Portland, February 27th, 2016. Nearly 300 community members came together to support Northwest Academy’s scholarship fund and they donated over $300,000. Barbara Hall and Susanne Orton were guests of Presenting Sponsor: Harold & Arlene Schnitzer CARE Foundation. The “Disco Fever” theme was contagious. In addition, Founder and Head of School Mary Vinton Folberg was honored and celebrated as she passes the baton this year and will focus on securing a permanent home for the school.
Head of School Mary Vinton Folberg.
Northwest Academy Staff, Debbie Hutchins, and guests Roger & Margaret Hinshaw.
Suzanne Geary, Head of School Mary Vinton Folberg, and Chris & Leah Swartley.
Northwest Academy students performing the Disco Fever finale!
Victoria Taylor, Scott Showalter, Lynn Getz, Lindley Morton, Kirk Taylor, and Corrine Oishi.
Northwest Academy staff: Sara Berglund, Laurel Keppy, and Morgan Kunze.
Whether they are researching their thesis essays or creating a multimedia visual project, Northwest Academy students approach complex concepts with intellectual curiosity. At every grade level, we respect our students’ abilities to comprehend challenging ideas and to demonstrate their understanding with insight and creativity. As a result of this trust, our students become self-motivated learners with a strong desire to explore new ideas.
PROFICIENCY-BASED LEARNING
At Northwest Academy, knowledge, skill, and academic maturity – rather than chronological age – determine a student’s placement. Appropriate placement is critical to the school’s proficiency-based program. Proper placement positively affects a student’s motivation, initiative, and risk-taking, and it also impacts a student’s ability to succeed in subsequent years of study in a subject.
STRONG ACADEMIC AND ARTS PARTNERSHIP
Our arts and academic partnership promotes an environment in both arts and academic classes where a student’s multiple intelligences can flourish. Through their arts experiences, our students acquire skills and strategies–such as attention to detail, self-discipline, self-awareness, and risk-taking–that help them succeed in their academic classes.
SMALL CLASS SIZES AND PASSIONATE FACULTY
Northwest Academy’s commitment to small class sizes and access to faculty help students succeed at high levels. In our classrooms, no student can disappear or remain passive about his or her learning. Combined with an environment that encourages free and open inquiry, our teachers’ passion for their subject areas motivates student interest in learning and creative thinking.
DOWNTOWN PORTLAND CAMPUS
Northwest Academy’s campus is located in downtown Portland’s cultural district, near its public transportation hub. Surrounded by the Portland Art Museum, the Central Library, the Portland Center for the Performing Arts, the Northwest Film Center, and Portland State University, Northwest Academy students and faculty participate in the cultural and academic offerings near campus.
Portland, February 20th, 2016. 225 guests joined Young Audiences of Oregon & SW Washington to celebrate 57 years of pioneering arts in education. Michelle and Synkai Harrison won the Golden Ticket for a trip to Cortona, Italy. The event at Pacfic Northwest College of Art raised a record $116, 000. (Photo credit, PDX Event Photography)
Joan McCray, Michael Agnew, Sonia Agnew (The Boeing Company)
Michael and Kathren Cavanaugh with Tim and Nancy Findlay
Faye Levinsohn (Marriott), L. Jan Robertson (Norris, Beggs & Simpson) and Lisa Harley (Marriott)
Tracy Moir, Guest of Honor Robin Mesher, Bob Mesher, Page Mesher
Patrick Lamb entertained the crowd for the afterparty which featured the Young Audiences’ roster artist Do Jump! dog on the dance floor (photo)
The evening started with a cocktail reception, a photo booth and lively silent auction. Guests enjoyed dinner and dessert by ChefStable Catering. Robin Mesher received the 2016 Sunburst Award for her dedication and advocacy during her tenure as a member of the Board of Directors of Young Audiences. The live auction included trips to France and Italy, A Date Night package and a Zamboni Party.
We inspire young people and expand their learning through the arts.
Young Audiences of Oregon was founded in 1958 as a local chapter of the nation’s largest arts-in-education organization. In 1989, the Portland-based organization merged with a smaller chapter in Vancouver to become Young Audiences of Oregon & SW Washington. We have steadily grown in scope and programming, evolving from presenting only classical music performances in our early years to currently offering a full range of educational arts programming in multiple disciplines and cultures—the only arts organization in the region to do so.
