Portland, OR. After months of pandemic regulatory uncertainty, Oaks Amusement Park is up and running. (The park is a nonprofit located near the east side of the Sellwood Bridge at 7805 SE Oaks Park Way Portland OR, 97202.) Managers are, “thrilled to announce that our rides, mini-golf, and midway games are now reopened on a limited-capacity basis! After a historic period of closure, we are excited to welcome your family to once again connect with an iconic piece of local history while enjoying safe, wholesome, family fun on the midway.” Masks are optional outdoors and are strongly recommended for guests that are unvaccinated or are at high risk of COVID-19. Visitors must buy ride bracelets in advance and only a limited number are sold. Here’s a link to check it out.
Oaks Park has been “where the fun never ends” since 1905 and is among the oldest continually operating amusement parks in America.
Masks are required indoors for all guests five (5) years of age and older, and children between two (2) and five (5) years of age are strongly encouraged to wear a mask or face covering.
All masks and face coverings should be family-appropriate and cover the wearer’s nose and mouth, fit snuggly against the sides of the face, be made of breathable material, and be secured in place.
Here’s a video about all the rides:
A special edition of the Multnomah County Fair is happening at Oaks Park this Memorial Day weekend. This year’s modified fair features creations by local artists, gardeners, crafters, bakers, and more, on display in the Historic Dance Pavilion at Oaks Park. Admission to the exhibits is FREE; capacity limitations apply and timed-entry tickets must be reserved online in advance. Tickets are valid for a 45-minute visit to the exhibit hall during a specified time block on Saturday, May 29th, 12-6 PM, and Sunday, May 30th12-4:30 PM.
For more information about the fair visit multcofair.org.
A limited number of amusement park ride bracelets are available per day. Ride bracelets must be purchased online in advance. Due to capacity mandates, ride bracelet offerings have been updated and simplified to two ticket options:
Ride Bracelet: $39.95
Under 48″ Ride Bracelet: $19.95
Ride bracelets are required for everyone participating in attractions; non-riders are welcome to enter the park at no charge. The ride bracelet includes access to all of the rides (height limits and rider restrictions apply).
Roller skating, miniature golf, and midway games are sold separately. For information about a group discount on ride bracelets, visit the Groups Page. If you have a pass or unredeemed ride bracelet with a 2020 expiration, please click here for information.
Oaks Park Mission Statement:
In honor of the spirit and donation of Robert Bollinger, Oaks Park Association (OPA) serves as a private non-profit organization whose mission is the preservation and perpetuation of the historic amusement park as an affordable, safe, and family-friendly recreation attraction open to the general public.
The OPA will provide stewardship of the real estate of the historic park site on the Willamette River through maintenance of its landscape, buildings, structures, pedestrian and vehicular access ways, and utility infrastructure.
The OPA will preserve, maintain, renew, replace, and develop buildings and attractions appropriate to a historic amusement park including the nation’s longest continuously operating roller skating rink; the unique historic carousel, and other outdoor rides appropriate to a broad range of ages; games, and refreshments.
The OPA will provide management and operation of features of the park, either directly or through a contract with other compatible entities, to achieve a safe and inviting recreation environment for the general public.
The OPA will promote public awareness of the park heritage and its facilities as a destination for family gatherings, group events, community activities, organized recreation as well as individual enjoyment.
Portland, OR. The Portland Winter Light Festival (PDXWLF) is hosting a raffle to win a one-of-a-kind wood-burning fire pit designed by local artist and PDXWLF alum, David Bertman. Organizers say, “As we collectively turn inward and begin spending more time at home and around the hearth, it has become clear that we are all looking for more ways to make our homes cozier and more welcoming.”
The fire pit is described as a functional piece of art.
The wood-burning fire pit is made of 14 gauge steel, has a diameter of 24″, and is valued at $585. Tickets are on sale until Sunday, November 29 at https://www.pdxwlf.com/fire-raffle. Each ticket is $100 and only 99 will be sold.
Money raised from the sale of tickets will go directly to offsetting pandemic-related income losses at the Portland Winter Light Festival. It’s an event organized by the nonprofit Willamette Light Brigade which is the organization that illuminates Portland’s bridges. Currently, the annual festival has been put on hold for 2021. Organizers explain, “We are thinking deeply about how to maintain our organization’s core values during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our team is currently working on activities for 2021 that safely celebrate the entire community.” So stay tuned for more information on the festival in the months to come.
The 5th annual Portland Winter Light Festival took place on February 6th – 8th, 2020. It showcased nearly 100 illuminated art installations, over 70 performances and live events, educational programs, and kinetic fire sculptures throughout the city. It drew over 200,000 guests. Here’s a video about the 2020 festival:
Below are some photos from past celebrations.
The annual festival is billed as a free, all ages, community-wide festival & celebration illuminating the city’s public spaces with installations by premier light artists and designers.
Portland Light Festival 2018. Photo by MGV photography.
Portland Light Festival 2018. Photo by Brooke Hoyer.
