Portland, OR. Big Brothers Big Sisters Columbia Northwest (BBBS) raised $475,000 at its “Impact of a Connection” gala. After a two-year Covid-prompted hiatus, the benefit was held at The Redd on Salmon Street on September 22nd. It raised funds to create and support one-to-one mentoring relationships that supporters say help to ignite the power and promise of youth. At the event, Nick Kristof, New York Times Columnist, and Artis Stevens, President and CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters America posed for a photo together. (Photo credit, Adam Levy)
Artis Stevens, President, and CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters America
Beach Pace, CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters Columbia Northwest
Lindsey Murphy, event emcee, and Alumni Little Sister
Owa Odighizuwa, Former NFL Player and Alumni of Little Brother, and Artis Stevens, President, and CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters America
From Big Brothers Big Sisters:
The sun shined bright as guests arrived to enjoy the cocktail hour, packed with entertainment featuring saxophonist Eldon “T” Jones, Finn the Magician, a 360 photo booth, and delicious cocktails from Tito’s Handmade Vodka. We were joined by a special guest speaker, Artis Stevens, President & CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, who gave a moving speech about the importance of mentorship in the lives of youth. Alumni Little, Lindsey Murphy, celebrated her 30th year in contact with her Big Sister, Melissa, a science teacher that inspired her to start her wildly popular Youtube show, the FabLab.
The night concluded with a celebration of the 2022 Bigs and Littles of the year highlighting the matches of Big Brother Gus and Little Brother Jason and Big Sister Monica and Little Sister Jeni who took the stage to accept their awards. As a community, we were able to raise a record-breaking $475,000 in support of our one-to-one mentoring programs here in Portland and SW Washington. One of the best parts of the night happened among all the staff and event volunteers after the event when, Beach Pace, BBBSCNW CEO, rallied everyone together to take a moment to take pride in all the work we had all put into this event.
A sincere thank you to everyone who made this event a beautiful success. It takes a village, and we are so glad you are a member of our village. Our sincerest appreciation goes out to our 2022 Gala Committee led by co-chairs Suzy Alexander, and Lee Lenker. A BIG thank you to our Presenting Sponsors Twenty Four 7 and Concentrix Catalyst, our Ignite Sponsors The Standard, OnPoint Community Credit Union, Nike, M Financial Group, Cambia Health Solutions, Anderson Construction, our Inspire Sponsors KPMG, Moss Adams, Comcast, Baird, General Sheet Metal, Hillsboro Hops, M Science, Sheldon Warmington & Janel Warmington and Table Sponsors @ACME, Advantis Credit Union, Brown & Brown Insurance. Barran Liebman LLP, Natasha Elhaj-Hedinger, Kaiser Permanente, Moda Health, North Highland, owamagbe odighizuwa, Pacific West Bank, Parker, Smith & Feek, TM Rippey Consulting Engineers and Xenium HR!
Portland, OR. Five major health care providers are continuing their support of Project Access NOW (PANOW ), Project Access NOW clients are largely low-income, non-native English speaking, and identify as Black, Indigenous, or people of color. Since 2007, regional health systems including Adventist Health, Kaiser Permanente, Legacy Health, Oregon Health and Science University, and Providence Health & Services have invested more than $35 million to support health-promoting services for the un-and-underinsured even through the pandemic. The nonprofit’s mission is connecting low-income uninsured people to donated healthcare services, its focus has expanded to include innovative initiatives and partnerships that go beyond simple healthcare to also address the social determinants of health.
PANOW holds regular vaccine clinics, especially serving those historically underserved by health care in Oregon. A recent vaccination clinic hosted by Project Access NOW took place at Hillsboro Parks & Recreation Senior Center.
Over the next three years, partners have pledged to contribute a total of $7.85 million, increasing their annual investment by over 55%. In a post-pandemic time requiring greater access to care needs, this targeted investment will support navigation for over 4,500 individuals between the region’s primary care homes and hospital systems, help 24,000 individuals enroll in Medicaid or another qualified health plan, and offset the cost of health insurance premiums for more than 1,000 Oregonians unable to afford their monthly expenses. In addition, these resources will leverage the organization’s outreach team, the majority of whom are bi-lingual and/or from immigrant communities, building on their trusted networks to address vaccine hesitancy and promote COVID-19 vaccination rates within the region’s culturally specific communities.
