Portland, OR. The nonprofit called p:ear is celebrating its 20th Anniversary and offering pre-pandemic mentoring services. Over the pandemic, the organization continued serving homeless youth with new programs including many outdoor activities.
p:ear builds positive relationships with youth experiencing homelessness, ages 15 to 25, through education, art, recreation, and job training.
Since 2002, p:ear has mentored over 5,200 youth and provided over 320,000 hours of engaging programs.
p:ear has identified a strong model for working with homeless youth: assist them to recognize themselves as capable people while providing supportive mentoring and opportunities for growth.
Below is a video about the nonprofit’s art and music programs and its impact on the Portland community.
Administrators recall challenging moments on their Facebook page, but also many positive memories.
1. Trip to the Oregon Coast
2. Visit to a local farm
3. Macrame workshop with @threerosesmacrame
4. Hiking along the coast
5. Mural making with @pdxjramirez
6. Mural collaboration with @eyedrawp
7. Creating a custom bike for our Gala auction
8. Screen printing with @mamakanani
9. Virtual reality workshop
To learn more and support the programs, visit pearmentor.org.
February marks the 20th anniversary of the day p:ear first opened its doors and here’s a bit of history
From p:ear:
Time has flown by, and we are so proud of how far p:ear has come.
How did it all start?
After the loss of our jobs at the now-defunct Salvation Army Greenhouse, a brave call from a Nokia flip phone; and the acquisition of a floor of an abandoned building, this vision, this place, opened in February 2002 with the aim to build strong relationships with homeless youth to affirm their personal worth and to help them create more personally meaningful lives.
What we couldn’t have envisioned was the community that showed up alongside us to move this dream forward and beyond anything we could have imagined. p:ear is built and sustained by a community of creators, dreamers, fighters, leaders, financiers; a community willing to take risks, to redefine themselves and their lives because of a shared belief in the futures and value of these young people.
Stay tuned for more opportunities – events, campaigns, memory sharing, and more – to help us celebrate our 20th anniversary year!
Portland, April 25th, 2015. The annual fundraiser called p:earblossoms 2015 “perspectives” raised $234,000 to to support p:ear’s unique mentoring programs for homeless youth. Performers Laura Gibson, Linda Austion and Kaj-anne Pepper entertained the crowd at the Leftbank Annex. (Photo credit, Alicia J Rose Photography) P:ear builds positive relationships with homeless and transitional youth through education, art and recreation to affirm personal worth and create more meaningful lives. Located on the corner of NW 6th and Flanders, p:ear has worked with these valuable youth for 13 years. Congressman Earl Blumenauer was the honorary chair of the event.
Event Chair Congressman Earl Blumenauer sharing a moment with the audience at p:earblossoms 2015 – Garrett Downen Photography
Board President Jennifer Bruml giving the Welcome Speech at p:earblossoms 2015 – Garrett Downen Photography
From P:ear:
p:ear builds positive relationships with homeless and transitional youth through education, art and recreation to affirm personal worth and create more meaningful and healthier lives. Each year our programs serve almost 900 homeless and transitional young people ages 15 to 24.
P:EAR STRENGTHENS LIVES
To truly exit homelessness, kids must develop the internal strength, skills and foresight to make healthy choices. p:ear provides a safe, non-judgmental environment in which youth are trusted to outgrow unproductive and harmful behaviors. We offer individualized mentoring and education programs in a safe, reliable setting designed to foster trust, build self-esteem and to teach homeless and transitional kids – who all too often are regarded by society as disposable, “hopeless cases” – that they are valuable individuals with a future who have something vital to contribute to this community.
p:ear staff and volunteers serve as mentors, friends, and role models, while p:ear’s unique programs create opportunities for young people to grow intellectually, express themselves constructively, communicate in positive ways and engage in meaningful interactions with the larger community of Portland. This is not work that can be accomplished in the short-term. These are relationships based on trust that take years to cultivate and require enormous dedication to sustain.
We are committed to being there for p:ear youth over the long-haul to share failures and successes, mundane events as well as life-altering milestones.
p:ear mentors youth through education, art and recreation. Learn more about p:ear programshere.
Make a difference in the lives of p:ear youth: volunteer or make a gift. p:ear is a 501(c)(3) organization and gifts are tax-deductible. p:ear’s tax ID/EIN is 93-1327944.
Portland, December 7th. More than 800 supporters crowded the Left Bank Annex for Levé’s Ninth Annual Charity Ball. The grass-root charity created by young women in Portland selects a nonprofit each year and “I Have a Dream” Oregon was the fortunate recipient for 2012. Levé board, committee and advisory members posed for a photo before the ball. The group is close to reaching its $50,000 fundraising goal. The Levé’s auction alone raised a ground-breaking $12,000 with items like a tasting wine excursion and a wedding package.
Nonprofits Levé has supported in the past include: p:ear, Mercy Corps, YWCA Yolanda House, Friends of the Children—Portland, Schoolhouse Supplies, Growing Gardens, Children’s Cancer Association (CCA) and Loaves & Fishes Centers.