Portland, February 21st, 2016. The Mittleman Jewish Community Center raised $115,000 at its Friends of the Center Brunch. The benefit drew over 300 attendees. Jordan Schnitzer, A.J. Jacobs, Steve “Rosy” Rosenberg and Ellen Lippman were on hand for the event. A.J. Jacobs, is a four-time New York Times Best Selling Author and self-proclaimed “human guinea pig.” He inspired guests with stories about exploring Jewish identity, pursuing a healthy lifestyle and identifying the connections among us. MJCC inducted Mike Golub of the Portland Timbers and David Kahn into the Oregon Jewish Sports Hall of Fame and honored two students: Sydney Kobak and David Menashe with the Harry Glickman Scholar Athlete Award.
David Menashe (left) and Sydney Kobak (right) are congratulated by Harry Glickman (center) after they have been awarded the Harry Glickman Scholar Athlete Award given annually to a Jewish male and female high school student who exemplify excellence on the field, in the classroom and in the community.
Jordan Schnitzer, A.J. Jacobs and Steve Albert, Executive Director of the MJCC.
Since its founding in 1914, Portland’s Jewish community center has provided a wide variety of social, cultural, educational and recreational programming. Today, the Mittleman Jewish Community Center (MJCC) is the core of Portland’s Jewish community– we also offer a welcoming gathering space that is open to our neighbors and people of all faiths.
Our Journey Began in the Early 20th Century
In 1910, the B’nai B’rith Building Association in Portland decided to establish a Jewish community center. The original two-story building, located on Thirteenth Avenue between Market and Mill streets, opened to the community in 1914.
The Jewish Community Center came to life as a beloved gathering place for its members. There was something for everyone in the family to enjoy: meeting facilities, classrooms, athletic facilities, a library, and a billiard room. It was truly a hub of activity, with events ranging from B’nai B’rith Orchestra performances to High Holiday services for the Sephardic community.
Many generations of Jewish Portlanders fondly recall the dances, swimming lessons, social clubs, basketball games, fundraisers, and summer camp activities that were hosted or organized by the center.
We Expanded to Meet Growing Needs
The center moved to its current location in 1971. In 1976, member Harry Mittleman made a generous donation which allowed the community center to retire the building’s mortgage. In acknowledgement of his philanthropy, the center was renamed to honor Harry’s wife, Helen.
The center has expanded over the years: in 1987 a wing was added to accommodate the Portland Jewish Academy, and in 1996 the EarlyChildhood Learning Center was created.
In 2005-07, the building underwent a major renovation, refreshing PJA and adding:
New lobby and café for MJCC
New ballroom with state of the art audio-visual capabilities
New locker rooms, spa facilities and cardio-weight room;
Family changing rooms;
New exercise rooms and renovated gymnasium.
We’re a Center for Today’’s Community
We are proud to continue our tradition as a center for Jewish life while offering a welcoming environment for all of our neighbors. More than 1,000 people come through our doors daily for classes, athletic activities, meetings, special events, and programs.
People come to the MJCC for services and programs open to the public and found nowhere else in Oregon or southwestern Washington, including community-wide secular Jewish celebrations and performances; Jewish community orchestra and klezmer performances and family activities.
We are immensely proud to offer Jewish cultural arts and social programs; premier fitness and wellness facilities open to all; beautifully-appointed public areas and rental spaces; day camp; programs that serve the elderly, infirm and disabled; and Oregon’s only kosher café.
Our Legacy is the Foundation for Our Future
Since its founding nearly 100 years ago, the Mittleman Jewish Community Center has served the social, cultural, educational and recreation needs ofPortland families without regard to religion, background or ability to pay.
Although the MJCC’s stated mission is to fulfill these needs for Portland’s Jewish community, we have always interpreted that imperative to encompass the entire Portland community. This history of service to a diverse, broad-based community, informed by the Jewish imperative of tikkun olam (repairing the world; making the world a better place) infuses the MJCC’s spirit today.
