões

Glasswing International

Global Citizen Year

Global Health Corps

Grassroots International

Guttmacher Institute

Habitat for Humanity International

· Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity

· Atlanta Habitat for Humanity

· Austin Habitat for Humanity

· Chipola Area Habitat for Humanity

· Columbus Area Habitat for Humanity

· Dallas Area Habitat for Humanity

· DuPage Habitat for Humanity

· Edisto Habitat for Humanity

· Fayetteville Area Habitat for Humanity

· Flower City Habitat for Humanity

· Genesee County Habitat for Humanity

· Golden Crescent Habitat for Humanity

· Greater Des Moines Habitat for Humanity

· Gwinnett/Walton Habitat for Humanity

· Habitat for Humanity Central Arizona

· Habitat for Humanity Chicago

· Habitat for Humanity Choptank

· Habitat for Humanity East Central Ohio

· Habitat for Humanity for Georgetown County, SC

· Habitat for Humanity Greater Orlando & Osceola County

· Habitat for Humanity Greater Peoria Area

· Habitat for Humanity Greater San Francisco

· Habitat for Humanity Inland Valley

· Habitat for Humanity La Crosse Area

· Habitat for Humanity Las Vegas

· Habitat for Humanity Maui

· Habitat for Humanity MetroWest/Greater Worcester

· Habitat for Humanity of Broward

· Habitat for Humanity of Buffalo

· Habitat for Humanity of Catawba Valley

· Habitat for Humanity of Clallam County

· Habitat for Humanity of Coastal Fairfield County

· Habitat for Humanity of Craven County

· Habitat for Humanity of Durham

· Habitat for Humanity of Dutchess County

· Habitat for Humanity of Greater Charlottesville

· Habitat for Humanity of Greater Cincinnati

· Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles

· Habitat for Humanity of Greater Memphis

· Habitat for Humanity of Greater Miami

· Habitat for Humanity of Greater Newark

· Habitat for Humanity of Greater Newburgh

· Habitat for Humanity of Greater Pittsburgh

· Habitat for Humanity of Greater Sacramento

· Habitat for Humanity of Greater Sioux Falls

· Habitat for Humanity of Hillsborough County

· Habitat for Humanity of Metro Denver

· Habitat for Humanity of Oakland County

· Habitat for Humanity of Omaha

· Habitat for Humanity of Orange County, NC

· Habitat for Humanity of Pinellas & West Pasco Counties

· Habitat for Humanity of South Central New Jersey

· Habitat for Humanity of Suffolk

· Habitat for Humanity of Summit County

· Habitat for Humanity of the Charlotte Region

· Habitat for Humanity of the NC Sandhills

· Habitat for Humanity of the St. Vrain Valley

· Habitat for Humanity of Tuscaloosa

· Habitat for Humanity of Washington, D.C.

· Habitat for Humanity of York County

· Habitat for Humanity Philadelphia

· Habitat for Humanity Portland Region

· Habitat for Humanity Seattle–King & Kittitas Counties

· Habitat for Humanity Seminole-Apopka

· Habitat for Humanity Susquehanna

· Habitat for Humanity-MidOhio

· Houston County Habitat for Humanity

· Houston Habitat for Humanity

· Kaua’i Habitat For Humanity

· Lafayette Habitat for Humanity

· Loudon County Habitat for Humanity

· Milwaukee Habitat for Humanity

· New Orleans Area Habitat for Humanity

· Paterson Habitat for Humanity

· Richmond Metropolitan Habitat for Humanity

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· Southern Crescent Habitat for Humanity

· Sussex County Habitat for Humanity

· Tacoma/Pierce County Habitat for Humanity

· Topeka Habitat for Humanity

· Trinity Habitat for Humanity

· Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity

· Waco Habitat for Humanity

· Wichita Habitat for Humanity

Headstrong Project

Health Leads

Healthy Learners

HIAS — Ukraine relief efforts

Hire Heroes USA

Housing Assistance Council

iCivics

iFoster

Impact Justice

Innocence Project

Institute for Educational Leadership

Institute for Native Pacific Education and Culture

Instituto Dara

Instituto Rodrigo Mendes

Instituto Sou da Paz

Instruction Partners

International Association of Chiefs of Police

International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b)

International Refugee Assistance Project

Ipso — International Psychosocial Organisation

JASS

Justice Defenders

Justice in Aging

KABOOM!