Project Access NOW is a Portland, Oregon-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization known for its collaborative and equitable approach to community-wide health improvement efforts, as well as its longevity. Since 2007, the organization has provided a one-of-a-kind space for cross-system collaboration. Major health care providers in Oregon have supported the organization throughout that time to promote work and positive impact in alignment with their Community Health Needs Assessments.
In more recent years, Project Access NOW has pivoted to support urgent and emerging community needs such as heightened enrollment during the rollout of the Affordable Care Act and partnering with regional public health to administer over $1 million CARES Act and Oregon Wildfire relief dollars. Carly Hood-Ronick, Executive Director of Project Access NOW, says: “We know the health care environment is changing, with legislation like Cover All People. We are committed to continuing to partner with our regional health systems to evolve and ensure all have access to the resources needed to achieve their best health.”
Jennie Leslie, MD, Board Chair says, “After having served on the Board of Project Access NOW for years, I see now more than ever that PANOW is the glue that holds our broken medical system together. With a new leadership team and strategic plan, we refresh our focus on our core mission: to provide a common space for our region’s health systems to work collaboratively towards quality healthcare for all.”
“We are proud to steward this historic investment in Oregon’s health care system,” says Hood-Ronick. “Over the past 14 years, Project Access NOW has provided access to health care, health insurance, and social resources for more than 60,000 Oregonians, most of whom come from our BIPOC communities. We are committed to promoting equity and to helping individuals better access Oregon’s health services – whether through individual needs or as advocates for systems-change alongside our partners.”
From Project Access NOW:
We partner with care providers, hospitals, clinics, and other community-based organizations to address the health care system’s limitations.
Our solutions work to connect the most vulnerable in our community to the care and services they need, helping them get healthy and stay that way.
Our Strategies
Connect low-income, uninsured clients to the donated primary and specialty care they need.
Pay health insurance premiums for people who qualify for coverage under the Affordable Care Act but can’t afford the expenses necessary to access their care.
Connect low-income people being discharged from the hospital to resources such as transportation, car seats, and temporary housing to help them get home safely and more easily access follow-up care.
Our strategies have a proven track record of success, as evidenced by the expanding list of partners and stakeholders who see the positive effects of our initiatives and value our contribution to community health.
Our Values: We share a collective responsibility as we strive to make each day and each action count in service of our mission through the following values:
Inclusion, Equity, and Diversity: We honor the fundamental value and dignity of all who we work with and serve. We strive to create an environment that respects and includes diverse perspectives, traditions and experiences. We commit to furthering equity throughout our organization.
Celebration: Our success depends on the contributions of each team member. We honor and care for one another as a community and celebrate our individual and collective accomplishments.
Flexibility and Resilience: We are adaptive and resilient as we encounter changing circumstances. We seek and embrace new ideas with enthusiasm and draw on the strength of our diversity for solutions that are enterprising and dynamic.
Transparency in Leadership: We listen with intention to understand, providing timely and open communication about organizational decisions. We strive to build an inclusive organization in which leadership actively seeks staff engagement and input.
Creativity and Innovation: As a growing organization, we nurture an environment where creativity, persistence, risk-taking, patience, caring, and the desire to contribute are encouraged and embraced.
Portland, OR. Led by Honorary Chair Wally Remmers of West Hills Land Development, Home Builders Foundation raised a record amount to help end homelessness. A welcome reception found supporters like Beverly & Tom Liesy visiting with Bill Hupfer and Ursla Burdda. The event, held on April 14th at The Nines Hotel in downtown Portland, raised a record $410,000 to help build and renovate shelters for those experiencing homelessness throughout the Portland metro area. (Photo credit, Aaron Courter Photography)
HBF Executive Director Brenda Ketah presents Honorary Chair Wally Remmers with an award recognizing his dedication and support of Home Builders Foundation.