Throughout the decades, the MJCC has evolved into a “living room” for our community. Every day, the MJCC’s programs impact Oregonians’ quality of life; every day, we see ways in which the impacts of our program will be felt by future generations.
For many of Portland’s Jewish community, it is their center for Jewish living and bears the memories of those who enjoyed the original 1914 facility as well as our modern campus. The MJCC is a link in the chain of generations.
We Provide a Welcoming Environment for All
The MJCC, which has historically been involved with social service organizations, continues to work in partnership with groups such as CedarSinai Park, Cancer Care Resources, Red Cross, OHSU Medical School, and others. We also provide meeting space for local nonprofits at low cost – whether it is a local women’s soccer organization, a Muslim group seeking a space to hold a holiday celebration or a flu shot clinic staffed by OHSU medical students.
We hope that you will come to visit the MJCC – explore our facilities, meet our members, and consider becoming part of the center. We welcome the entire community and we hope to be part of the fabric of your family’s life.
Portland, February 24, 2016. 340 arts and business leaders gathered at the Portland Art Museum to celebrate some of the region’s strongest champions for the arts. The event was adopted by the Regional Arts & Culture Council (RACC) following the dissolution of its previous producer, Businesses for Culture & the Arts (BCA) last year. At the event, Portland City Commissioner Nick Fish, The Standard’s Greg Ness, and emcee S. Renee Mitchell posed for a photo. (Photo credit, by Andie Petkus)
Performance by Portland Opera. Photo by Andie Petkus Photography
Umpqua Bank’s Raymond Davis with Portland Center Stage Artistic Director Chris Coleman. Photo by Andie Petkus Photography
The Standard’s Bob Speltz, RACC Board Member Ozzie Gonzalez, and U.S. Bank’s Stacey Dodson. Photo by Andie Petkus Photography
The Standard’s Kazunori Yamauchi and Greg Ness with Portland City Commissioner Nick Fish. Photo by Andie Petkus Photography
This year’s honorees included:
Top corporate donors to the arts, including The Standard, U.S. Bank, Portland General Electric, Umpqua Bank, Wells Fargo, The Boeing Company, Vulcan Inc., Nordstrom, Chipotle Mexican Grill, KeyBank, First Tech Federal Credit Union, Wieden+Kennedy, Nike, Mt. Hood Cable Regulatory Commission and Stoel Rives.
The John C. Hampton Award for Outstanding Leadership in the Arts: Greg Ness, CEO, The Standard
Inspirational creative partnership: Umpqua Bank and Portland Center Stage
Small business champion: Bill Dickey, Owner, Morel Ink
Work for Art champions: Portland General Electric, Burgerville and the Oregon Cultural Trust
RACC also saluted Oregon’s own congresswoman, Representative Suzanne Bonamici, for her support of arts education at the federal level and for incorporating the arts into STEM education as part of the Every Student Succeeds Act which President Obama signed into law in December of 2015.
Portland, February 19th, 2016. Lines for Life‘s annual gala, held at Sentinel, drew a crowd of 500 people and raised more than $425,000 to support the organization’s mission of preventing substance abuse and suicide. Johnna Wells from Benefit Auctions 360 posed with keynote speaker, Sheila Hamilton. The local radio host is the author of All the Things We Never Knew a book about loving and losing someone with mental illness. 2015 was a record year for the Lines for Life crisis call center which received over 50,000 calls, (17,000 more than the prior year), from callers struggling with issues related to mental health, substance abuse and suicide. Many were helped to find a way forward, and where appropriate connected with referrals and resources. The dedicated military lines received over 25,000 calls and the YouthLine call and text volume doubled. (Photo credit, Andie Petkus)
Greg and Terry Ness, Honorary Co-Chairs for the Event shared a powerful personal story.
Lines for Life’s CEO, Dwight Holton and Senator Ron Wyden
Rick and Erika Miller, 2016 ‘Champion of Hope’ award recipients. The award was presented in recognition of their tremendous philanthropic support.
Dr. Claudia Taylor and her husband Clark Taylor.
Lines for Life also continued prevention work in schools and with community organizations, convened regional summits with influential stake holders on addressing prescription drug abuse and helped formulate policy, locally and nationally regarding the issues that define its mission. The event was a celebration of successes over the past year, and also an opportunity to recognize the challenge that the organization faces due to the ever-growing need for its services.
