Portland, OR. Lines for Life‘s annual gala drew a crowd of 500 guests and raised more than $390,000 to support the organization’s mission of preventing substance abuse and suicide. Highlights of the February 24th gala at the Sentinel included honoring several people who have propelled Lines for Life forward by giving a voice to the issues of substance abuse, suicide, and mental health. Former Lines for Life CEO Judy Cushing presented KINK radio’s Sheila Hamilton with the Celebrating Life Award for raising awareness about suicide and promoting mental health. (Photo credit, Andie Petkus)
Standard Insurance Company’s Vice President of Employee Benefits Dan McMillan accepted the Champion of Hope Award for outstanding leadership and philanthropic support. Multnomah County Circuit Court’s Presiding Judge, the Honorable Nan Waller, presented the award.
Lines for Life CEO Dwight Holton awarded Corinne Boyer of the Eugene Weekly with the Tom Parker Award for Media Excellence.
Master of Ceremonies Pete Ferryman of FOX12 with Lines for Life’s Development Director Fiona Milligan.
“The issues that define our mission touch everyone. We were thrilled to have so many enthusiastic supporters gathered together last Friday to celebrate the difference we can make together,” says Lines for Life’s Development Director Fiona Milligan.
Lines for Life supporters Cameron Altree and Shari Altree with Senator Ron Wyden and the recipient of our Tom Parker Award for Media Excellence, Corinne Boyer
Lines for Life supporters Greg and Terry Ness
Supporters Dave and Barbara Underriner with Lines for Life CEO, Dwight Holton.
In 2016, Lines for Life Crisis Lines answered over 78,000 calls, texts, chats, and emails from individuals and their friends or family who struggled with issues related to mental health, substance abuse, and suicide. We de-escalated approximately 95 percent of the suicide-related calls we received, helping the vast majority of callers find a way forward without the intervention of emergency services.
About Lines for Life:
Lines for life is a regional nonprofit dedicated to preventing substance abuse and suicide. We believe that every person deserves to be healthy and happy; but we know that many people are in crisis and many communities are struggling. No one should struggle alone. We offer help and hope by building relationships with individuals and communities, and by promoting mental health for all.
Our work addresses a spectrum of needs that include intervention, prevention, and advocacy. We educate, train, and advocate to prevent issues of substance abuse, mental illness, and thoughts of suicide from reaching crisis levels. But when a crisis arises or support is needed, we’re available 24/7/365 to intervene with personalized help.
Crisis Intervention Services Our 24-hour crisis lines offer help and hope to individuals and their loved ones when in crisis or when needing confidential help for drug addiction, alcohol abuse, thoughts of suicide, and other mental health issues. Our staff and volunteer crisis intervention specialists are highly-trained and help thousands of individuals each year. While available to anyone in need, our services include targeted support for those struggling with addiction and recovery, military service members, veterans, youth, and their families.
All of our crisis lines are free, confidential, and available 24/7/365 to those in crisis or their concerned friends and family.
Suicide LifeLine 800-273-TALK (8255) Military Helpline 888-457-4838 or text MIL1 to 839863 YouthLine 877-968-8491 or text teen2teen to 839863 Alcohol & Drug Helpline 800-923-HELP (4357)
Prevention Services Our education and training programs promote mental health and wellness in communities throughout Oregon. Our hallmark trainings are taught by certified professionals and equip schools and communities to identify and assist people at risk of suicide and to respond to signs of mental illness and substance abuse. We work to destigmatize mental health issues, increase awareness for mental wellness, and encourage reaching out for help.
Public Policy & Advocacy We work locally and nationally to shape the policies that impact our mission. We work with legislators and community partners to create sustainable, positive changes in the way organizations and communities respond to substance abuse, suicide, mental wellness, and crisis. Today, we are taking the lead on preventing prescription drug abuse; historically, we’ve worked to limit teen exposure to drugs and alcohol, minimize access to the chemicals used to manufacture illegal drugs, and more.
Portland, OR. Milagro, the Northwest’s premier Latino arts and culture organization, was awarded $264,300 in grants from December 2016 to February 2017 for general operating support and capital improvements, and for Milagro’s artistic programming, arts education, and community engagement efforts.