Clicking the donate button will take you to a secure online giving platform.: DONATE
As a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization, our success is completely dependent on the generous support of our community. Your donation is tax-deductible and helps ensure that the festival will continue to thrill and inspire.
The Portland Winter Light Festival is free for everyone to attend directly because of donations from attendees like you. The mission of the Portland Winter Light Festival is to build community by bringing light art and technology to inclusive audiences while invigorating Portland in the winter. Your donations help to support our mission.
If you’d like to donate by check, please make your check out to “WLB Portland Winter Light Festival”
Mail to: PDXWLF c/o Willamette Light Brigade
PO Box 14157 Portland, Oregon 97293
The PDXWLF is a proud activity of the Willamette Light Brigade. Your individual donation is tax-deductible as the Willamette Light Brigade is a 501(c)(3) non-profit.
Portland, OR. Laasya Yenduri, a senior at Sunset High School and president of the nonprofit CyberBORN, has remained positive during COVID-19 by creating a mask initiative and offering virtual classes for young people as seen pictured above.
The organization was originally created as a high school club, but Yenduri found inspiration to take the club to the next level during a trip to India three years ago.
CyberBORN, is a student-led nonprofit, with its primary focus on fulfilling the academic dreams of less fortunate children around the globe. Students strive to improve the lifestyles of hundreds of children by fundraising to provide technology to impoverished children. They’re also raising awareness throughout communities, and opening up digital mentorship classrooms worldwide.
CyberBORN’s worldwide efforts became local, however, after COVID-19 hit back in March. Yenduri shares how online tutoring began. “I realized a lot of students since we had multiple events planned, but were canceled, especially younger students were really bored at home. They didn’t really have anything to do in school since they weren’t there. So that’s why I decided to start an initiative where we start tutoring kids for free.”
In one of the virtual classes, students learn how to make slime.
From these virtual classes, the hand-made mask initiative was born. CyberBORN, had goals to create and distribute 200 masks by April and 1,000 masks by August. Currently, they have donated 1,570 masks that were made from the students in these virtual workshops.
According to Yenduri, the thought process behind the mask initiative was finding a way to pay their respects to healthcare workers, but also realizing that older patients, were at a very high risk of contracting COVID-19. Efforts were focused on providing a platform where they could not only help one population but all sorts of people.
Yenduri explains, “This was actually a perfect way for us to stay connected and stay close to our nonprofit roots while also doing something beneficial for the community.”
Tutoring kids for free has seen a large growth in attendance since it began. The sessions started off being one hour every weekday. Usually, 10-12 students would join in. By the end of August, however, the organization had over 55 students joining every day with a growth of 500% since the initiative started, according to Yenduri.
Over the summer CyberBORN has held about 160 classes that varied in topics ranging from science to art, to graphic design and other general topics.
Members from CyberBORN distribute their first round of masks from the handmade mask initiative.
Looking towards the future, CyberBORN plans on hosting several other events. One of these events will be a virtual fundraising concert where kids can perform their musical talents such as singing, playing the piano, or playing other instruments that they haven’t been able to perform due to COVID-19. This encourages individuals to start practicing again and get back to the groove of whatever talent they possess.
Yenduri speaks about creating free virtual lessons. “This is the one part of my day that I really look forward to doing so it’s really great we’re still continuing our virtual lessons even during the school year but instead of doing like five times a week we’re doing three times a week so it’s good to see all the faces again and to see the students’ progress.”
CyberBORN is always looking for new volunteers and if interested, you can contact the nonprofit through this contact form online. The organization is also looking into opening up other high school chapters as well as always welcoming new students in their free virtual workshops.
From CyberBORN website: To improve education standards for hundreds of children worldwide by raising awareness throughout communities, fundraising to provide means of technology to impoverished children (currently donating to Indian girls), opening up digital mentorship classrooms worldwide, offering feminine hygiene products to low-income families and homeless shelters, and providing a means of removing the stigma around mental health.
Portland, OR. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, Because People Matter (BPM), has had to modify popular programs to meet new challenges. The nonprofit is now assembling and delivering lunches (seen above) instead of hosting weekly meals underneath the Burnside Bridge every Thursday night. The outreach effort, called Night Strike, was an opportunity for members of Portland’s homeless community to enjoy a hot meal and receive additional services such as a haircut and have their clothes/shoes replaced. The outreach effort brought together approximately 200 volunteers to provide food, clothing, toiletries, haircuts, and foot washing for over 300 guests. Now, such volunteering is not possible, because of social distancing requirements.
But this isn’t the end of the program, instead, BPM has implemented the Sunday afternoon walkabouts where they hand out lunches three times a week to COVID-sanctioned city camps. There are potentially from 120 to 180 people at a given time in these camps.
Volunteers gather materials and supplies for a Sunday walkabout.
Lesley Snyder, co-founder, and administrator explains her decision to implement these Sunday walkabouts. “We waited for all summer long and are just now implementing walkabouts again on Sunday afternoons we feel like that’s a safer time of the day for most people, but we limit it to only about eight people so…this is dramatically reduced.”