From Lines for Life:
We believe that ultimately the issues that define our mission touch everyone and were thrilled to have so many enthusiastic supporters join us last Friday because together, we can make a difference.
Lines for Life is a non-profit dedicated to preventing substance abuse and suicide because they touch so many families in our society. We have served thousands of people with addiction, mental health and suicide intervention services, treatment referral and drug prevention education.
Lines for Life Crisis Lines answered 54,127 calls in 2015. We are able to de-escalate 95 percent of the over 14,000 suicide line calls we receive. Our suicide LifeLine is available free not only to those in crisis, but to concerned friends & family members who sense something seriously amiss and need information on what actions they should take. (800) 273-TALK.
The Military Helpline offers free, anonymous assistance 24/7/365 to active duty service members, veterans and their families through telephone and text support. The texting service for the Military Helpline operates from 0900 to 1500 PST and can be reached by texting MIL1 to 839863 between 0900 and 1500 Pacific Time.
Our YouthLine offers a confidential teen-to-teen phone line and texting to help youth deal with bullying, depression, substance abuse or other issues that can make those years especially painful.
The Alcohol & Drug Helpline offers crisis counseling and referrals to appropriate treatment options.
The Lines for Life staff works closely with schools, parents, treatment professionals, law enforcement and the military. We train and support community anti-drug coalitions. We lead public awareness campaigns on underage drinking, youth access to alcohol and reducing illegal drug use.
Portland, February 24th, 2016. The Hollywood Theatre in Portland will be showing the Oscars so fans can see nominees like Leonardo DiCaprio and Sylvester Stallone on the big screen. The nonprofit theatre is hosting an 88th Academy Awards party and red carpet coverage starts at 4:00 pm. The actual ceremony starts at 5:30 on ABC. At the theatre, admission is free or you can pay $25 for a VIP tickets (which include reserved seating, two drink tickets, and a special Oscar ballot).
The Theatre is located at 4122 NE Sandy Blvd Portland, Oregon
The Hollywood Theatre has a long tradition of throwing Oscar parties. They’ll be serving drinks inspired by the Best Picture nominees. The auditorium could be at capacity so VIP tickets and early arrival are encouraged.
See the full list of Oscar nominations 2016 here. Best Picture nominees for the 88th Academy Awards include: The Big Short, Bridge of Spies, Brooklyn, Mad Max: Fury Road, The Martian, The Revenant, Room and Spotlight.
We can’t show you the stage in advance, but we can show you Derek sketches by the designer, Derek McLane.
Oscar nominees Brie Larson and Deniz Gamze Ergüven at the Oscar Nominees Luncheon in Beverly Hills.
Academy President Cheryl Boone Isaacs and Mark Ruffalo at the 88th Oscar Nominees Luncheon.
Oscar nominees Kristie Macosko, Steven Spielberg and Marc E Platt.
Katharine Hepburn’s four Oscars are at the Smithsonian in Washington D.C. In 2009, the National Portrait Gallery acquired Hepburn’s four statuettes as a gift from the Katharine Hepburn estate.
Here are more links to learn about the awards:
Actress in a Leading Role category is just as star-studded, with Cate Blanchett, Carol, Brie Larson, Room, Jennifer Lawrence, Joy, Charlotte Rampling, 45 Years and Saoirse Ronan, Brooklyn. See the full list of Oscar nominations for the 2016 Oscars right here!
Portland, February 24th, 2016. Oregon Zoo conservationists are working to reestablish the dwindling checkerspot populations in central Washington. So they’ve roused more than 1,500 Taylor’s checkerspot larvae from their winter dormancy this month, transferring the very hungry caterpillars into rearing cups at the zoo’s Imperiled Butterfly Conservation Lab, where they munch on narrowleaf plantain following their 7-month snooze.
A newly awakened Taylor’s checkerspot caterpillar munches on narrowleaf plantain in the Oregon Zoo’s butterfly lab. Zoo conservationists recently woke hundreds of the caterpillars from their winter dormancy in preparation for release into the wild. (Photo by Michael Durham, courtesy of the Oregon Zoo.)