(Russell Young Photography)
Here’s a list of the generous grants that Milagro received:
December 19, 2016, Umpqua Bank Charitable Foundation, through their Community Giving Program, awarded Milagro $2,500 to support Teatro Milagro’s bilingual UNIDAD arts residency in Jackson and Douglas counties. For more information about the giving program, visit: www.umpquabank.com/communitygiving
January 4, 2017, The Oregon Arts Commission awarded an Arts Build Communities grant of $6,000 to Milagro for Teatro Milagro’s bilingual UNIDAD arts residency in Astoria, OR. The Commission, with federal funds from the National Endowment for the Arts and state support, allocated $210,000 to thirty-six projects for community arts projects across the state. To learn more about The Oregon Arts Commission, visit: www.oregonartscommission.org
January 12, 2017, EC Brown Foundation awarded Milagro continued support in the amount of $10,000 to support Teatro Milagro’s “Healthy Relationships” residencies and workshops as part of OYE, opciónes y educación, the Latino sexual health coalition, and for TM’s new middle school program Mijita Fridita about the life of the young Frida Kahlo.
February 13, 2017, The Portland Development Commission awarded Milagro a CommunityLivability Grant in the amount of $75,000 for The Next Miracle Capital Project to support interior and exterior improvements to El Centro Milagro. The Portland Development Commission (PDC) announced more than $840,000 in Community Livability Grants for fiscal year 2016-17 to projects in the Lents Town Center, Gateway Regional Center, and Central Eastside urban renewal areas (URAs) as well as in Old Town/Chinatown with funding from both River District and Downtown Waterfront URAs. For more information about PDC’s Community Livability Grants, visit: http://www.pdc.us/for-residents/community-livability-grant.aspx
February 22, 2017, The Collins Foundation’s trustees approved a three-year grant of $150,000 to Milagro. $75,000 was awarded for capital improvements, with an additional $25,000 each year to support Milagro’s on-going programs and operations. The Collins Foundation invests in Oregon nonprofit organizations, both rural and urban, that are dedicated to improving quality of life and well-being for the people in their communities. In December 2016, the trustees awarded 26 single-year grants and 10 multi-year grants, totaling nearly $2.1 million invested in non-profits in Oregon. For more information, visit: http://www.collinsfoundation.org/
February 24, 2017, The Regional Arts & Culture Council awarded Milagro a 2016-17 General Operating Support grant in the amount of $20,800. RACC supports the region’s vital arts and culture community through a variety of grant programs. These grants are made possible through investments from the City of Portland, Multnomah County, Clackamas County, Washington County, Metro, and Work for Art. Funding is awarded through a competitive process that includes dozens of community volunteers serving on peer panels and evaluating each request. For more information, visit: https://racc.org/
From Milagro:
For over 30 years, Milagro has been dedicated to bringing the vibrancy of Latino theatre, culture and arts education to audiences in the Pacific Northwest and across the country. We provide a home for artists and audiences seeking authentic, Latino cultural experiences. We value creativity and diversity; we welcome the risk of experimentation while respecting tradition; we empower our artists to think creatively and act collaboratively; we are often irreverent but never irrelevant. We entertain our audiences; we give them pause to think, feel and imagine; and, through the cultural lens of latinidad, we reflect the full spectrum of humanity. As a proud community leader and thinker, we speak boldly and authoritatively; as imaginative artists, we embrace the colorful and vivacious, the provocative and playful.
MORE INFORMATION: 503-236-7253 or http://milagro.org/
Portland, OR.The Children’s Cancer Association (CCA) celebrated “Valentine’s Day for CCA” with a live, on-air fundraiser at the FOX 12 studio raising $604,000 in just one day to fund CCA’s free programs of JOY for seriously ill children, teens, and their families. CCA Hero, Holly Bruno, talked with Fox 12 Anchor, Elizabeth Dinh, before she drew the winning raffle ticket.
Fox 12 Anchors Wayne Garcia and Elizabeth Dinh, with CCA’s VP or Development Jennifer O’Bryan, Chief Joy Officer, Regina Ellis, Fox 12 Anchor, Mark Nelsen, with CCA’s President and Chief Operating Officer, Megan Byrtek, and VP of Brand, Abby Guyer are pictured with the final total for the day: $604,000
Cory Mahaffey, Managing Partner at Northwestern Mutual and CCA Ambassador Board member, is interviewed by Fox 12 Anchor Andy Carson about CCA’s MyMusicRx Program.
VP of Nike Growth Initiatives and Founding CCA Board Member, Clare Hamill, tells Elizabeth Dinh why supporting CCA is so important to her.
