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Family Living
Parent Mentor Program receives national
recognition and financial support
challenges, EMO founded the Parent
M e n to r P ro g ra m , w hich has
continued to receive significant
su p p o rt from th e F o u n d a tio n .
Volunteers are women who have
experience parenting or w orking
professionally with children.
A fte r th e p ro g ra m tra in s th e
volunteers to be mentors, it carefully
m atches them w ith m others in
agencies that collaborate with the
program.
A m e n to r o ffe rs a m o th e r
c o m p a n io n sh ip and p ra c tic a l
a c tiv itie s th a t giv e her new
opportunities to learn about caring
for her children and herself, assist her
in finding and keeping a job, and help
her settle into a new home outside the
protective structure o f a residential
treatment center.
“One o f the most valuable gifts can
offer is com passion,” said Hart-
L andsberg. “For m any m others
dealing with addiction and family
v io len ce, com passion is a new
experience. How are thesem om s
going to nurture their children if they
have never experienced this kind o f
attention themselves?”
Since its inception, the Parent Mentor
Program has provided mentors for
over 100 mothers who care for about
225 children. Because o f its success
with the clients o f Portland’s Letty
Owings Center for drug and alcohol
tre a tm e n t fo r p re g n a n t a n d /o r
parenting women, the program has
begun to offer mentors to women
c o m p le tin g th e pro g ram fo r
adolescent m others at Salvation
fOH T l it PORTLAND OBSERVER
A Portland-area program that helps
mothers struggling against domestic
violence and addictions has received
national reco g n itio n as w ell as
support from several foundations. In
March, Ecumenical Ministries o f
Oregon’s Parent Mentor Program was
awarded the Daily Points o f Light
Award from the Points o f Light
Foundation for its “positive and
lasting contribution to the lives o f
o th e rs.” T h e program has also
received significant funding from the
F red M e y e r F o u n d a tio n , th e
W omen’s Care Foundation, Portland
W omen’s Union, and the Hoover
Family Foundation.
* What a perfect time for us to receive
this award and funding!” said Sylvia
H art-Landsburg, who directs the
program. “We are just beginning to
expand our program and share its
model with other agencies planning
to create their own parent mentor
programs. For over three years, our
mentors have given a significant
boost to mothers whose personal
relationships with mentors anchor
their efforts to raise their families as
they face limited affordable housing
and a shortage o f opportunities for
education, living wage employment,
and health care services.”
In 1996, in response to The Collins
F o undation’s request that EM O
d e v e lo p a pro g ram p ro v id in g
opportunities for volunteer work on
b e h a lf o f fam ilies w ith serious
A rm y’s White Shield Center and
R a p h a e l H o u se ’s T ra n sitio n a l
Housing Program. EM O’s Parent
Mentor Program is also reaching out
to help build similar programs in other
parts ofOregon. A domestic violence
shelter in Bums has consulted with
the Parent Mentor Program, and the
V o lu n te e rs o f A m erica C h ild
Development Center is working with
E M O s ta f f to d ev elo p p a re n t
mentoring for its clients.
“The Fred Meyer Foundation was
p a rtic u la rly im p re sse d by the
successful track record o f EM O’s
Parent Mentor Program,’ said Robin
Christian, executive director o f the
foundation. Christian added that she
hoped the grant would help the
program “continue the important work
it is doing to enrich the health o f the
community.”
The Fred Meyer Foundation helps
nonprofit organizations dedicated to
helping children, stren g th en in g
fa m ilie s, and b u ild in g b e tte r
communities in the markets served
by Fred Meyer stores, Sm ith’s Food
& Drug Stores, and Quality Food
Centers.
For more information, visit their Web
site at www.fredmeyer.com.
EMO is an association o f 15 Christian
denominations including Catholic,
Protestant and Orthodox religious
bodies that come together to meet the
needs o f O regonians. For m ore
information about EM O ’s Parent
Mentor Program, contact Sylvia Hart-
Landsberg at 503/231-3571 or visit
www.emoregon.org.
HOME FOCUS
S cholarship fundraising event
attempts to fulfill young ladies dream
Hi, my name is Caron, and I’m a
single parent and foster mom. I’m
writing regarding my child Kiara
Berry. Kiara, my third child o f four,
is a bright, intelligent, active seven-
year-old. She’s a very sweet girl.
