Portland, April, 25th, 2015. More than 2,000 local Comcast NBC Universal employees and their families, friends and community partnered across Oregon and SW Washington joined forces to “make change happen.” There were several projects including the region’s flagship effort at Glenfair Elementary School in NE Portland with more than 315 volunteers. Other Portland projects were held with Binky Patrol, Friends of Zenger Farm, Children’s Book Bank, Hacienda CDC, Oregon Food Bank, and Native American Youth and Family Center.
More than 315 volunteers help Glenfair Elementary on Comcast Cares Day. Projects included outdoor gardening and landscaping.
Meaghan Heupel, among more than 90 volunteers, gardens at Native American Youth and Family Center on Comcast Cares Day. (Photo by Kim Hansen.)
Comcast Cares Day volunteers Leo Harbo, Tiana Sablan, and Louanne Mendiola garden at Glenfair Elementary. Photo by Aaron Hockley.
Comcast Cares Day, which takes place each April during National Volunteer Month, is Comcast NBCUniversal’s companywide celebration of its year-round commitment to service and the nation’s largest single-day corporate volunteer effort in the country. This year, more than 90,000 Comcast and NBCUniversal volunteers participated in more than 750 projects across the country and around the globe. To date, volunteers have contributed more than 3.7 million service hours to improve nearly 6,000 projects in the U.S. and around the world since Comcast Cares Day started in 2001.
“Comcast Cares Day was a huge success with more than 2,000 volunteers in Oregon & SW Washington. I am grateful for everyone who made change happen in our schools and communities,” said Rodrigo Lopez, regional senior vice president for Comcast. “Not only did our employees come out, but so did volunteers from the project sites and community partner groups such as United Way of the Columbia-Willamette, Hands On Greater Portland, SOLVE, Urban League of Portland, Adelante Mujeres, Big Brothers Big Sisters Columbia Northwest, Friends of Trees, and Girls Inc. of Northwest Oregon. It is heartwarming to see the significant impact we can make together in just one day, and it is inspiring to see and hear how volunteers make a difference all year long.”
The Comcast Foundation will also provide grants to local community partner organizations across the country on behalf of everyone who volunteers on Comcast Cares Day. The grants will help Comcast’s community partners continue their mission of serving the community throughout the year. To date, the Comcast Foundation has awarded more than $16 million in grants to local non-profit organizations who have partnered with us on Comcast Cares Day. Comcast has been committed to serving local communities since our founding more than 50 years ago. For more information on Comcast’s volunteer and community investment initiatives, visit www.comcast.com/community.
About Comcast Corporation
Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA, CMCSK) is a global media and technology company with two primary businesses, Comcast Cable and NBCUniversal. Comcast Cable is the nation’s largest video, high-speed Internet and phone provider to residential customers under the XFINITY brand and also provides these services to businesses. NBCUniversal operates news, entertainment and sports cable networks, the NBC and Telemundo broadcast networks, television production operations, television station groups, Universal Pictures and Universal Parks and Resorts. Visit www.comcastcorporation.com for more information.
About the Comcast Foundation
The Comcast Foundation was founded by Comcast Corporation in June 1999 to provide charitable support to qualified nonprofit organizations. The Foundation primarily invests in programs intended to have a positive, sustainable impact on their communities. The Foundation has three community investment priorities—promoting community service, expanding digital literacy, and building tomorrow’s leaders. Since its inception, the Comcast Foundation has donated nearly $158 million to organizations in the communities nationwide that Comcast serves. More information about the Foundation and its programs is available at www.comcast.com/community.
Portland, September 13th, 2014 The Columbia northwest chapter of Big Brothers Big Sisters has unofficially set a world record. Described as the World’s BIGGEST Hopscotch, nearly a thousand participants gathered at the Rose Quarter Commons to set a new Guinness World Record for the world’s biggest game of hopscotch. The festivities began at 11 a.m. and more than 1,000 people took part in the history-making game of hopscotch, including 380 “Bigs” and “Littles.”
The community was invited to join in the record-setting activity, as well as to learn about the local program and support Big Brothers Big Sisters and the children they serve in the region.
The Hopscotch event was free to Big Brothers Big Sisters Matches and their families and only costs $25 for others to join in the fun.