Fox 12 Anchors Kimberly Maus, Andy Carson, and Shauna Parsons with CCA’s Chief Joy Officer, Regina Ellis, and Fox 12 Anchor, Tony Martinez.
Andrea Lauer (left) and her team of volunteers were busy their entire shift taking in donations.
CCA Staff gather for a photo at the end of the event.
Volunteers from Northwestern Mutual, Randall Children’s Hospital, Dick Hannah Dealerships, Keller Williams, and Elmer’s Restaurants joined many of CCA board members, staff, and volunteers to answer phones during the “Valentine’s for CCA” live, on-air fundraise. Fox 12 anchors shared inspirational stories of children and families served by CCA programs and services including MyMusicRx®, the Chemo Pal® Mentor program, the Alexandra Ellis Caring CabinTM, and Link. Entercom radio also got the word out by broadcasting fundraising messages across all of their local radio stations including 105.1 The Buzz, 94/7 fm, 92.3 KGON, 99.5 The Wolf, 1080 The Fan, and 97.1 Charlie fm.
Dick Hannah has for seven years now donated a car for the “CCA Keys to Our Heart Car Raffle.” This year’s winner was Robert A. from Beaverton, with the winning ticket drawn on air by Holly, a CCA served child.
Other Valentine’s Day for CCA activations included:
The annual “NIKE Men vs. Women Challenge” was a fierce, global battle led by Tinker Hatfield on the men’s side and Andrea Corradini and Heidi O’Neill on the women’s. True to Nike’s competitive spirit, the women emerged victorious this year in taking back the title.
Portland shoppers showed their support by purchasing paper “Hearts of Joy” at retail locations throughout Oregon and SW Washington. Hearts of Joy were displayed prominently in lobbies, at check-out stands, and in windows all over town. Including all Papa Murphy’s Pizza locations where they also donated $1 for every pizza sold, Elmer’s Restaurants, Pietro’s Pizza, and Sunset Lanes.
Several of Portland’s favorite craft and small business donated a percentage of their Valentine’s Day sales to CCA’s MyMusicRx program. Led by Stumptown Coffee Roasters who donated 15% of café sales nationwide with other participating businesses generously donating percentages up to 100% of sales.
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About Children’s Cancer Association (CCA)
The Children’s Cancer Association knows that for seriously ill children and their families every moment is precious. That’s why our programs leverage music, friendship, play, and resources to create transformative moments of joy for 20,000 children, teens, and their family members each year. We believe kids deserve long, wonderful lives. Or at the very least, short wonderful lives. Unlike many organizations dedicated to the worthy goal of someday finding a cure for cancer, CCA is all about creating joy today. See our programs in action here, or visit us anytime at JoyRx.org.
Beaverton, OR. First Tech Federal Credit Union kicked off 2017 with a $470,000 donation to the Doernbecher Children’s Hospital Foundation, the result of the most recent Dave and Dan Classic golf tournament, presented by First Tech. Last year’s tournament raised a record-breaking $1.1 million, benefitting Credit Unions for Kids and six Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, including OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital. Posing with the check are: Kyleigh Gill, Monique Little, Jim Ervin, Dr. Dana Braner, Tom Gifford, Nicole Frisch, Kelly Schrader, Steven Stapp, and Meghan Valley.
“First Tech’s contributions to the kids here have created an everlasting impact for families touched by OHSU, and we are so fortunate to have such a dedicated partner who advocates for providing care to our smallest patients,” said Dana Braner, M.D., Credit Unions for Kids Chair from OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital. “First Tech has been supporting OHSU Doernbecher for 30 years, starting as a founding partner of Credit Unions for Kids. We are incredibly thankful for First Tech’s partnership and commitment to helping children and families when they need it most.”
A portion of the donation is allocated toward the construction of the new Gary & Christine Rood Family Pavilion. The guest house, scheduled to open on Portland’s South Waterfront in 2019, will be a home for healing for thousands of OHSU Doernbecher patient families who need to receive long-term, specialty care unavailable in their home communities. Funds will also be directed to create a permanent endowment to support cutting edge, life-saving research and new innovative technology at OHSU Doernbecher.
“We’re honored to support OHSU Doernbecher, and all of the children in our communities. Over the last five years, our dedicated First Tech team has raised more than $5 million in support of Credit Unions for Kids,” said Monique Little, chief people & administration officer at First Tech, based in Beaverton, Ore. “In 2017, we’re excited to bring together our credit union community again in support of this important cause and look forward to reaching our greatest Dave and Dan fundraising goal yet.”