Kawerak

Kenya Community Development Foundation

KFF

Kingmakers of Oakland

Landesa

Last Mile Health

Latinos for Education

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Leading Educators

LEAP Africa

Learning Policy Institute

Legal Action Center

Lemann Foundation

Living Goods

MADRE

MakeWay

Malala Fund

Maliasili

Mama Cash

MDC

Measures for Justice

Meharry Medical College

Micronesia Conservation Trust

Migrant Clinicians Network

myAgro

National 4-H Council

National Association of Community Health Centers

National Association of Police Athletic/Activities Leagues

National Birth Equity Collaborative

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National Collaborative for Health Equity

National Compadres Network

National Council for Mental Wellbeing

National Council on Aging

National Hispanic Council on Aging

National Indian Council on Aging

National Indian Education Association

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National Medical Fellowships

National Policing Institute

National Rural Health Association

New Leaders

New Pluralists Collaborative

New Teacher Center

NewSchools Venture Fund

Nexleaf Analytics

Nia Tero

Noora Health

Norwegian Refugee Council — Ukraine relief efforts

Nossas

Notah Begay III Foundation

NPower

Nurse-Family Partnership

Operation Homefront

Organizer Zero

OutRight Action International — Ukraine relief efforts

Partners for Dignity & Rights

Pastoral Women’s Council

Pawanka Fund

Penn Center

PHI

Planned Parenthood Federation of America

· Planned Parenthood Association of Utah

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· Planned Parenthood of the St. Louis Region & Southwest Missouri

· Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin

· Planned Parenthood South Atlantic

· Virginia League for Planned Parenthood

Playworks

Police Executive Research Forum

Politize! — Instituto de Educação Política

Pressley Ridge

Prevention Institute

Project ECHO at the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center

Projeto Saúde e Alegria

Prospera International Network of Women’s Funds

Public Allies

Purposeful

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Recidiviz

Redes da Maré

Rethink New Orleans

RI International

Rights and Resources Initiative

RISE Colorado

Rising Ground

Root Capital

Saga Education

SAJIDA Foundation

Samdhana Institute

Schott Foundation for Public Education

SELCO Foundation

Shatterproof

Sightsavers

Silver Lining Mentoring

SisterSong National Women of Color Reproductive Justice Collective

Sociedad Peruana de Derecho Ambiental

Socio-Economic Rights Institute of South Africa

Southeast Asia Resource Action Center (SEARAC)

Southern Education Foundation

Stand for Children Leadership Center

Student Experience Research Network

Student Veterans of America

Surge Institute

Talent Beyond Boundaries

TalkingPoints

Teaching Lab

Team Red, White & Blue

Team Rubicon

Tenure Facility

The Anti-Recidivism Coalition

The END Fund

The Fortune Society

The High Resolves Group

The Jed Foundation

The Literacy Lab

The Memphis Lift

The Mission Continues

The Oakland REACH

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The Steve Fund

TNTP

Transcend

Transitions Clinic Network

Trust for America’s Health

Trust for Indigenous Culture and Health (TICAH)

Tunnel to Towers Foundation

UnboundEd

United States of Care

United Way Worldwide

Upstream USA

Urban Teachers

Urgent Action Fund — Urgent Response Fund for Ukraine

Vera Institute of Justice

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VillageReach

Warrior-Scholar Project

Wayfinder Foundation

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Women Win

Women’s Fund Asia

Woodwell Climate Research Center

Workshops for Warriors

World Mosquito Program

Wounded Warrior Project

Young People in Recovery

Youth Development and Empowerment Initiative

Youth Guidance

Youth Villages

YouthBuild

Bybee Lakes Hope Center Expands to Support Portland’s Houseless Community

Bybee Lakes Hope Center Expands to Support Portland’s Houseless Community

by | Apr 2, 2022 | Events, Features, News

Portland, OR. Bybee Lakes Hope Center (BLHC) announced the grand opening of its newly renovated space in North Portland. The BLHC expansion doubles the bed capacity and adds new services to continue the center’s mission of providing support to people experiencing houselessness in the Portland metro area. The expansion includes new dorms and wraparound services for participants, including families and members of the LGBTQIA+ community. With the renovation, BLHC can now house and support 318 people at time, up to 4,700 participants per year, in a trauma-informed, data-driven, person-centered manner. This includes crisis management, case management, resource navigation and a customized Individual Reentry Plan based on each participant’s unique story and lived experience.

Donor Jordan Schnitzer sees the center as a long-term solution and possibly a model for other communities. 