Eric & Jennifer Post pose with HBF Board Member Mike Harn and his wife Brianna
HBF Vice President Darci Fredricks holds her bid card up for VIP tickets to Jackson Browne this summer at Edgefield, courtesy of NW Natural
Ben & Stefanie Friberg celebrate on stage after winning the Standard TV & Appliance Golden Ticket drawing.
Led by Honorary Chair Wally Remmers, owner of West Hills Land Development, this year’s Building Hope Gala & Auction was supported by leaders in the home building industry, including Metropolitan Land Group, Polygon Northwest, DR Horton, Emerio Design, Everett Custom Homes, West Hills Homes NW, Parr Lumber, and many more. Other philanthropic leaders such as Tim Boyle of Columbia Sportswear, Jeff and Linda Hargens of Northwest Earthmovers Inc., Randy and Naquel VanLant of Macadam Floor & Design, and Bob and Peggy Berwick of IWP also supported Home Builders Foundation with significant contributions to the event.
The Building Hope Gala & Auction drew a record 450 attendees to The Nines Hotel for a night of fundraising. Attendees had the opportunity to bid packages that included trips to Italy, Hawaii, Canada, and California, as well as unique experiences such as a duck hunt at Wally Remmers’ private duck club, a sunset cruise aboard a luxury yacht, and courtside section tickets to a Trailblazer game.
Home Builders Foundation highlighted its partnership with the Good Neighbor Center, a shelter for homeless families with children in Tigard, during its special appeal. Home Builders Foundation recruited Mountainwood Homes to serve as the Builder Captain for this small project which added a three hundred square foot addition to the existing shelter, which is now used exclusively for children’s programming. Home Builders Foundation raised an incredible $114,000 during the special appeal thanks to the support of attendees as well as donors who were not in attendance.
Funds raised at the Building Hope Gala & Auction benefit Home Builders Foundation, a Portland-based nonprofit that builds and remodels shelters for those experiencing homelessness in the Portland metro area. Home Builders Foundation focuses on building and renovating shelters for those who are most vulnerable when homeless, including families with children, youth, and domestic violence survivors. Home Builders Foundation completes shelter builds and renovations by leveraging donations from companies in the home building industry and providing cash grants to shelter providers to complete projects.
This year’s Home Builders Foundation shelter projects include the completion of the Dorothy Lemelson House and New Meadows Program, which will provide supportive housing for at-risk youth aging out of foster care. Home Builders Foundation will also partner with Just Compassion of East Washington County to remodel a facility that will host a day services center for adults experiencing homelessness. Community of Hope, a shelter for homeless single parent families, will also receive assistance with renovations, courtesy of Home Builders Foundation.
Home Builders Foundation would like to say a special thank you to Wally Remmers and his team for the incredible leadership and support provided to the event. Home Builders Foundation would also like to thank all of the attendees, donors, volunteers, and the 2018 Auction Committee for their contributions to the event.
Home Builders Foundation would like to recognize all of the companies that sponsored this year’s Building Hope Gala & Auction: Standard TV & Appliance, ProBuild-Builders FirstSource, Performance Insulation, Everett Custom Homes, West Hills Homes NW, Northwest Earthmovers Inc., Milgard Windows, NW Natural, ARA Newmark, Sussman Shank LLP, OrePac, California Closets, Ron Tonkin Gran Turismo, First American Title, Lakeside Lumber, Montgomery & Graham, Bank of America, Medallion Industries, Kaiser Permanente, Clean It Up Mark!, Umpqua Bank, TerraFirma Foundation Systems, Far West Credit Services, Community Newspapers, Overhead Door Company of Portland, and LifeSYTLest. Table sponsored included: Anlon Construction, Bank of the West, Directors Mortgage, IWP, New American Funding, Parr Lumber, Professional Women in Building Council, Rodda Paint, Stafford Land Company, The Management Trust – Northwest, and Tiffany Home Design.
The Home Builders Foundation, established in 1997, is the charity of choice for the Home Builders Association of Metropolitan Portland. Their mission is to build transitional shelter for families and individuals experiencing homelessness in our community and provide construction related educational opportunities for individuals interested in pursuing a career in the home building industry. Visit www.BuildHopePDX.org for more info.