This year’s tournament will take place on July 10, 2017, and aims to raise more than $1.1 million for six children’s hospitals. More information about the tournament, including sponsorships, can be found at www.daveanddangolf.org.
About First Tech Federal Credit Union
First Tech Federal Credit Union is committed to supporting the next generation of leaders, thinkers and innovators. In 2016, First Tech provided $2.8 million and nearly 25,000 employee volunteer hours to the community, by directing dollars and time to community partners which provide support for programs and services for children and families, ensuring that children have the tools they need to learn, be healthy and succeed. Philanthropic focus areas include support in the areas of education (STEM, literacy and financial education), research (Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, and supportive health services for children) and innovation (food, shelter and safety). Learn more about First Tech’s commitment to the community at www.firsttechfed.com/community.
About Credit Unions for Kids and Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals®
Credit Unions for Kids is a nonprofit collaboration of credit unions, chapters, leagues/associations and business partners from across the country, engaged in fundraising activities to benefit 170 Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. Adopted as our movement’s charity of choice, credit unions are the 3rd largest sponsor of CMN Hospitals. Since 2006, CU4Kids has raised $150 million for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals® raises funds and awareness for 170 member hospitals that provide 32 million treatments each year to kids across the U.S. and Canada. Donations stay local to fund critical treatments and healthcare services, pediatric medical equipment and charitable care. Since 1983, Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals has raised more than $5 billion, most of it $1 at a time through the charity’s Miracle Balloon icon. Its various fundraising partners and programs support the nonprofit’s mission to save and improve the lives of as many children as possible. Find out why children’s hospitals need community support, identify your member hospital and learn how you can Put Your Money Where the Miracles Are, at CMNHospitals.org and facebook.com/CMNHospitals.
Portland, OR. The nonprofit Maurice Lucas Foundation announced a new college scholarship program to provide qualifying participants as much as $5,000 toward their post-high school education. Maurice Lucas Foundation Executive Director (and son of the NBA star) David Lucas welcomed guests. He was joined by his mother, board member Pamela Lucas who thanked Portland area business leader Howard Hedinger for kicking off the fundraising drive with a $25,000 donation. “Howard has been one of our strongest supporters since our very beginning in 2011,” said David Lucas. “As a result of his generous gift, we are naming our scholarship program in his honor. Of course, we invite others to follow Howard’s lead and join us in supporting this great cause.” (Photo credit, Andie Petkus)
Other guests at the celebration included former Trail Blazer Brian Grant.
The event was held in a party room in S.E. Portland.
Former Trail Blazer Bobby Gross is also a board member of the foundation.
The foundation’s teachers, mentors, tutors and coaches provide after-school education and sports programs to underserved Portland area students though its Maurice Lucas Foundation Academies. The nonprofit has a long-standing relationship with Irvington Middle School where participating students’ attendance and grades have improved dramatically.
“We help children learn, achieve, grow and build positive values,” David Lucas explained. “We focus our energies on helping middle school students. This new scholarship program enables us to continue assisting these students as they progress through high school and provide incentive for continuing their education.”
Academy participants will be able to receive up to $1,250 per year for up to four years if they fulfill the scholarship program’s academic and community involvement requirements. The foundation’s first group of eligible students will graduate high school in 2019.
The foundation has set a fundraising goal of $110,000 for the scholarship program. Those interested in supporting it can contact Lucas at (503) 880-4323.
The foundation honors the memory of Maurice Lucas, who died in 2010. He was the starting power forward on the Trail Blazers’ 1976–77 NBA Championship team.
About the Foundation:
The foundation is named in honor of Maurice Lucas (1952-2010), the starting forward on the 1977 NBA champion Portland Trail Blazers team. Besides his outstanding achievements on the court, Lucas also gave selflessly of his time and energy to Portland youth. The Maurice Lucas Foundation focuses on middle school kids in the Portland metro area. The foundation teaches life lessons through sport. After school programs, sports camps and outings change the lives of the youths who participate. Since its formation, 436 students have successfully completed the foundation’s academies and hundreds of others have participated in its sports programs. www.ml20.org
Portland, OR. The Portland Rose Festival Foundation has named The Bloom Project its official charity for 2017. The Bloom Project is a volunteer-driven nonprofit that offers comfort during a challenging time in a person’s life. “Our respective missions and activities align so perfectly and offer many opportunities to work together this spring and summer,” says Marilyn Clint, Rose Festival Chief Operating Officer. “We see a lot of synergy between our organizations and we look forward to planning some new mission-based projects this season.”