Along with its increased bed capacity, Bybee Lakes Hope Center at the Jordan Schnitzer Campus now offers a new dorm for LGBTQIA+ participants, who are at a higher risk of experiencing houselessness as youth and adults, and a professional kitchen with vocational training to help participants with employment opportunities. Below are some photos of the newly renovated spaces.

Future plans include:

  • On-site dog kennel and dog run with volunteer veterinarian services
  • Raised bed gardens and increased educational opportunities in their three-acre therapeutic garden with orchard and exercise paths
  • Two playground/play areas for children and families
  • Daycare and preschool services for working parents
  • Medical, dental, mental and behavioral health care
  • Nutrition education classes to teach cooking skills including how to cook for healthy living

“Bybee Lakes Hope Center’s individualized model for transitional housing has proven to be successful, and is an example that could be applied nationwide,” said Alan Evans, founder and CEO of Helping Hands, who was homeless for over 25 years. “We’re helping people get off the streets and out of an unsafe environment, and giving them the support they need to be successful after they transition out of the center.”

The expansion was made possible with contributions from many local donors and organizations, including a $1.2 million donation from United Way of the Columbia-Willamette (UWCW).

“We were very fortunate to be in a position to make this substantial grant, to support the final transformation of this facility which can now serve so many more in our community,” said Cindy Adams, president and CEO of UWCW. “UWCW is committed to housing stability, a key contributor to health, employment and education outcomes. Providing safe and stable housing for people in need is one tenet of our Resilient Families focus.”

About Bybee Lakes Hope Center:

Bybee Lakes Hope Center (BLHC) is a transitional housing facility in the Portland Metro area led by Alan Evans, who was homeless for over 25 years. BLHC opened in 2020 after local philanthropist, Jordan Schnitzer, donated the land to Helping Hands Reentry Outreach Centers. For more information, please visit: https://helpinghandsreentry.org/bybee-lakes-hope-center.

About United Way:

For more than one hundred years, United Way of the Columbia-Willamette has been working to meet the needs of vulnerable families. No matter the crisis, we have always remained steadfast to our commitment to LIVE UNITED. Together, we are helping our community recover and become more resilient, while building a more inclusive and equitable region where all families have the resources and opportunities to thrive. For more information and to get involved, please visit www.unitedway-pdx.org.

Assistance League Raises Over $48,000 With Online Auction

Assistance League Raises Over $48,000 With Online Auction

by | Apr 2, 2022 | Events, Features, News

Beaverton, OR. Assistance League fans are all smiles over their recent fundraising campaign. A week-long online auction and fund drive, launched on March 27th, raised over $48,000. Organizers say they’re still taking donations.

Accustomed to holding a spring fashion show and luncheon, Assistance League of Greater Portland made a successful mid-pandemic pivot with a smart virtual event in 2021 and geared up to do it again with its “No Fooling” theme. Assistance League is working to surpass the $80,000 raised last year and before the event had already raised $21,500 in pledged in matching funds.

The online auction featured shoes signed by the Portland Trail Blazer’s Damien Lillard. The auction also included Portland Thorns’s Emily Menges, a Portland Timbers team signed ball, vacation packages, gift baskets, and more.

The fundraiser was built on last year’s success, and featured videos of local personality Poison Waters (aka Kevin Cook), who as the drag queen has emceed the event for over ten years.

Recently Cook wrote in an email interview, “I feel like I’ve been part of the family forever.” What’s so special about Assistance League? Cook replied, “ I grew up in a very low-income family and know firsthand what it’s like to not have the basics needed to succeed in school. Operation School Bell [Assistance League’s program for disadvantaged kids] is amazing!”

The Assistance League Thrift and Consignment Shop (and its offices) are located at 4000 SW 117th Avenue in Beaverton. The shop is currently open Thursdays and Saturdays, noon to 4 pm.

From Assistance League of Greater Portland:

All donations remain in the local community, helping to fund the organization’s four programs: Operation School Bell® provides new clothes to boost the self-esteem of kids in need; organized activities are offered to youth at Cordero Residential Treatment House; Assault Survivor Kits® provides comfortable, fresh clothing to survivors leaving emergency care; and Assistance League’s newest program, Scholarships in the Trades, provides funds for tools, books, and tuition for students in Portland Community College’s trades programs.
Donations to Assistance League’s No Fooling fundraiser can be made online at https://portland.assistanceleague.org, or by mail.