This week, Oregon Zoo staffers will join biologists from the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife to release 1,478 of the growing caterpillars on prairies in central Washington, helping to reestablish populations of checkerspots where some of the region’s best habitat remains. Another 281 larvae will stay behind and complete their transformation into adult butterflies at the zoo — a “rear guard” of sorts that will breed, lay eggs and produce caterpillars for release next year.
“The Taylor’s checkerspot is one of the Northwest’s most beautiful — and most endangered — butterflies,” said Mary Linders, a species recovery biologist with WDFW. “Releasing caterpillars reared at the zoo is part of our ongoing effort to reestablish this imperiled species at sites where it was once abundant. Without large, connected populations, the butterflies struggle to survive.”
The zoo-reared caterpillars will complete their development in the wild, first turning into chrysalides and then — over a span of warm, sunny days this spring — emerging as adult butterflies and unfurling for the first time their distinctive and colorful wings.
Rearing the rare butterflies comes with many challenges. One of the most difficult tasks is feeding the ever-munching larvae, which require vast quantities of specific plants. Thanks to the zoo’s horticulture department, the checkerspot caterpillars are able to feed on narrowleaf plantain, one of the plants their species eats in the wild.
This level of care is crucial: The species is listed under the U.S. Endangered Species Act and, according to Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation, is in imminent danger of extinction. Though once abundant across the inland prairies of the Pacific Northwest, the Taylor’s checkerspot has now lost 99 percent of its grassland habitat to agriculture and urban development. And while the butterflies themselves are small, they are important pollinators and have a big impact on their ecosystem.
The Oregon Zoo has raised more than 20,000 checkerspots for release since joining the recovery effort in 2004. After more than a decade of working to increase the endangered butterfly’s numbers, Linders says the effects are becoming noticeable.
“We’ve started seeing Taylor’s checkerspots at locations where they haven’t been documented in years,” Linders said. “It gives us hope for a species that is very close to disappearing completely.”
Committed to butterfly conservation, the Oregon Zoo is a charter member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Butterfly Conservation Initiative, a collaborative effort among nearly 50 zoos and aquariums. The zoo works in partnership with and receives funding from the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife and Joint Base Lewis-McChord and its Army Compatible Use Buffer program to rear checkerspots and release them into the wild. Additional project partners include the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Xerces Society and the Sustainability in Prisons Project administered through The Evergreen State College and Mission Creek Corrections Center for Women.
The zoo is a service of Metro and is dedicated to its mission of inspiring the community to create a better future for wildlife. Committed to conservation, the zoo is also working to save endangered California condors, Oregon silverspot butterflies, western pond turtles and Oregon spotted frogs. Other projects include studies on Asian elephants, polar bears, orangutans and giant pandas.
Support from the Oregon Zoo Foundation enhances and expands the zoo’s efforts in conservation, education and animal welfare. Members, donors and corporate and foundation partners help the zoo make a difference across the region and around the world.
The zoo opens at 10 a.m. daily and is located five minutes from downtown Portland, just off Highway 26. The zoo is also accessible by MAX light rail line. Visitors who travel to the zoo via MAX receive $1.50 off zoo admission. Call TriMet Customer Service, 503-238-RIDE (7433), or visit www.trimet.org for fare and route information.
General zoo admission is $11.50 (ages 12-64), $10 for seniors (65 and up), $8.50 for children (ages 3-11) and free for those 2 and younger. Additional information is available at www.oregonzoo.org or by calling 503-226-1561.
Portland, February 20th, 2016. The photo booth was entertaining for Riverdale School parents Michele Rosenbaum, Amber Hillman, Star Sanaee, and Jillian Cain. Teachers, staff and friends were treated to a Night in Havana at theEvergreenevent space at SE 6th and Alder. The Riverdale Parent Teacher Clubs benefit drew 160 people and organizers transformed the space into the streets of Havana. Street lamps, palm trees, old farm tables, wooden benches, cigar boxes, a “Cuban eats” menu and a choice of Cuban cocktails by ChefStable made the night memorable. DJ Max of Blackboard Music and the 12-piece salsa orchestra Melao de Cuba put everyone in the mood for the event billed as a “fundraising fiesta.” (PhotoBooth by instaPixnw.com )
View of A Night in Havana from the balcony level at Evergreen event space donated by Kurt and Heather Melonis Huffman.