The Bloom Project receives each of its flowers from donations provided by wholesale floral companies, growers and local grocery stores.
Volunteers repurpose the flowers to create beautiful bouquets, ready to deliver to local hospice and palliative care patients. In the organization’s 10 years, it has distributed more than 165,000 bouquets, with nearly 70,000 donated volunteer hours.
“We’re thrilled to be selected as the official charity partner of the Portland Rose Festival,” said Heidi Berkman, founder and president of The Bloom Project. “Our two organizations share a common mission of continually giving back to those in need, and we sincerely hope this partnership will bring tremendous visibility and awareness to the power of flowers.”
On average, the Spirit Mountain Casino Grand Floral Parade uses 71,000 stems of flowers. As part of this partnership, Berkman and her team of volunteers will look to help the Portland Rose Festival repurpose many of the flowers as gifts for selected organizations.
The flowers are re-purposed to create bouquets, designed and delivered by volunteers to local hospice and palliative care organizations. Hospice nursing staff, clergy, social workers, and volunteers deliver bouquets to patients in their home or care facility.
About The Bloom Project
Founded in 2007 by Heidi Berkman, The Bloom Project is a volunteer-driven nonprofit that provides fresh floral bouquets to hospice and palliative care patients. The Bloom Project receives each of its flowers as donations provided by wholesale floral companies, growers and local grocery stores. The flowers are repurposed by volunteers into beautiful bouquets ready to deliver to local hospice and palliative care patients. Volunteers come from all different backgrounds; many are retired or have little to no floral experience.
Members of the team with floral design experience host training sessions, teaching new volunteers how to: care for the flowers, identify which flowers to keep and how to create a bouquet. Berkman and her team of volunteers are committed to sustainable business practices. Not only are they eco-friendly in their efforts to repurpose flowers from their partners, but also by composting floral waste. For more information, please visit: http://thebloomproject.org.
About the Rose Festival
The Rose Festival produces a broad range of events that burst into bloom on Memorial Day Weekend; attracting nearly one million people from across the city and around the globe, and generating a total estimated economic impact of $65 million for the region’s economy. Among the most visible events are Rose Festival CityFair, an urban fair in Gov. Tom McCall Waterfront Park that spans three weekends, and three parades including the Festival’s “crown jewel,” the all-floral Grand Floral Parade. www.rosefestival.org.
Portland, OR. Northwest Film Center Director Bill Foster kicked off the XL Portland International Film Festival (PIFF) at a party in the Portland Art Museum’s Schnitzer Sculpture Court. The celebration on February 9th followed the opening night screening of Raoul Peck’s I Am Not Your Negro. Over three weeks in February, at various theatres in the area, fans choose from nearly 100 feature films and 60+ short films; some star big names like Kristen Steward and Cynthia Nixon. PIFF continues through February 25th. (Photo credit, Jason Quigley)
Paula Bernstein from Filmmaker Magazine with NW filmmakers Beth Federici and Alicia J. Rose.
The opening night reception for the 40th Portland International Film Festival was sold out.
Long-time NWFC Silver Screen Club Member and supporter Lisa Karplus
Representatives from Elk Cove Winery the Festival sponsor
(Photo by Jason Quigley www.photojq.com)
Here’s the trailer for one of the featured films to pique your interest. It’s called, The Olive Tree.
Personal Shopper is a thriller by Olivier Assayas starring Kristen Steward.
A Quiet Passion is the life story of the celebrated American poet Emily Dickinson (Cynthia Nixon), from her youth as a headstrong schoolgirl through to her reclusive adulthood, where poetry was solace.
Since 1977, the Portland International Film Festival has been the Northwest Film Center’s annual showcase of new world cinema. There are a host of different film categories from which to choose, including the following:
MASTERS
Exciting new works from some of the leading voices of national and world cinema—filmmakers whose singular bodies of work makes each new film a cause for special anticipation.
NEW DIRECTORS
While this year’s Festival is rich with new works by established masters, discovering the work of emerging talents is part of the discovery, too. These debuts and second features indicate that new cinema talents are thriving worldwide and hold great promise.