Since 1904, Big Brothers Big Sisters of America has helped millions of young people reach their potential by providing them with the positive presence of a caring adult.For years, Portland was the only metropolitan area in the United States without a thriving Big Brothers Big Sisters program. For more than eight years, Big Brothers Big Sisters provided mentoring programs to local children through the Urban League of Portland. Administered by five family centers and funded primarily by Multnomah County, the program served up to 140 children annually. In 1999, facing a loss of county funding, the Urban League closed many of its youth services programs, including Big Brothers Big Sisters.Following the closure of the program, five Big Brothers Big Sisters volunteers launched an initiative to establish an independent and sustainable organization to serve Multnomah, Clackamas and Washington counties. This group of volunteers devoted substantial time, energy and personal resources to build a solid foundation for the program, winning support from former program staff, prospective mentors and local parents. By 2001, the group incorporated as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and went on to raise sufficient funds to satisfy requirements and became a fully affiliated Big Brothers Big Sisters agency.In April 2002, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metropolitan Portland began matching children facing adversity with mentors in one-to-one, long-term relationships. The agency added the School-Based Mentoring Program in the fall of 2003. That same year, the agency introduced Amachi, creating specialized mentoring services for children with an incarcerated parent. Branch offices in Washington and Clackamas counties were opened in 2004.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southwest Washington and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metropolitan Portland merged in July 2006, adding the service territory of Clark, Cowlitz, Skamania, and Wahkiakum counties as well as a branch office in Vancouver — becoming Big Brothers Big Sisters Columbia Northwest. The new agency has grown to become the largest provider of professionally supported one-to-one mentoring on the West Coast, and the ninth largest Big Brothers Big Sisters in the country.
Our exceptional growth and high quality programs have earned us the national 2005 Big Brothers Big Sisters Agency of the Year, and 2007 Exceptional Mentoring Program awards. From 2007 through 2014 Big Brothers/Big Sisters Columbia Northwest has consistently been voted one of the 10 most admired non-profit organizations in the State. In 2010, the agency launched Beyond School Walls: a work-place mentoring program.
In 2011, the agency launched Sports Buddies and Second Chance.
In 2012, the agency launched the Apoyo Program, a partnership with Washington County Mental Health Services to bring a Big Brother or Sister to a child who is currently receiving mental health services. In March, The Board of Directors of Big Brothers Big Sisters Columbia Northwest named Andy Nelson as the agency’s new Chief Executive Officer.
Lafayette, Oregon, August 24th, 2013. Kyle Eisele, Brittney Wright, Duck Pond Cellars owners Scott and Lisa Jenkins and Steve and Angie Wright joined over 200 local Big Brothers Big Sisters Supporters at the Second Annual Perfect Pairings benefit. The fundraiser, hosted by The Stoller Family Estate and Duck Pond Cellars, paired elegant cuisine and wines to raise money for Big Brothers Big Sisters Columbia Northwest. Dinner was provided by Food and Wine Best New Chef 2012 Jenn Louis of Lincoln Restaurant.
Tim Hershey, BBBS board chair representing title sponsor Nike
2014 Perfect Pairings Chair Tim Hawkins and wife Becky
Wine by Duck Pond Cellars and The Stoller Family Estate
Monique Barton and Tara Kinateder accept the 2012 Corporate Partner Award for Bank of America
Bank of America was named The 2013 Corporate Partner of the Year after awarding Big Brothers Big Sisters with the Neighborhood Builders Award which included $200,000 of unrestricted funds and helped match hundreds of children with mentors in the Columbia Northwest region.
Guests were entertained by Midnight Honey.
This year’s event raised over $110,000 for Big Brothers Big Sisters whose mission is straightforward: Provide children facing adversity with strong and enduring, professionally supported one-to-one relationships that change their lives for the better, forever.
Portland, November 15th. The Big Brothers/Big Sisters Start Something Breakfast was high energy for Matt McMullen, Jessica Brandes, Emily Potter, Mark Frykholm and Little Sister Tina. The event at the Oregon Convention Center raised over $77,000 in gifts for 2012; $26,000 in pledges for future years; $52,000 in sponsorship; $55,400 in the Bank of America Challenge (pledges of $1,000 or more); and 45 individuals who expressed interest in becoming a Big Brother or Sister.