For more information visit https://portland.assistanceleague.org. Business supporters include O’Donnell Law Firm, LLC, Franz Bakery Foundation, NW Natural, OnPoint Community Credit Union and Albina Co., Inc.

Rose Festival Officials Prepare for a Full-Fledged Festival in 2022

Rose Festival Officials Prepare for a Full-Fledged Festival in 2022

by | Mar 19, 2022 | Events, Features, News

Portland, OR. After a two-year absence from their Waterfront Park offices, Rose Festival officials, including Rose Festival CEO Jeff Curtis, are opening up their boarded-up offices on SW Natio Parkway.

The windows looking out on Waterfront park have been covered since March 2020.

Rose Festival staff members have been splitting time between working from home and working out of the office since the pandemic closed up downtown Portland in 2020, but with the Festival on track for a full return this spring, staff members are eager to get the team back together planning a ‘Rose City Reunion’ with three big parades and CityFair at Waterfront Park.

The Rose Festival Court is also complete with the Princesses for 2022. The Court was announced between February 28 and March 18.

Official say, “Congratulations to these fifteen outstanding young women, who will represent their schools at the 2022 Rose Festival and during their community outreach leading up to it. Each Princess has earned a $3,500 scholarship, thanks to the generosity of The Randall Group. A special thanks goes out to the Royal Rosarian Foundation for their support of Court outreach.”

You can Learn more about the Princesses by checking out their bios and speeches here. This year, there were a mix of in-person announcements and live stream announcements on the Rose Festival’s YouTube Channel. You can still view the video recordings of the live stream announcements here.

Find out which Princess will be crowned Queen of Rosaria at the Queen’s Coronation presented by Unitus Community Credit Union on June 10, 2022.

 

Rose Haven Opens New Day Shelter in Northwest Portland

Rose Haven Opens New Day Shelter in Northwest Portland

by | Mar 19, 2022 | Events, Features, News

Portland, OR. Rose Haven celebrated the grand opening of its newly constructed and expanded shelter and community center on March 8th. Rose Haven runs Portland’s only day shelter and community center, serving women, children and gender non-conforming people who need help. Up until now, it has been operating in about 3000 square feet in the basement of a building. With the help of design company Gensler Portland, the nonprofit converted what used to be a coffee shop and roasting facility, into a 10,000 square feet day shelter.

The nonprofit has provided help for women and children since 2007.

The new facility on the corner of Northwest 18th and Glisan Street will allow the nonprofit to double the number of people — women, children, and marginalized genders — that they serve. Rose Haven provides restrooms, showers, meals, a space for mail distribution, device charging, and special outdoor activities.

The expansion comes at a critical time as more people have been forced outside amid pandemic restrictions over the last two years. “Home for the Haven” was a $3 million campaign centered around the new facility, enabling Rose Haven to build its dream home, bring guests back indoors, reestablish programs, and increase capacity to welcome and serve more community members.

The new facility has a clothing store.

As a community based organization, Rose Haven that includes guests, agency partners, volunteers, staff, donors and stakeholders.

Rose Haven’s new space includes a welcoming intake and reception area, guest services area, activity rooms, prep-kitchen and pantry, community dining room, wellness area with showers, laundry and medic room, and a boutique-inspired area where guests can select donated clothing items. Offices and workspaces for Rose Haven’s team of directors, advocates, and volunteers will also be incorporated into the design.

From Rose Haven:

Rose Haven is a day shelter and community center serving women, children and gender non-conforming folks experiencing the trauma of abuse, loss of home and other disruptive life challenges. We break the cycle of homelessness by providing meals, clothing, first aid, mailing addresses, hygiene, restrooms, showers as well as educational programs and guidance through medical and social services. By meeting basic needs and building trust, we empower our guests to explore long-term change.

Doernbecher Raises $568,000 With Nike Freestyle XVII Benefit

Doernbecher Raises $568,000 With Nike Freestyle XVII Benefit

by | Mar 18, 2022 | Events, Features, News

Portland, OR. Zoe designed the ‘Nike Dunk Low’ for the Nike Freestyle XVII collection. An alternate colorway (one of two pairs in the world) was up for auction on eBay, along with other rare products. On March 5th Nike and OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital raised $568,000 with the annual event. Since 2004, the partnership has raised nearly $31 million.