DOCUMENTARY VIEWS
This year’s non-fiction showcase offers fresh perspective on the world we live in and the fascinating people and stories that surround us. Some are masters, some emerging, but they share a passion to tell entertaining and enlightening stories from fascinating places.
GLOBAL PANORAMA
Capturing the imagination and praise of audiences world-wide, these compelling films tell stories that resonate beyond their borders, while offering insight into the unique cultures from which they emerge. A showcase of festival prizewinners, submissions for the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar, and the critically acclaimed for cinema lovers of all persuasions.
PIFF AFTER DARK
Our late night series at the Bagdad Theater offers special treats for adventurous devotees of genre, and genre-bending films that provocatively push boundaries. The late-night thrills for those that think they’ve see it all start at 10:30 pm and may keep you up even later.
WAYS OF SEEING
Bold, original, and aesthetically inventive new works pushing against the borders of cinematic expression, which in the process challenge our assumptions about the possibilities of image and sound, form and narrative.
ANIMATED WORLDS
Animated features and shorts that have charmed audiences world-wide.
FILMS FOR FAMILIES
Film lovers of all ages will be entertained by these films suitable for younger viewers.
SHORT CUTS
Short programs featuring over 50 memorable snapshots from around the world and here in Oregon.
Portland, OR. Ballet Popalatl provided a colorful kickoff to Juice, a re-vamped event formerly known as the Arts Breakfast of Champions. The event on February 8th was a celebration of the business community’s support for creative expression. The Regional Arts and Culture Council (RACC) receives funding from a variety of public and private partners to serve artists, arts organizations, schools and residents throughout Clackamas, Multnomah, and Washington counties. (Photo credit, Phototainment)
Portland Opera receives a $5,000 cash prize for their innovative partnership with Portland State University.
From Portland General Electric: Verlea Briggs, Bill Tierney, Kimberly Howard, Jim Piro, Taaj Middleton, Kregg Arntson; and Kristel Wissel from the Portland Timbers
John Goodwin of the Portland Trail Blazers with emcee La’Tevin Alexander Ellis. John received the Outstanding Volunteer award for his board service with the Portland Art Museum.
John Goodwin was nominated by the Portland Art Museum. Here’s a video about his, “Extraordinary Service to the Arts.”
Attendees enjoyed a performance by Members Only, the Kaiser Permanente 80s cover band
Katharine Coakley, the President of the Columbia Trust Company said, “As a long-time sponsor of this breakfast, I was thrilled to see the continued success of such an important program that celebrates the intersection of business and the arts. For those of us in business, it is too easy to forget the critical impact that we can make on our arts community and partners. ”
Miguel Elias, of MEK Design was honored for his In-Kind donations. He was Nominated by Young Audiences.
Top Ten Lists
TOP CORPORATE DONORS TO THE ARTS
The Standard
Umpqua Bank
Portland General Electric
U.S. Bank
Wells Fargo
NW Natural
The Boeing Company
Morel Ink
KeyBank
Stoel Rives
TOP WORK FOR ART CAMPAIGNS
Portland General Electric
The Standard
NW Natural
Burgerville
State of Oregon
KeyBank
ZGF Architects
OHSU
City of Portland
Portland Timbers
From RACC:
The Regional Arts & Culture Council (RACC) receives funding from a variety of public and private partners to serve artists, arts organizations, schools and residents throughout Clackamas, Multnomah, and Washington counties. RACC provides grants for artists, nonprofit organizations and schools; manages an internationally acclaimed public art program; raises money and awareness for the arts through workplace giving; convenes forums, networking events and other community gatherings; provides workshops and other forms of technical assistance for artists; and oversees a program to integrate arts and culture into the standard curriculum in public schools throughout the region through “The Right Brain Initiative.” RACC current and past Annual Reports
Vision:
An environment in which arts and culture flourish and prosper.
Mission:
To enrich our communities through arts and culture.
Core Values:
We value freedom of artistic and cultural expression as a fundamental human right. We value a diversity of artistic and cultural experiences. We value a community in which everyone can participate in arts and culture. We value a community that celebrates and supports its artists, and its arts and cultural organizations. We value arts and culture as key elements in creating desirable places to live, work and visit.
Programs and Services:
RACC provides service in five key areas:
Through advocacy, RACC helps build support for a strong arts and culture community.
RACC grants provide artists and arts organizations with financial support.
Our nationally-acclaimed public art program integrates a wide range of art in public places. RACC manages Percent for Art programs for the City of Portland and Multnomah County.