Advisory board members Hilary Colton and Lisa Wynn
Dave Murphy and past board member Vanessa Authier
Board member Courtney Francis Campbell and committee member Ali Murphy check in guests at Levé’s Ninth Annual Charity Ball.
Ashley Thomas-Pate, Tyler Colville, Gretchen Bennett & Craig Francis
Anne Lawrence
Megan Dobson
Denis O’Neill, Karen Sheppard, Bobbi O’Neill, Event Chair Maddie Andrews and Ian Smethurst
Board member Kiernan Doherty, Erin Russo Thompson and Dave Thompson
A group of girlfriends founded Levé out of a desire to actively make a difference in our local community. Portland has been our home for the majority of our lives, providing us with a deep connection and passion for keeping the Pacific Northwest’s most vital resources and programming vibrant and successful. For this reason, and the desire to bring together family, friends and the community for a celebration in support of a local nonprofit, Levé hosted its first Charity Ball in 2004.
After our first event, it became quickly apparent that we are in a unique position to catalyze support from a wider network. We feel fortunate to have enjoyed a supportive community in Portland and the consistent encouragement of family and friends in all of our endeavors. For that reason, we share the sentiment that it is our responsibility to give back to the community that has provided us with so much. As young girls, we watched our parents engage with and support the services of local nonprofits. Our action is modeled on their example.
Levé is a completely volunteer-run organization. Our board is made up of young, professional women who are sharing our time, resources and expertise with causes we value. We believe the work we do for Levé is not only making us better individuals and members of our community, but also better employees and students—mastering skills, building leadership and inspiring creativity.
We deliver a proven combination of core services to students: long-term relationships with caring adults, academic and personal/social support services, and creating a “culture of college” within schools and the students’ families.
Since 1990, ten entire 3rd grade classes have been “adopted” with supportive services to help student
dreamers succeed through college. Our organization has been able to more than double graduation rates for these students and impact the community through reduced discipline problems and juvenile delinquency. Nearly 900 students have benefited from “I Have a Dream” Foundation programs in Oregon through this model.
In 2010, we established the first “Dreamer School” in the nation. This bold new initiative will expand the impact from 300 to 3,000 kids per year, all within this decade. Our first Dreamer School, Alder Elementary, is one of the most poverty-stricken schools in the state and serves as a beacon of light for the community with its programs and services. “I Have a Dream” is partnering with over a dozen other non-profit organizations to transform the lives of every student in this school. Within the next several years, additional Dreamer Schools will be added throughout Oregon.
Portland, July 21st. The Organically Grown Company hosted a fundraising party for one of its favorite charities: the mentoring program for homeless and transitional teens called p:ear. Marketing Communications Specialist for Organically Grown, Tonya Haworth, and Marketing Manager, Stacy Kraker, organized the event.
Nate Engkjer, a p:ear employee, Steph Chase, the Development and Community Relations Manager, and Beth Burns, p:ear’s Executive Director
The party was on the Ecotrust terrace at 721 NW 9th Avenue.
Phresh Organic Catering Company served up tomato basil salad, roasted potatoes, and chicken breast with Oregon honey-chipotle barbecue sauce.
Organically Grown Company is employee and grower owned. Every summer the company gives boxes of fresh produce to the p:ear kitchen to help feed hungry teens.
This fundraiser for p:ear had views of the “Sundown at Ecotrust” event happening below.
Mo and Don Mayfield look over the terrace with Tonya McMillan and her son Koen.
Tyler Clear and Brian Cook gave a thumbs-up to the organic food at the party.
Baby May had a wonderful time looking at the terrace tomato plants and blueberry bushes .
Melyssa Sharp, Katie Trudeau and Sean McConahay
Organic Grown Company is the largest wholesaler of organic fruits, vegetables and herbs within the Pacific Northwest. It was founded by farmers who purchase 90% of their products directly from the growers themselves.
Kristi Yoder and Rachel Ebert enjoyed the atmosphere.
Matt Mylet, Jae Easterbrooks and Laurie Landeros take a quick picture after getting some drinks from the inside bar.
Each year “p:ear builds positive relationships with homeless and transitional youth through education, art and recreation to affirm personal worth and create more meaningful and healthier lives”. Throughout this process, p:ear helps serve around 900 “homeless and transitional young people” who vary in age from 15 to 24.
To truly exit homelessness, kids must develop the internal strength, skills and foresight to make healthy choices. p:ear provides a safe, non-judgmental environment in which youth are trusted to outgrow unproductive and harmful behaviors. We offer individualized mentoring and education programs in a safe, reliable setting designed to foster trust, build self-esteem and to teach homeless and transitional kids – who all too often are regarded by society as disposable, “hopeless cases” – that they are valuable individuals with a future who have something vital to contribute to this community.
p:ear staff and volunteers serve as mentors, friends, and role models, while p:ear’s unique programs create opportunities for young people to grow intellectually, express themselves constructively, communicate in positive ways and engage in meaningful interactions with the larger community of Portland. This is not work that can be accomplished in the short-term. These are relationships based on trust that take years to cultivate and require enormous dedication to sustain.
We are committed to being there for p:ear youth over the long-haul to share failures and successes, mundane events as well as life-altering milestones.
p:ear mentors youth through education, art and recreation.
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