About Home Builders Association of Metropolitan Portland
The Home Builders Association of Metropolitan Portland (HBAMP) is the leading voice for the residential building industry, representing more than 1,200 builders, remodelers and industry professionals. HBAMP is the most nationally awarded HBA in the country, the fastest growing and the fifth largest overall. Since 1942, HBAMP has worked on behalf of the industry to promote diverse, affordable housing options to area residents. The HBAMP produces and manages many outstanding programs and tours in the Portland area, including: The premier NW Natural Street of Dreams, the Tour of Remodeled Homes, the Fall and Spring Portland Home & Garden Shows and the Ultimate Open House. For more information, visit www.hbapdx.org.
Portland, OR. “Students working with students to improve the outcomes for all.” That’s the description of a new partnership between Concordia University and Portland Public Schools’ Faubion School in Northeast Portland. On August 29th, supporters will have a grand opening to celebrate the launch of this unique partnership called “3 to PhD”. It’s an ambitious new model of education aimed at helping disenfranchised students and thereby, the whole community.
The home of this new model is a three-story, 138,000 square foot facility, serving up to 800 pre-Kindergarten through 8th grade students and home to Concordia’s College of Education, students, faculty, and staff.
Staff from Concordia University, Faubion School, Trillium Family Services, Basics (formerly Pacific Foods), and Kaiser Permanente have started their training to work in the new facility.
Portland Public School’s Faubion Elementary and Concordia University have been neighbors for 63 years, sharing 24 adjacent acres in Northeast Portland. Now they’ll share the new facility where college students studying education will teach some of the most impoverished kids in the state.
“From day one, Concordia students from every degree program will have the opportunity to gain hands-on experience in their field while making an appreciable difference in the lives of Faubion students and families.” Administrators explain, “At Concordia, our mission as a Christian university is to prepare leaders for the transformation of society. The 3 to PhD initiative is our mission in action — working collaboratively to strengthen the community from the ground up.”
Concordia education students learn how to be effective teachers by watching, learning, and doing – often inside a real elementary school class. Students also serve as reading tutors and help out in classrooms. And since the entire College of Education is embedded inside a school, students will also have the opportunity to interact with parents, administrators, and support staff, experiencing all aspects of daily life in a school environment. The program was made possible by a capital improvement bond passed by Portland voters and millions raised by Concordia University.
The grand opening party will be Tuesday, August 29th, from 3-5pm at 2930 NE Dekum, Portland, OR 97211. Parking is limited, public transit encouraged.
Portland, July 16th, 2013. Formally launched with two dozen partners in 2011, The Intertwine Alliance (The Alliance) a new model of coalition working to advance urban greenspaces in the Portland-Vancouver region just welcomed its 100th partner, the Clean Water Institute (CWI).
The Alliance’s rapid growth validates the young nonprofit’s innovative premise that a public-private coalition, rather than any single agency working independently, will be more effective at engaging metropolitan residents with their local parks, trails and natural areas.
Columbia Springs supporters releasing the last of the Coho at Klineline Park.
“Our business plan forecast that at this point in our development we would have 57 partners,” said Intertwine Alliance Executive Director Mike Wetter.
“But there’s a change in the winds for conservation across the U.S. In the past, attention focused on ‘wild’ lands investing in nature only where people are not. Today, there is growing recognition that metropolitan regions are ecologically important, and that access to nature is key to the health of a population,” Wetter said.
CWI, The Alliance’s 100th partner, is a perfect example of how Alliance partners work to integrate natural systems with urban life. A nonprofit founded by public wastewater utility Clean Water Services, CWI’s watershed-based strategies satisfy regulatory compliance requirements while maximizing environmental benefits. For example, CWI’s innovative water quality trading program cools Washington County streams warmed by clean effluent by planting native shade trees and shrubs along riparian corridors.
In turn, the growing strength of The Alliance helps to favorably brand a region seeking talent and economic advantage; reduce healthcare, utility and transportation costs; enhance water quality and biodiversity; and support partners in building capacity and achieving their goals.
One of only six metropolitan conservation coalitions in the U.S., the success of The Intertwine Alliance is helping to lead a national movement of like-minded coalitions, with Alliance staff now mentoring other cities, including Denver and Seattle.
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