A Night in Havana Chairwoman Shelly Morris with husband Mert Rockney
Wendy and Tim Tolls with Kari Lynn and Bill Dischinger at Riverdale’s A Night in Havana
The $65,000+ raised is earmarked for PTC programs and the Principal’s wish lists items such as the following:
Riverdale Grade School Principal Joanna Tobin sought to build on technology infrastructure purchased with funds from prior PTC Paddle Raises by purchasing interactive classroom technology such as Mimeo boards.
Riverdale High School Principal Paula Robinson sought to add electric keyboards to the school’s Music Program and to expand and coordinate Career Exploration and Service Learning opportunities for students.
PTC Special Appeal was made for the Outdoor Classroom at Riverdale Grade School.
Student performers included RGS Tuba Players and RHS cast members from the upcoming Pajama Game.
From Riverdale:
Welcome to Riverdale School District. For more than a century, Riverdale has focused on providing a rigorous and rich academic experience. We are a unique, distinctive and successful educational organization that demonstrates how a focused vision can have a profound effect on the learning outcomes for students. Among the many strengths of the District, first and foremost are our students. This is clearly evident in the range and depth of school activities they are involved in on a daily basis. Dedicated faculty enhances the strength of our students and involved parents who shine a light on the vibrant educational community we call Riverdale.
Our students are actively engaged in the learning process from their first day in Preschool all the way to their senior exhibition. They learn how to think for themselves, and when they graduate, they go on to a wide variety of selective colleges. More importantly, students leave Riverdale equipped with the skills and confidence to become leaders in today’s global community. Our alumni consistently tell us that the skills they developed at Riverdale set them up for success in college and beyond.
Riverdale students are also active outside the academic classroom. We want our students to lead balanced lives and encourage them to participate in the arts, athletics, and to create a passion for personal interests, a habit of critical thinking, and a deep understanding of civic virtue. The breadth of our programs and the size of our school create many ways for Riverdale students to get involved, and these opportunities lead families to choose Riverdale.
As you explore our website, we hope you will discover what makes Riverdale such a special place. Riverdale offers a close-knit community. At Riverdale, students develop meaningful relationships with one another and with their teachers, and our parents are actively involved throughout the school. We all come together within a safe, supportive environment.
Our schools welcome students from the Riverdale neighborhood and from the surrounding communities who join us as tuition or transfer students. Riverdale offers the best aspects of independent schooling in a public school setting.
Portland, February 7th, 2016. Native American community leaders are excited about helping their children. They broke ground on the housing development phase of their community hub called Generations. It’s a multigenerational development in SE Portland being built on land which was once home to Foster Elementary. The Native American Youth and Family Center (known as NAYA) project has been underway since 2013 and will provide stable housing and cultural support for foster youth, elders, and families. Generations was modeled on the multigenerational community, Bridge Meadows which is an intergenerational community for foster children, parents wishing to adopt, and community Elders. Local Native American leaders say the facility is vital because Portland’s Native students are perpetually under-served. They say 53% of Native students in Portland Public Schools do not obtain a diploma. At Generations, an on-site Long House community center will provide culturally specific educational, economic support, and a regional Early Learning Academy will offer early education for kids ages zero through Kindergarten.
After construction is finished, Generations will inclue 40 housing units, the Early Learning Academy and the Long House in Portland’s southeast Lents neighborhood. It’s on a 3.5 acre site which held a public elementary school. The site is near transit, shopping and public parks. The total project budget for Generations is estimated to be $22,100,000.
Keeping cultural traditions alive is important to the community. NAYA is partnering with Portland Public Schools and the City of Portland on the project. A Declaration of Cooperation was signed by Oregon Department of Human Services, Oregon Child Development Coalition, Oregon Housing and Community Services, Multnomah County, Lents Neighborhood Association, Capital Pacific Bank, Guardian Real Estate Services, Carleton Hart Architecture, LMC Construction, Legacy Health, and Social Venture Partners.
Here’s an informational video about the project.