RACC provides other community services, including workshops for artists, organizational consulting, and a variety of printed and electronic resources.
RACC supports arts education by directly funding artists residencies in schools and is working on a comprehensive solution to provide integrated Arts Education learning for every student in the region.
Seattle, WA. As co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Melinda Gates works to improve global health and education. Her family foundation was launched in 2000 and is said to be the largest transparently operated private foundation in the world. Based in Seattle, the foundation is controlled by its three trustees: Bill Gates, Melinda Gates and Warren Buffett. It has an estimated endowment of over $44.3 billion. In 2012, Melinda Gates pledged $560 million to improve access to contraception for women in poor countries. Now she’s speaking out about how ongoing efforts are falling short. (Photos courtesy of the Gates Foundation)
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By Melinda Gates: Like most women I know, I have used contraceptives for many years. I knew I wanted to work both before and after becoming a mom, so I delayed getting pregnant until Bill and I were sure we were ready to start our family. Twenty years later, we have three children, born almost exactly three years apart. None of that happened by accident.
The decision about whether and when to get pregnant was a decision that Bill and I made based on what was right for me and what was right for our family—and that’s something I feel lucky about. There are still over 225 million women around the world who don’t have access to the modern contraceptives they need to make these decisions for themselves.
In the decade and a half since Bill and I started our foundation, I’ve heard from women all over the world about how important contraceptives are to their ability to take charge of their futures. When women are able to plan their pregnancies around their goals for themselves and their families, they are also better able to finish their education, earn an income, and fully participate in their communities.
And not only do moms benefit; their kids benefit, too. In communities where women have access to contraceptives, children stay in school longer, and entire families are healthier, wealthier and far better equipped to break the cycle of poverty.
For all of these reasons, in 2012, I co-chaired a summit that brought leaders from around the world together around the goal of expanding expand access to contraceptives for the women who desperately want and need them. The global partnership, called Family Planning 2020, pledged to get 120 million more women access to contraceptives by the year 2020. It was an ambitious but achievable goal—and an important promise to women in the world’s poorest places that they will not be forgotten.
Unfortunately, our progress has not yet lived up to our ambition. We are now more than halfway to the 2020 deadline, but not yet on track to reach 120 million women by the promised date. As of the halfway point in July 2016, we had reached 24 million additional women with family planning services. Unless we begin making up for lost time, we will miss this chance to make this a turning point for women around the world.
When I think about what’s at stake over the next three years, I think about the lives of women like Anita and Sushila, both of whom I met last year in a village in India called Kamrawa.
Anita, who guesses she’s about 40 years old, lived most of her life without access to contraceptives. She got married when she was a teenager and became pregnant within a year of her wedding. The birth of her first child was followed by the birth of four more. None of these pregnancies were planned—because without contraceptives, planning her family simply wasn’t an option.
Anita, pictured here with her 6-month-old granddaughter, Neha, lived most of her life without access to contraceptives. But things in their village of Kamrawa, India, have changed since Anita was a young mother.
When I asked Anita what it was like to raise so many kids on such a limited income, she got sad and reflective. “I had a lot of problems,” she told me. She spent all of her time and energy looking after her family and trying to keep her household running—preparing food, tending to animals, keeping things clean in a house with no running water—leaving almost no time at all for her to do anything else, even get a job to help with expenses. It was a life of deprivation, hard work and endless worrying.
But things in Kamrawa have changed since Anita was a young mother. Now, contraceptives are widely available, and women have the chance to make the reproductive decisions that are right for themselves and their families. As a result, families are smaller, and parents are better able to afford nutritious food and school fees for all of their kids. The whole village is healthier and more prosperous.
Anita dries papad, a kind of flat bread, on a cot outside her home in Kamrawa, India.
Even though her children are grown, Anita is excited about what this means for the next generation. “I don’t want my daughter-in-law to go through the same problems,” she told me.
Another woman I met, Sushila, is a 28-year-old teacher who’s using contraceptives to plan her family and her future. She has two children—a five-year-old son and a two-year-old daughter—and loves being a mom. But Sushila and her husband are committed to limiting the size of their family so that they’re able to give each of their children the lives they deserve.
Sushila is a 28-year-old teacher from India who’s using contraceptives to plan her family and her future.
Sushila also told me that as soon as both her kids are in school, she plans to return to her job as a teacher. A generation ago, working moms were almost unheard of in villages like Kamrawa. But now that women have the option to plan their pregnancies, they have many other options, too.