Tim Hershey and Little Brother Felix.
There were lots of photo opportunities.
Dr. Rudy Crew addressed the crowd.
Little Sister Tina shared her story.
Chabre and Layla Vickers smiled for the camera.
From Big Brother/Big Sister Columbia Northwest Mission: Provide children experiencing adversity with strong and enduring, professionally supported one-to-one relationships that change their lives for the better, forever.Brighter futures, better schools and stronger communities for allWe recognize that children benefit from focused encouragement to help them reach their full potential. A component to mentorings long-term success is to connect a child with a positive adult friend who simply understands the child’s background and culture. That is why we created programs unique as the children we serve.
Big Brothers Big Sisters Columbia Northwest offers a variety of volunteer opportunities for caring adults in Oregon and Southwest Washington. You can volunteer! Find out more on the website.
Portland, November 7th. After publishing 384 stories about local nonprofits and racking up over 120,000 page views, PortlandSocietyPage.com is marking its first anniversary by handing out the “Bright Spot Award” to Big Brothers/Big Sisters Columbia Northwest. The award recognizes an event which captured the imagination of our readers, and in this case prompted them to give our Big Brothers/Big Sisters story the most “thumbs-up” votes of any article on the website. We made the announcement at a gathering for The Baltazar Ortiz Community Mentoring Initiative where we visited with Danielle, who’s pictured with me, Editor Elisa Klein, and her program little sister, Kyara. It was a chance to learn more about the new program.
The Baltazar Ortiz Community Mentoring Initiative (BOCMI) is an innovative program that connects Hispanic teens who serve as mentors to younger neighborhood children helping them to improve their positive social skills and academic achievement.
Emanuel and Jerry enjoy the program. The Baltazar Ortiz Community Mentoring Initiative is a partnership between Big Brothers Big Sisters, Hacienda CDC, and Multnomah County. The mentoring takes place at the Multnomah County Health Clinic located at the Baltazar Ortiz Community Center.
Moses and Torrence are part of the program. Teenage volunteers like Torrence meet with their Little Brothers or Sisters once a week, for one hour. Together they participate in activities which might include playing sports, doing homework, learning a new hobby or working on a craft project; organizers say it’s beneficial for both.
Jacqui and Estrella are learning first hand BOCMI is a win-win situation. The organized activities prevent both teen mentors and their matches from becoming “latch-key” kids.
Abby Herrera, Bryan Ortega, Christina Starr and Drea Robideau help the kids become successful.
We were pleased to honor Big Brothers/Big Sisters with PortlandSocietyPage.com Bright Spot Award. In addition to added community exposure for the nonprofit and a monetary donation, the award includes a chance to publicize an upcoming event with an advertisement which now appears on the sidebar of our site. The ad has information about Big Brothers/Big Sisters’ 10th annual Start Something Breakfast which is coming up on Thursday, November 15th. Tickets are still available.
PortlandSocietyPage.com is a the only website devoted to nonprofit news in Portland. If we publish an article about your favorite nonprofit, please give it a “thumbs up”. Each story we post has as a “like” button at the bottom. Just press that button and you’ll help select our next “Bright Spot” recipient. There’s an ongoing tally which can be seen on the right-hand side of the page.
About PortlandSocietyPage.com: Launched in the fall of 2011 as a free public platform for nonprofit news, PortlandSocietyPage.com is thriving. We have the most comprehensive nonprofit event calendar in our area. Our coverage is always free. We’re also looking for advertisers! Please let us know if you’d like to reach our terrific readers with your marketing message! The PortlandSocietyPage.com website has additional information about this opportunity. Here’s a link: http://www.portlandsocietypage.com/advertise/
NONPROFIT BENEFIT TICKET GIVEAWAYS!
Sign up for our free weekly highlights for the chance to win two tickets terrific nonprofit events! If you "like" us on facebook, or sign up for our weekly news highlights, you'll be entered to win! Sign up today!
Look for another ticket giveaway soon! Are you a nonprofit looking to bolster your publicity with facebook and tweets? Email us and we'll run a contest with tickets to your event! [email protected]