The camps have had to lower their capacity due to COVID-19, needing to separate beds in order to be six feet apart. Some have also requested safe spaces for different groups of people including but not limited to individuals who identify as LGBTQ, trans, bi-racial, people of color.
Because People Matter is partnering with the city of Portland and is also collaborating with organizations like Medical Teams International. That nonprofit had previously attended Night Strike and provided medical and dental care to guests in the camps.
To raise funds for needed programs, Because People Matter hosted a virtual gala on September 16th. However, procuring items for the fundraiser was a struggle for the nonprofit as Snyder explains. “When COVID-19 hit we just couldn’t ask local vendors who were shutting their doors and laying people off to give us things for a fundraiser in six months we didn’t even know if it was going to happen in six months.”
Volunteers help hand out lunches for Sunday walkabouts.
COVID-19 has created new challenges for BPM and according to Snyder everyone at the nonprofit continues to work harder than ever they have especially in unusual circumstances.
Snyder is also hoping to recoup some of the funds that they weren’t able to raise this year because of COVID-19 through this virtual event. This will be different from previous virtual gala’s as they won’t be auctioning instead, they are using text to give, and although they’re asking for people to register for the event anybody is welcome to join at 7 pm.
From Because People Matter website: We exist to develop and sustain relational environments that create movement within groups and individuals to demonstrate love and generosity lived out in the world. Because People Matter creates relational environments that provide Relief, Mobilization, and Transformation.
Portland, OR. United Way of the Columbia-Willamette worked ahead of the curve to raise over $600,000 in response to the emerging needs due to the COVID-19 outbreak in the community. It began distributing the funds to needy people in April. “We have been overwhelmed with requests for assistance and receipt of in-kind goods,” noted Cindy Adams, President and CEO. “We have continued to leverage our strong partnerships with culturally responsive and culturally specific nonprofits in the community to distribute funding and in-kind goods to individuals and families who have been impacted the most by the pandemic.” Thanks to the help of its partners, United Way has continued to provide access to assistance in short-term housing, utilities, and access to food.
Here’s a video update from the organization:
The nonprofit focuses specifically on racial and ethnic equity by assisting local families and kid’s projects. Its programs include education-based projects aimed at increasing graduation rates for students of color, and financial assistance for healthcare and housing for families.
United Way (UW) staffer delivers in-kind donations to the Q Center in Portland.
The organization adapted quickly to an online business model, due to a previously in-place telecommuting policy that ensured resources and technology were available for the transition. United Way has done its best to navigate the lack of social contact, making the most of technology like Zoom, virtual cards, and phone calls.
LCSA_UW partner: Members of Labor’s Community Service Agency, a United Way nonprofit partner that received Safety Net funding in response to the pandemic, deliver food boxes to families in need.
As donations continue to come in during the nonprofit’s annual workplace campaign season, the organization will distribute the funds to partners assisting those in need as the community navigates the pandemic. Details of the distribution of funds to organizations can be found here.
Cindy Adams expects the needs of the community to continue to grow. She added, “United Way of the Columbia-Willamette is committed to helping our community transition from response to recovery and then rebuilding a community that is more resilient than ever before. We ask that our community, your readers, stay safe, be well, and think about how we can help those who are maybe less fortunate than ourselves.
United Way of the Columbia-Willamette has been bringing our community together to do good for nearly 100 years.
We connect the people, nonprofits, businesses and government agencies addressing poverty in our region.
Our Mission:
Improve lives, strengthen communities and advance equity by mobilizing the caring power of people across our metro area.
We’re working hard to create a future where kids in our region are free from instability and worry so they can be free to play and discover, free to learn and grow.
Free from poverty. Free to reach their potential.
Right now, 20% of kids in the Portland region live in poverty and 1 in 3 families can’t pay for basic needs.
That’s 1 in 7 kids whose families must choose between:
• Rent or groceries
• Heat or healthcare
• New clothes or TriMet fare
Together, we can make our region a better place for everyone.
With your support, we can continue investing in our region’s schools, families and communities.
Schools for Kids
More students are showing up prepared for the first day of kindergarten than ever before.
New preschool classrooms are being built, particularly addressing culturally-specific communities.
Graduation rates are increasing for students of color with the help of community partners.
Families for Kids
Families receive the assistance they need to help pay for basic needs like rent and food on the table.
Many families are staying housed one year after receiving service.
With free tax services from our partners, working families are receiving important tax credits to remain financially stable.
Communities for Kids
Through Hands on Greater Portland, United Way’s volunteer program, thousands of volunteers are connected to meaningful projects being held throughout our region.
The value of service from our volunteers equates to hundreds of thousands of dollars put back into the community.
Hundreds of local organizations are receiving service from our volunteers.
When we understand the causes of poverty in our region, we have a better chance of finding solutions. By partnering with local organizations and providing opportunities to convene and mobilize, United Way can address the different areas of need in our community and find strategies that will create the strongest impact.
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]