When you think about the difference between Anita’s life and Sushila’s life, it’s clear that progress is possible. The question is whether we will commit the resources and mobilize the will to ensure that this progress extends to more women in more places.
In 2012, we made a promise to women around the world. Our actions over the next three years will decide whether we keep it.
Portland, OR. Staffers, volunteers and fans mourned the passing of one of the Oregon Zoo’s most beloved residents: Packy. He made headlines during the Kennedy era as the first elephant born in the Western Hemisphere in over four decades. Packy was euthanized at the Oregon Zoo on February 9th after suffering from a drug-resistant strain of TB.
Packy’s mother, Belle, was wild-born in Thailand, around 1952. His father, Thonglaw, was born in Cambodia around 1947. Both were captured and brought to Morgan Berry, an elephant trainer in Seattle, Washington, in 1959.
Packy had a first birthday party at the zoo. His birthday celebrations were a hit with the visitors. He marked his 53 last year. (Photo by Michael Durham.)
“We loved Packy so much,” said Bob Lee, who oversees the zoo elephant program and worked with Packy for the past 17 years. “He was my favorite — the most impressive animal I’ve ever known. It’s hard to think about coming in to work tomorrow and not seeing him. There will never be another like him.”
This informative video of Packy’s 50th Birthday is a favorite with fans.
In this video, the Oregon Zoo says goodbye.
The decision to euthanize came following a lengthy search for alternative treatment options after test results last fall indicated Packy was suffering from a drug-resistant strain of TB.
“We’d run out of options for treating him,” said Dr. Tim Storms, the zoo’s lead veterinarian. “The remaining treatments involved side effects that would have been very hard on Packy with no guarantee of success, plus a risk of creating further resistance. None of us felt it would be right to do that. But without treatment, his TB would have continued to get worse. We consulted other experts — veterinarians and pharmacists — and a lot of people were involved in this decision, but that didn’t make it any easier. Anybody who’s had a sick or elderly pet knows how painful this can be, even if you know it’s the best thing for the animal.”
“This is a tremendous loss for the entire community,” said Dr. Don Moore, zoo director. “Packy was one of the most famous animals in the world, but to the people who live here, the people who grew up with him, he was family.”
Packy arrived shortly before 6 a.m. on April 14, 1962, earning international attention, including an 11-page feature in Life magazine. He would become one of the best-known animals in the world — inspiring books, records, Rose Parade floats — and much of what we now know about elephant care can be traced back to him.
His birth, and those that followed over the next 20 years in Portland, helped scientists better understand Asian elephants and ushered in a new era in the species’ care and welfare.
“These were completely uncharted waters,” Lee said. “Before Packy arrived in 1962, just one elephant had been born in any North American zoo — that one was born almost 100 years ago and only lived a for few weeks.”
In the late 1950s, the zoo’s first veterinarian, Matthew Maberry, was part of a team working to design facilities that provided elephants with much more freedom than was common in zoos at the time. These facilities, built in 1960, allowed for normal social interactions and natural breeding among the elephants, which led to a string of successful pregnancies and births over the next two decades. From the time of Packy’s birth in 1962 to his daughter Shine’s birth in 1982, more than 75 percent of the Asian elephants born in North America — 21 out of 27 — were born in Portland.
Packy’s spirit is said to live on in the personality of his daughter Shine, (pictured above) as well as in the zoo’s state-of-the-art Elephant Lands habitat, the design of which he helped inspire.
“Packy’s birth started it all,” Lee said. “The focus on elephant welfare, the knowledge about elephants. If you think about the time when he was born, it’s mind-boggling — Kennedy was president, the Beatles hadn’t made any records yet, cigarettes didn’t have warnings from the Surgeon General. We’ve learned so much about elephants since then, and it never could have happened without Packy.”
A memorial event for Packy will be announced as soon as plans are finalized. Until then, people can offer condolences or share favorite memories of him on the zoo’s Facebook page.
The Oregon Zoo is recognized worldwide for its Asian elephant program, which has spanned more than 60 years. Considered highly endangered in their range countries, Asian elephants are threatened by habitat loss, conflict with humans and disease. It is estimated that just 40,000 to 50,000 elephants remain in fragmented populations from India to Borneo. The zoo supports a broad range of efforts to help wild elephants, and has established a $1 million endowment fund supporting Asian elephant conservation.
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