May 29, 2002
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Page A6
YWCA Closes Northeast Center
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Group can’t afford to operate site because of dwindling donations
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A PROGRAM OF THE AFRICAN AMERICAN HEALTH
COALITION, Inc.
2800 N. Vancouver Avenue, Suite 100, 97227; 503 413-1850
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YWCA at 56 3 0 NE Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd.
by M ichael L eighton
T he P ortland O bserver
healthier
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for Disease Control and'
jssible in p a rt by Legacy Emanuel,!
Department of Human Services.
Vlvcitise with diversity
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The YWCA will shut down
its center at 5630 N.E. Martin
Luther King Jr. Blvd. and drop
two programs serving kids in
north and northeast Portland
because o f dwindling dona
tions.
The community-based or
ganization announced Tuesday
that the cuts are part o f a
series o f moves to reduce ex
penses after a sharp decline in
donations after the Sept. 11
terrorist attacks and because
o f the lag g in g O regon
economy.
The organization is also suf
fering from major cutbacks in
donations from United Way
and reduced funding from state
and local governments. The
YWCA is also anticipating
added cutbacks from the state
in paying for services to low
income seniors.
“The result o f all o f this is
that the YWCA o f Greater
|lnrtlaiib ODbserum* call
We are committed to making a
difference in the lives o f the
people we serve, however, we
cannot do that without the
necessary funds.
Portland no longer has the fund
ing to provide 11 distinct pro
grams at 8 sites,” said Jean
DeMaster, YWCA executive
director.
“We are committed to mak
ing a difference in the lives o f
the p eo p le we s e rv e ,”
DeMaster said. “However, we
cannot do that without the nec
essary funds.”
The two program s sched
uled for elim ination are the
Smart Choices Program , a
girls em pow erm ent program
that serves over 100 girls
each year in very low-in-
WHEEL OF FORTUNE HITS AGAIN!
WINNINGS TOTALING OVER $1.7 MILLION
18
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LIVE A LITTLE
4
come fam ilies o f north and
northeast Portland; and the
Y o u n g F a m ily /F a m ilia s
Jovenes Program, also serv
ing very low-income families
in the same neighborhoods.
YWCA officials are hope
ful that Multnomah County’s
Office o f School and Commu
nity Partnerships will reassign
funds to other agencies i n north
and northeast Portland to serve
low-income families.
The organization is also
working with other youth ser
vice agencies to continue simi
lar programs, if possible.
503.288.0033 or email: ads@portlandobserver.com
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