Ayman’s Doernbecher Freestyle collection shoes were auctioned off. Only two people in the world own these Nike Blazer Mid ’77 sneakers (and Nike Mercurial Superfly 8 Elite FG boots), both were signed by Portuguese soccer star, Cristiano Ronaldo.

There were seven exclusive Doernbecher Freestyle XVII collections up for auction.

About Doernbecher:

Doernbecher Children’s Hospital is an academic teaching children’s hospital associated with Oregon Health & Science University located in Portland, Oregon. Established in 1926, it is the first full-service children’s hospital in the Pacific Northwest, and provides full-spectrum pediatric care.

Here’s a video about the work done by Doernbecher:

 

Red Cross and Mercy Corps Provide Humanitarian Aid in Ukraine

Red Cross and Mercy Corps Provide Humanitarian Aid in Ukraine

by | Feb 27, 2022 | Events, Features, News

Portland, OR. As war erupts in Ukraine, the Red Cross is vowing continued support for the at-risk families in the region. International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has been on the ground for years, delivering urgent assistance — food, fuel for heating, medical supplies, and support for housing — to those living close to the line of contact in eastern Ukraine. The Red Cross also supports U.S. Military families in the area.

The International Red Cross is boots on the ground helping those who are injured in Ukraine.

The combination of cold temperatures, COVID-19 and chronic uncertainty made basic needs a challenge in recent years. Red Cross teams now in Ukraine will continue their work to repair vital infrastructure, support health facilities with medicines and equipment, and support families with food and hygiene items.

Women and children walk in eastern Slovakia after fleeing the conflict in neighboring Ukraine. Peter Lazar / AFP

“We already see the immediate consequences for civilians, with the latest intensification triggering new displacement,” International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) President Peter Maurer said, noting that residents have already endured eight years of conflict. “Now I fear increased suffering, with the potential of massive casualty numbers and extensive destruction of civilian objects like water and electricity plants, as well as mass displacement, trauma, family separation, and missing persons,” Maurer said.

The Role of the American Red Cross

In line with its work supporting military families, the American Red Cross is sending 30 trained staff to Europe to support the emergency communication needs of US military members. The Red Cross Hero Care Network is a Congressionally-chartered program that connects service members and their families in times of need.

Red Crossers are also distributing comfort kits, containing hygiene items and other necessities to service members and U.S. State Department staff.

Blood Services

At this time, the American Red Cross is not shipping blood products to Ukraine. The American Red Cross does not ship blood products outside the U.S. without a specific request from the U.S. Department of State, from the United Nations, or unless we have a request from affected Red Cross or Red Crescent societies abroad. (Donations of

International Humanitarian Law 

ICRC called on authorities to adhere to international humanitarian law and to protect civilians and infrastructure delivering essential services, including power and water facilities, schools and hospitals. Maurer requested protection for humanitarian action so that aid actors like the Ukrainian Red Cross, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), and the wider Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement can maintain access to civilians.

Assistance Contacting Family

Those unable to get in touch with US citizens missing in Ukraine or Russia should contact the US Department of State Overseas Citizen Services Office online or at 1-888-407-4747.

About the American Red Cross:

The American Red Cross shelters, feeds, and provides comfort to victims of disasters; supplies about 40% of the nation’s blood; teaches skills that save lives; distributes international humanitarian aid; and supports veterans, military members, and their families. The Red Cross is a nonprofit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to deliver its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or cruzrojaamericana.org, or visit us on Twitter at @RedCross.

You can donate by clicking here.

Another nonprofit is also planning outreach and asking for donations.

From Mercy Corps:

Mercy Corps is deeply concerned about the humanitarian catastrophe in Ukraine and the surrounding area that is now unfolding, and threatening many lives and livelihoods. We see risks of food shortages and huge numbers of women, men, and children forced to flee from their homes. The destruction of infrastructures like hospitals and health services could lead to a rapid spread of diseases, including COVID-19.

Mercy Corps is mobilizing a team to the region to assess where help is most needed. We anticipate providing emergency cash assistance as well as supporting local organizations that know their community needs best. Mercy Corps provided humanitarian assistance in Ukraine following the 2014 conflict, helping over 200,000 people with emergency cash, food, water, and sanitation supplies.

All over the world, Mercy Corps works alongside communities to help families affected by disasters, conflict, and climate change. Your gift today to our Humanitarian Response Fund can help us meet the immediate needs of those facing crises like the current catastrophe in Ukraine, and in 40+ countries across the globe, working to build a future where everyone can prosper.

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