From NAYA:Our Native American community has come together since time immemorial to identify priorities, solve problems and create positive change for our people. Portland’s Native American people, combining our diverse strengths, are united to address a long-standing inequity: one in five Native American children in Multnomah County is in child welfare custody – a rate 26 times higher than White children. Removed from our culture, our youth are more likely to age out of foster care, experience homelessness, drop out of high school, fail to obtain a diploma, and experience mental health and wellness issues. Our community, working with private and public partners, has devised an intervention – a place to provide Native American foster youth homes, families, and support to break the cycle of child welfare removal in our community.
Community members at Generations are not “clients.” They are families, neighbors and friends who are all deserving of love, respect and dignity.
Native American youth and their siblings in foster care are connected to adoptive parents in stable, affordable housing.
Community Elders become adopted grandparents and mentors who can “age in place” with a renewed sense of purpose, helping with child care and providing wisdom.
Given the opportunity to care for one another, community members come together to become a first line of intervention.
The Early Learning Academy and Long House create a center of community. A community like this can reduce poverty, improve health and wellness, and rebuild the cultural fabric of the Native community.
To the youth, parents, and Elders who live there, Generations is simply, finally, home.
The total project budget for Generations – land, construction, and soft costs – is estimated to be $22,100,000.
Almost half of the project funding has been committed at the current time.
With a recently-announced award of Low-Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC) from the State of Oregon Department of Housing and Community Services, funding for the housing component of the project is in place.
Funding strategies for other program elements are under active development. NAYA’s community supporters – individuals, families, and businesses – will be invited to plan their philanthropic support, as critical partners in achieving the vision this project represents.
Portland, February 21st, 2016. Craftsmen are putting the finishing touches on Portland Japanese Garden‘s 33.5-million dollar Cultural Crossings expansion project which will open to the public on March 1st. The Garden has been closed for six months to accommodate the heaviest construction on the project. Construction will continue immediately outside the Garden’s gates until officials reveal the new Cultural Village at a Grand Reopening in Spring 2017.
A key part of the expansion’s design is a 20-foot-high stone wall being built outside the Garden’s gates. Suminori Awata, a 15th-generation Japanese stonemason, is building the wall using traditional techniques and stone harvested from Central Oregon.
It will be the only castle wall of its kind in the United States. As visitors approach the Garden, this wall will rise up to meet them, transporting the imagination to another place and time.
The overall expansion project includes three new LEED certified buildings and seven new garden spaces. Architects have taken into consideration efficiency and design; the Garden’s new buildings and landscaping were developed primarily in the current footprint. A new entrance and ticketing office will be located adjacent to the existing parking lot on Kingston Avenue. New garden landscaping styles will accompany visitors up the hillside along the existing path to the new Cultural Village.
With much of the design work provided pro-bono, the majority of the budget has gone toward construction, trees, plants and material costs.
Kengo Kuma and Associates developed the design for the expansion, providing a modern style that blends the traditions of Japanese design with the spirit of the Pacific Northwest. Sadafumi Uchiyama, the current Garden Curator, designed the new gardens and landscaping that will surround the new buildings.
Contributions for the project have come from donors in Oregon, around North America, and Japan. Notable gifts include: $5,000,000 from Arlene Schnitzer, $4,500,000 from Japanese Garden Trustees, $1,500,000 from the Oregon State Lottery Bonds and $1,500,000 from business leaders and philanthropists in Japan.
The plan calls for over 200 new trees and shrubs along the walking trail leading from the parking lot to the garden while removing invasive non-native species (e.g., English Ivy) from the hillside. The original five gardens will remain intact and unmodified during the expansion. A primary reason for the expansion is to protect and preserve the tranquility of the original Garden while hosting more visitors every year.
Here’s a video about the expansion project:
From The Portland Japanese Garden:The Portland Japanese Garden is proud to offer our community an amazing garden, interesting lectures and workshops, and quality exhibitions and educational programs. We rely on contributions from the entire community to help us fulfill our mission and keep the Garden affordable for a growing number of visitors. You can help sustain the Garden by making an individual contribution, becoming a corporate member or donor, or giving an in-kind gift. If you have questions or ideas about how you might support the Garden, please call (503) 542-0281 or email Allison Rangel.
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