She wi 11 help me out doing whatever
I’m doing around the house to
showherappreciation. She goes to
a very good private school, good
student, Kiara is a good leader in
her classroom.
K iara has b een g o in g to
Taekwondo ever since she turned
five. She started out a White belt,
now she is a Blue stripe. She has
come a long way. She has achieved
and accomplished part ofher dream.
K ia ra has b e e n in th re e
tournaments:
1.
2.
3.
U .S .
N a tio n a l
O pen
C ham pionship 1st G old -
Sparring, 3"1 Bronze Forum
medals
5,h A nniversary Hollywood
2000Championship 151 Gold -
Sparring 2nd S ilv er- Forum 3rd
Bronz - Board Breaking
N a tio n a l
Q u a lify in g
Championship Oregon State
Taekwondo Is1 G old-Sparring
medal
Now she’s a strong qualifying for
the Junior Olympic in San Antonio,
Texas. T hat’s going to be on July
10'h- 1 5 'h,2000.
K iara is a strong ex cellen ce
performer. Her goal is to become a
Black belt. She has strived and kept
focus on her Takewondo along with
her school activity. She also loves
to swim.
But now she needs help in raising
funds to get to Texas, for her and her
m om to a tte n d the O lym pic
Championships.
I have set up a fund raising donating
scholarship for her at U.S. Bank.
Kiara really has her heart for this trip.
A nd plus it w ill be a good
opportunity for her at a young age
to perform in the Junior Olympic
2000.
For more information contact
Caron-(503) 539-5066
Master D an-(503)284-7843
Deborah Foster
Equity Group Realtors
B y D eborah F oster
tor T hl P ortland O bserver
Why Do You Need a Real Estate
A gent?
I ’ m ready to buy a home. Should I get
m yself a Realtor or should I drive
around and visit open houses?
Should I call the Realtor on the “for
sale” sign? Will the listing agent
represent me as the buyer? When do
I look for a lender? What kind o f
house do I want? Where do I want to
liv e ? W h at m ak es a good
R e a lto r? T h e se a re b u t a few
questions you may ask yourself when
thinking o f buying a home. Do you
really need a Realtor?
Some agents specialize in listing
properties for sale. Others specialize
in finding homes for buyers. Many
agents prefer to do both. If you are
attempting to find a home on your
own, beware o f the following.
Less than 2% o f available homes
are advertised in newspapers on any
given day!
•
Driving all over town without
v ie w in g a p p o in tm e n ts can be
frustrating!
Not knowing the price, size &
other important details beforehand
means a lot o f dead ends.
•
Do you know that the Realtor
hold in g the open house w orks
exclusively for the seller?
Who will negotiate the best deal
for you?
What you need is a buyer’s agent,
who will represent and protect you
and your interests with honesty and
integrity. Your agent should:
•
Consult with and advise you
every step o f the way, making the
entire process run smoothly.
Sift through them ultiple listings
to locate homes that best meet your
needs and finances.
Show and possibly sell you any
home listed for sale in Oregon, no
matter w ho’s name is on the sign.
You Realtor’s primary goal should be
finding the perfect home for you, in
shortest possible time, and with the
least convenience to you. It is
important that you feel at ease to ask
any question and be confident that
y our R ealtor can represent and
negotiate on your behalf.
The best way to find a good agent is
through the referral process. People
usually recom m end a successful
realtor who have provided them with
go o d , m em orable service. Ask
q u e stio n s about how the sales
process went. Iftheirtransaction went
smoothly, there is a good chance
yours will too.
Ask lots o f questions. Meet with the
agent and find out how he or she
works.
You want a Realtor you can work wel 1
with and respect. Buying a home is a
big deal and probably one o f the
biggest purchases you will m ake!! It
should be fun and as stress-free as
possible.
So, question everything. There is n o ,
such thing as a stupid question when
buying a home. For more information,
contact Deborah Foster by calling
5 0 3 /7 0 6 -0 0 3 7 o r em ail h e r at
deborah@equitygroup.com
family behind you.
FOR SALE
OPEN SUNDAYS 1-3 PM. Fargo Row Townhomes situated next to
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